The University of Illinois System entered uncharted territory with record fall enrollments of more than 101,000 students on its campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield, reflecting the ongoing demand for the system’s world-class education.
Buoyed by a substantial increase in first-year freshmen and an overall increase in undergraduates, the system’s total enrollment increased by 3.4% from a year ago to a total of 101,081. In the past decade, system enrollment rose 25.9%.
“As the needs of our state grow, the U of I System is proud to continue delivering the world-class education and innovative research that will provide the foundation for our future,” U of I System President Tim Killeen said. “This enrollment milestone is a powerful affirmation of the excellence found at our three universities and the value we deliver for students and their families.
“Our students are the next generation of professionals, engaged citizens and leaders, here in Illinois and around the world. I could not be more proud of our faculty and staff, and their work to make our universities and the entire U of I System the incredible engines for prosperity and progress that they are.”
System enrollments of first-year freshmen and undergraduate students have climbed in recent years. This fall’s enrollment of 14,924 freshmen was a 9% increase from 2024’s then-record freshmen enrollment, and the total undergraduate enrollment of 65,169 this fall topped last year’s record by 5.2%.
The system’s focus on smoothing the admissions path for transfer students also paid dividends, with a 10.3% increase in first-time transfers throughout the system. More than 4,550 system students transferred from other institutions, including Illinois residents who began their studies at out-of-state schools. U of I System transfer students graduate at rates equal to or higher than students who enter the system as freshmen.
“Transfer students have shown that they succeed at our universities, and our efforts to enroll more of them are vital in our commitment to broadening access to the education we offer,” Killeen said. “Our focus on the transfer pipeline allows those students who want to go on from their community college experience to pursue a four-year degree an opportunity to do so, while also creating a pathway for students to come back to Illinois.”
In-state undergraduate students increased by 5.8%, now accounting for 79.3% of all undergraduate enrollment. With an intentional focus on keeping more talent in the state, the system’s proportion of in-state undergraduate students has grown to be considerably higher than most peer universities. Enrollment of Black undergraduates increased 10.1%, while Hispanic undergraduate enrollment increased 9.0%.
International student undergraduate enrollments increased by 5.9% throughout the system.
The system has steadily increased its own financial aid over the past decade and launched free-tuition programs for qualifying Illinois students at all three universities. Forty-one percent of resident undergraduates pay no tuition or fees, and two-thirds pay less than the full price. The system also froze tuition in most of the past 10 years.
Enrollment numbers are based on the 10th day of classes at the three universities. Ten-day figures are the traditional benchmark for reporting enrollment among U.S. colleges and universities.
Highlights from each university:
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Springfield
