If you’re reading this, you’re likely wondering whether or not your kid has what it takes to get into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Never fear: we’re going to help you with that question. But first, let’s learn what makes UIUC stand out from the rest. 

About the University of Illinois

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks #12 in US World & News Report’s list of Top Public Schools. It has over 35,000 undergraduate students, 72% of whom hail from the great state of Illinois. There are over 175 research programs and centers on campus, so if your child wants to be involved in the work that makes a university a university, then this might just be the school for them. 

And, once they graduate, they’ll be connected to a vast alumni network that is 180,000 strong and includes seven Nobel Laureates and nine Pulitzer Prize winners. On campus, they’ll get to root for the Fighting Illini since Urbana-Champaign is a Big Ten Division I school. If they’re not a sports person, no fear: there are more than 800 student organizations at Urban-Champaign. All in all, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign proves that bigger is better. 

The acceptance rate to UIUC is 42%. That makes it what we at Ivy Coach consider a competitive school to get into. Let’s learn a bit more about how Urbana-Champaign admissions officers separate the wheat from the chaff. 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Admissions Requirements

There’s no copy-and-paste template for a successful UIUC application. Such a thing does not exist for any university. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign maintains a holistic review process. And, obviously, if you’re an Illinois resident, you have an edge, since UIUC, like most state schools, gives preferential treatment to those applying from their backyard. All that said, let’s look at some of the features that unite admits to UIUC. 

What Kind of GPA Is Necessary To Get Into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Unfortunately, UIUC does not report the GPA breakdown of its admitted class, but it does report the class rank. The following chart is the class rank data for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Class of 2028 (the most recently available data): 

Assessment	Percentage of UIUC Class of 2028
Percent in top tenth of high school graduating class	56.08%
Percent in top quarter of high school graduating class	85.29%
Percent in top half of high school graduating class	98.14%
Percent in bottom half of high school graduating class	1.86%
Percent in bottom quarter of high school graduating class	0.20%
Percent of total first-time, first-year students who submitted high school class rank:	22.65%

What Kind of SAT or ACT Scores Are Needed To Get Into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign? 

The average SAT score for the UIUC Class of 2028 was 1470, and the average ACT score was 33. Although UIUC officially maintains a test-optional policy, 55% of students who applied to the Class of 2028 submitted test scores. This is pretty high for a test-optional school. UIUC has not released data on what percentage of admitted students sent test scores, but we’d wager that it was higher than 55%. To put it differently, submitting test scores always boosts an applicant’s chances.

What Classes Do Students Need to Take to Get Into the University of Illinois?

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign lists the following as its minimum course requirements to be considered for admission: 

• English: 4 years required
• Math: 3 or 3.5 years required, 4 years recommended
• Social sciences: 2 years required, 4 years recommended
• Lab sciences: 2 years required, 4 years recommended
• Language other than English: 2 years required, 4 years recommended
• Flexible academic units: 2 years required, 4+ years recommended

What Kinds of Extracurriculars Does U of I Like To See?

We will say it plain and simple: selective schools like UIUC do not want well-rounded applicants, contrary to what you may have heard. Why? Because the jack of all trades is also the master of none. Colleges don’t want students who are just OK or even just good at lots of different things. They want students who have specific areas of excellence and expertise, students who are going to become leaders in their fields one day. So, rather than shuffling your kid from soccer practice to cello lessons to robotics club, decide together what their talent and passion is and go all in on that thing. 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Application Requirements

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts The Common Application. They don’t ask for letters of recommendation, but they do have a variety of different supplemental essays depending on the major or program you’re applying to. 

Does the University of Illinois Require an Interview? 

You can cross this one off your list: they don’t even offer one! 

What Are the University of Illinois’ Application Deadlines? 

Early Action applications to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are due November 1st. Regular Decision applications are due January 5th.  

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into the University of Illinois

If you’re interested in discerning if your child has a shot of getting into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Caltech, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.