#74 in the world · QS 2027

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Illinois' land-grant flagship, where engineering, computing and agriculture share one campus in two prairie cities.

Urbana and Champaign, Illinois, United States Public land-grant research university Founded 1867 Official website

See my chances at UIUC Admissions office

Acceptance rate: 37%; First-year class entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26)
Students: 60,848; 38,572 undergraduates
International: 23%; of students
Student–faculty: 20:1; ratio
Tuition: $36,970; From · 2026-27

About UIUC

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was founded in 1867 as one of the original land-grant institutions and is the flagship of the University of Illinois System. Its campus straddles the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana in central Illinois, and it enrolled 60,848 students in fall 2025, of whom 38,572 were undergraduates. The university says it has more than 12,000 international students and scholars from 125 countries.

Illinois is best known for engineering and computing. The Grainger College of Engineering and its computer science programs sit at the centre of the campus's reputation, and the university's National Center for Supercomputing Applications produced Mosaic, the first widely used graphical web browser. Strength runs well beyond engineering: the Gies College of Business, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (home of the Morrow Plots, the oldest continuously used experimental fields in the US), the School of Information Sciences and the College of Fine and Applied Arts all draw applicants in their own right.

Undergraduates apply directly into a major within one of the colleges, so choosing your first-choice program is a real strategic decision. It suits students who want Big Ten scale, huge research infrastructure and a college town where the university is the main event, and who are comfortable finding their own community among more than 1,000 student organizations.

Learning & Labor

University motto

Why students choose UIUC

The Grainger College of Engineering gives computing students access to a computing lineage that includes NCSA, Mosaic, the PLATO system and ILLIAC I, the first computer built and owned by a US university.

Illinois residents from families earning 75,000 dollars or less (with assets of 75,000 dollars or less) can have full tuition and campus fees covered through the Illinois Commitment program.

The university library holds more than 24 million items, one of the largest academic library collections in the United States.

Admission is to a specific major, and applicants can name a second-choice major; if admitted to the second choice they are automatically waitlisted for the first.

Admissions

First-year class entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26)

About 1 in 3 applicants is admitted

30,384 admitted from 83,045 applicants

SAT 1390–1520

1000120014001600

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

ACT 31–34

2024283236

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

Admission is by major, and competitiveness varies sharply between programs; engineering, computer science and business are the most selective. A University of Illinois College of Education report notes the overall admit rate fell from 63.3% in 2020 to 36.6% in 2025, and that in the 2024-25 cycle Illinois residents were admitted at 49.3% versus 29% for out-of-state and 30.5% for international applicants.

Testing Test-optional: SAT or ACT not required but considered if submitted (about 43% of enrolled first-years submitted SAT and 14% ACT for fall 2025). No superscoring; report highest composite and sub-scores.

Grades Illinois does not report an average high school GPA in its Common Data Set. Of enrolled first-years who submitted class rank, 61.6% were in the top tenth of their class.

Typical entry requirements

US high school	4 years English; 3-3.5 years math (3.5 including trigonometry or higher required for engineering, business and computer science; 4 recommended); 2 years each of social science, lab science and one foreign language; 2 flexible academic units
International curricula	The university lists country-specific credential guidance for the IB, GCSE/GCE A-levels and national systems including Canada, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea
English language	Applicants who did not complete grades 10-12 in an approved English-speaking country must submit TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, ACT or SAT scores taken within two years of the intended entry term; the requirement cannot be waived. The admissions site does not publish a single minimum score.

Deadlines

Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 days

November 1, 2026 (11:59 p.m. CT)

Supporting materials due November 7; decisions January 29. The admissions office says early action gives the best chance at its most selective programs and special attention for honors and merit awards.
Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 months

January 5, 2027 (11:59 p.m. CT)

Supporting materials due January 11; decisions February 26.

The official dates page lists month and day only (application opens September 1, EA Nov 1, regular Jan 5, honors and scholarship updates by April 1, commitment deadline May 1); years shown here assume the current fall 2027 cycle.

How to apply

Apply through the Common App ($75 fee, waivers available), including Illinois-specific essay prompts and a first-choice and optional second-choice major; after submitting, enter your courses and grades in the Self-Reported Academic Record (official transcripts only if you enroll). Art and design applicants submit a portfolio; dance, music and theatre applicants audition or interview.

What admissions looks for

Academics first: the rigor of courses available to you and the ones you chose, plus your performance over time and in current coursework.
Major fit: how your background, interests and goals line up with the major you selected, including any program prerequisites.
Depth over volume in activities, with qualities such as curiosity, leadership, creativity, motivation and perseverance.
Personal context, including your school, community, family background and first-generation or military-connected status.
Essays that share your story and explain any context behind your academic path.

Tips for applying to UIUC

1 Apply Early Action by November 1: Illinois says it gives the best chance for its most selective majors and priority for honors programs and merit awards.
2 Pick your first-choice major carefully and use the second-choice option strategically; a less-crowded second choice can still get you onto campus.
3 Enter your Self-Reported Academic Record exactly as your transcript reads, because it is what readers use instead of an official transcript.
4 If you plan to study engineering, business or computer science, make sure you have at least 3.5 years of math including trigonometry.
5 Use the major-specific essay to show why that exact program fits you; the admissions office evaluates major fit explicitly.

What are your chances?

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

Illinois residents (base rate to highest program: business, engineering, astrophysics) Tuition $13,252 – $18,740

+ food and housing allowance, 2026-27 $15,858 ≈ from $29,110 per year

International students (base rate to Gies Business and Grainger Engineering); non-Illinois US residents pay $35,928-$44,340 Tuition $36,970 – $47,800

+ food and housing allowance, 2026-27 $15,858 ≈ from $52,828 per year

Tuition Food and housing allowance, 2026-27

Official cost of attendance $37,992

Financial aid

Illinois Commitment covers full tuition and campus fees for Illinois residents with family income and assets of 75,000 dollars or less who file the FAFSA by March 15. Other students are considered for federal, state and institutional grants, scholarships, loans and work. International undergraduates pay a separate, slightly higher rate than out-of-state US students ($36,970-$47,800 tuition in 2026-27) and should not expect need-based aid.

$37,992 / $43,480
Resident COA 2026-27 (base / highest program): $61,008 / $69,420
Non-Illinois US resident COA 2026-27 (base / highest program): $62,050 / $72,880
International COA 2026-27 (base / highest program): $5,182
Required campus fees 2026-27: Family income and assets each $75,000 or less
Illinois Commitment threshold

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters

Computer Science

Housed in Grainger Engineering (highest tuition tier), it requires 3.5+ years of high school math and builds on the campus legacy of NCSA, Mosaic and ILLIAC.

Engineering (Grainger College)

Founded in 1868 and the historical core of the university's research reputation, with the Grainger Engineering Library and access to the Research Park.

Accountancy and Business (Gies College)

Gies sits in the top tuition tier alongside engineering and is one of the most sought-after direct-admit colleges.

Agricultural and Consumer Economics and crop sciences (ACES)

The land-grant mission lives here, including the Morrow Plots, the oldest continuously used experimental agricultural fields in the US.

Information Sciences

The iSchool, dating to 1893, pairs with one of the largest university libraries in the country (more than 24 million items).

Research

The National Center for Supercomputing Applications created Mosaic, the first popular graphical web browser, and operated the NSF-funded Blue Waters supercomputer.
The Beckman Institute is a 313,000-square-foot interdisciplinary center for intelligent systems, neuroscience and biomedical imaging.
ILLIAC I (1952) was the first computer built and owned by a US educational institution, and the PLATO system pioneered computer-assisted instruction and early online forums.
The Research Park on the south campus houses corporate R&D centers and dozens of startups.

Schools & faculties

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Gies College of Business
The Grainger College of Engineering
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Fine and Applied Arts
College of Education
College of Applied Health Sciences
College of Media
School of Information Sciences
School of Social Work
School of Labor and Employment Relations
Carle Illinois College of Medicine

Graduation rate

86%

First-year students who return

95%

The university reports an average salary of $79,516 for employed recent alumni (Illinois facts page).

Student life

Illinois is a big, social Big Ten campus where students tend to build their world around a major, a residence hall and a few of the more than 1,000 registered student organizations, which recruit at Quad Day each August. Most first-years live in the 24 residence halls spread across Champaign and Urbana, and Green Street's Campustown is the everyday hub for food and nightlife. Greek life is large, with dozens of fraternities and sororities, and Fighting Illini football and basketball anchor the calendar.

More than 1,000 registered student organizations, showcased at Quad Day at the start of the fall semester.
NCAA Division I athletics in the Big Ten Conference as the Fighting Illini.
A large Greek system, with 59 fraternities and 38 sororities.
24 residence halls across the two cities, plus the Illini Union on the Main Quad.

Housing. First-year students typically live in one of the university's 24 residence halls; food and housing are budgeted at $15,858 for 2026-27.

Location

Champaign and Urbana are twin cities in the flat farmland of east-central Illinois, with the campus sitting between their downtowns. It is a classic college town: affordable, walkable around campus, served by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District buses, and connected to Chicago by Amtrak and to the rest of the country via Chicago's airports. Winters are cold and summers are hot and humid.

Nearest airport: University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI); Chicago O'Hare (ORD) for most international flights

Notable alumni

JK
Jack Kilby

Inventor of the integrated circuit; Nobel Prize in Physics 2000
MA
Marc Andreessen

Co-creator of the Mosaic web browser and co-founder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz
SC
Steve Chen

Co-founder of YouTube
RE
Roger Ebert

Film critic; Pulitzer Prize for Criticism 1975
RY
Rosalyn Yalow

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1977 for radioimmunoassay
SK
Shahid Khan

Businessman, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C.
DE
Dave Eggers

Author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
PS
Phillip Sharp

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1993 for discovering split genes

Frequently asked questions

What is the UIUC acceptance rate?

For students entering in fall 2025, Illinois admitted 30,384 of 83,045 first-year applicants, an acceptance rate of about 36.6%. Rates vary a lot by major, and residents are admitted at a higher rate than out-of-state and international applicants.

Is UIUC test-optional?

Yes. SAT and ACT scores are not required but are considered if you submit them. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years who submitted scores was 1390-1520 on the SAT and 31-34 on the ACT.

When is the UIUC Early Action deadline?

Early Action is November 1 (non-binding), with decisions on January 29. The regular deadline is January 5, with decisions on February 26.

How much does UIUC cost for out-of-state students?

For 2026-27, out-of-state US students pay tuition of $35,928 to $44,340 depending on the program (full cost of attendance $61,008 to $69,420); international students pay $36,970 to $47,800 (cost of attendance $62,050 to $72,880).

Does UIUC require letters of recommendation?

No. The first-year application consists of the Common App with Illinois essays, the Self-Reported Academic Record and any test scores you choose to send; recommendations are not considered in admission according to the Common Data Set.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.