University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Illinois is selective but attainable, admitting about 36.6% of applicants in the most recent cycle — roughly 30,400 of more than 83,000 applicants. The bigger factor is your major: because UIUC admits students directly into a program, popular fields like computer science and engineering are far more competitive than the campus-wide rate suggests, so your odds depend heavily on which major you apply to.

UIUC does not publish a single rate for these programs because it admits students directly by major, but they sit well below the 36.6% university-wide acceptance rate. Engineering is the largest field on campus at about 19% of bachelor's degrees and computing about 9%, and demand for these direct-admit programs makes them the most competitive route in — so listing a strong, well-supported first-choice major matters more here than at schools that admit to the college at large.

The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored between 1390 and 1520 on the SAT and 31 to 34 on the ACT, so a score in or above that band is competitive. Illinois is test-optional — scores are not required, and are only 'considered' when submitted rather than weighed as a major factor — so a strong transcript carries more weight than the test itself.

A 1450 is solidly competitive — it lands inside the middle-50% SAT range of 1390–1520 for enrolled first-years, above the 25th percentile of 1390. Because Illinois is test-optional and treats scores as only 'considered,' a 1450 helps your application but won't carry it on its own; the rigor of your coursework and grades weigh far more heavily, especially for direct-admit majors like engineering and computer science.

Illinois doesn't publish an average admitted GPA, but among enrolled first-years who reported a class rank, about 62% were in the top tenth of their high school class and 89% were in the top quarter. Class rank itself is not considered, but the rigor of your high school record and your GPA are both weighed as very important factors — so strong grades in demanding courses are the core of a competitive application.

The gap is significant. Illinois residents were admitted at 49.3% in the most recent cycle (14,509 of 29,419 applicants), while domestic non-residents were admitted at 29.0% (9,495 of 32,702). International applicants were admitted at a similar 30.5%. The 36.6% campus-wide rate blends all three groups, so out-of-state applicants face meaningfully steeper odds than Illinois residents — aim for the stronger end of the admitted profile (middle-50% SAT 1390–1520, ACT 31–34) and make a clear case for your chosen major.

Base annual tuition and required fees run about $18,046 for Illinois residents and $38,398 for out-of-state students, though most undergraduates pay more because tuition is differentiated by program, with engineering and business costing the most. About 38% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, averaging around $26,429, and the Illinois Commitment program covers tuition and fees for in-state families earning $75,000 or less.

Yes — Illinois rates the application essay as an important factor in its review, above standardized test scores, which are only considered. Since UIUC admits by major and weighs character and extracurriculars heavily, the essay is one of the clearest places to show fit for your chosen program, making a specific, well-revised response genuinely worth the effort.

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