The UIUC acceptance rate is 36.6% for the Class of 2029. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign admitted 30,384 students from 83,045 applications.
Treat that number with more suspicion than any other acceptance rate in this state. Illinois admits directly by major, not to the university as a whole, and the rate for Computer Science as a first choice is estimated at around 7.2%. That is roughly a fifth of the headline figure, and it means two students applying to the same university in the same year can face odds five times apart depending on one dropdown on the application.
If you take one thing from this page: find your major's rate, not the university's.
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UIUC Acceptance Rate at a Glance
| Metric | Class of 2029 | Class of 2028 |
| Overall acceptance rate | 36.6% | 42.4% |
| Applications | 83,045 | 73,742 |
| Admitted | 30,384 | 31,247 |
Applications rose by more than 9,000 in a single year while admissions fell by around 900. That is why the rate dropped almost six percentage points between cycles, and it is the direction of travel to plan around rather than the specific number.
The waitlist is more useful here than at most universities: UIUC has admitted an average of about 26.5% of waitlisted students over a 21-year period. At most selective universities a waitlist place is close to a rejection. At Illinois it is a genuine outcome worth accepting.
UIUC Acceptance Rate by Major
This is the section that matters.
| Programme | Estimated acceptance rate |
| Computer Science, first choice | About 7.2% |
| Grainger College of Engineering | Below the university average |
| Gies College of Business | Competitive, below average |
| Least competitive colleges | Well above 50% |
Your first-choice major sets your odds. Because admission is by programme, listing CS first puts you in a pool that is more selective than most of the Ivy League. The same student listing a less competitive major may be comfortably above the line.
Second-choice majors matter. Illinois asks for one, and it is a real decision rather than a formality. A thoughtful second choice in a less impacted college can be the difference between an offer and a rejection. A second choice that is equally competitive wastes the option.
Transferring in later is not a plan. Moving into Computer Science or Engineering after enrolling is competitive and not guaranteed. Ask the admissions office how internal transfer actually works and what the success rate is before you rely on it.
This is the same pattern we documented at UMass Amherst, where Nursing admits 15% against a 60% university-wide rate. It is common at large public flagships and almost never reflected in the headline number.
Flagged for review. The major-level rates above come from admissions analysts rather than official UIUC publications. Present them as estimates and verify against UIUC's own admitted student profile before republishing.
What GPA and Test Scores Do You Need for UIUC?
| Measure | Admitted student profile |
| Unweighted GPA, mid-50% | 3.65 to 4.0 |
| Graduated in the top 10% of their class | 56% |
| Graduated in the top quarter | 85% |
| Submitted test scores | Just over half of enrolled students |
UIUC is test-optional, and just over half of enrolled students submitted scores. That is a genuine choice rather than a formality.
The class rank data is more revealing than the GPA band. With 85% of admitted students in the top quarter of their high school class, UIUC is looking hard at how you performed against your own cohort, not only at an absolute number. A 3.7 from a demanding school with strong rank reads better than a 3.9 without it.
Is UIUC Hard to Get Into?
At the university level, moderately. A 36.6% rate makes Illinois selective but reachable for a strong student.
At the programme level, it depends entirely on your major. Computer Science at around 7.2% is harder than most people's reach schools. Engineering and Business sit below the average. The least competitive colleges are above 50%, which is a genuinely accessible entry point to a top-tier public research university.
For context across the state: the University of Chicago admits about 5%, DePaul 75.9%, and Illinois State 88.2%. Our guide to colleges in Illinois sets out the full range for building a balanced list.
Where UIUC Students Live
Urbana-Champaign is a twin-city college town about two and a half hours south of Chicago, and the university is the main industry. That produces a housing market with two useful properties: supply is plentiful, and rent is far below Chicago.
Purpose-built student accommodation is unusually abundant here compared with most US college towns, because developers build for a captive market of more than 50,000 students and staff. Campustown, the strip immediately south of the Quad, is where most undergraduate housing sits and where you can genuinely live without a car.
Three things to plan around.
Sign earlier than you expect. Urbana-Champaign runs an aggressive leasing cycle in which students often sign for the following August in the autumn of the preceding year, sometimes twelve months ahead. It is one of the earliest markets in the country. If you are admitted in the spring, the best Campustown buildings may already be committed.
Decide between Campustown and further out. Campustown means walking to class and paying for it. Further into Urbana or north Champaign is cheaper, and the MTD bus network is free with your student ID and genuinely good, which makes a cheaper room several stops out a sensible trade.
Nine-month leases exist. Many student buildings here offer academic-year terms because so much of the population leaves in summer. Ask, rather than assuming a twelve-month lease is the only option.
Acolyte Living lists verified options for UIUC students, across Urbana and the wider Urbana-Champaign area. Our guide to HERE Champaign covers one of the larger purpose-built options in detail.
Take our apartment tour checklist to viewings, and if you are an international student read renting without a credit history in the USA and how student housing affects F-1 visa status before signing.
Who UIUC Suits
A strong fit if you want a top-tier public research university at public prices, you are applying to a programme outside the most competitive colleges, you want a walkable college town rather than a city commute, or you value the housing cost advantage over Chicago and the coasts.
Think carefully if you are set on Computer Science without a strong backup plan, want a big-city environment, or dislike being two and a half hours from the nearest major airport hub. Urbana-Champaign is a genuine college town, which is both the appeal and the limitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UIUC acceptance rate?
The UIUC acceptance rate is 36.6% for the Class of 2029, from 83,045 applications and 30,384 admissions. It was 42.4% for the Class of 2028.
What is the UIUC acceptance rate for Computer Science?
Around 7.2% for Computer Science as a first-choice major, roughly a fifth of the university-wide rate. This is an estimate from admissions analysts rather than an official UIUC figure.
Does UIUC admit by major?
Yes. Illinois admits directly to a programme rather than to the university as a whole, which is why the headline acceptance rate is a poor guide to your individual odds.
What GPA do you need for UIUC?
The mid-50% unweighted GPA is 3.65 to 4.0, and 85% of admitted students graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
Is UIUC test-optional?
Yes, and meaningfully so. Just over half of enrolled students submitted SAT or ACT scores.
What is the UIUC waitlist acceptance rate?
About 26.5% on a 21-year average, which is unusually high. A waitlist place at Illinois is a genuine outcome rather than a polite rejection.
Does my second-choice major matter at UIUC?
Yes. Because admission is by programme, a well-chosen second choice in a less competitive college can be the difference between an offer and a rejection.
How much is student housing in Urbana-Champaign?
Far below Chicago, with plentiful purpose-built supply. The leasing cycle starts unusually early, often twelve months ahead, so confirm current rates and availability directly.
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The Bottom Line
The UIUC acceptance rate of 36.6% is the most misleading headline figure in Illinois. Illinois admits by major, and Computer Science at roughly 7.2% is a different university from the one the average rate describes. Pick your first and second choices deliberately, lean on class rank as much as GPA, and start the housing search early, because Urbana-Champaign leases sooner than almost any market in the country.