Enrollment of first-year freshmen at University of Illinois System universities reached a record level of 13,231 this fall, as did total system enrollment of 60,013 undergraduate students.
Overall system enrollment, which rose to a record 94,861 a year ago, fell slightly to 94,746. Record levels of graduate student degree completions this past spring resulted in a slight decline in graduate student enrollment this fall. Enrollments of first-time graduate students increased by 0.2%.
“Our enrollment of first-year students and another record for undergraduate enrollment are extremely heartening and proof of the value that a University of Illinois System education delivers,” system President Tim Killeen said. “The credit for this impressive outcome goes to the faculty and staff who deliver educational excellence and to the admissions staff who work year-round to connect with prospective students, sharing the vision of the exceptional education that awaits them.”
Numbers are based on enrollment on the 10th day of classes at the U of I System’s universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. Ten-day figures are the traditional benchmark for reporting enrollment among U.S. colleges and universities.
Enrollment of in-state undergraduate students increased by 1.5% across the system, with Illinois residents making up about 79.2% of undergraduate enrollees. Enrollments of Hispanic undergraduate students increased 2.0% and enrollment of African American undergraduate students remained the same as last fall. Enrollments of first-time African American freshmen increased by 13%.
Throughout the system, enrollments of first-time transfer undergraduate students increased by 0.4%.
“Remaining accessible to Illinois residents is an integral part of our admissions strategy. Three-quarters of system graduates remain in the state where they attend college, helping to fuel the economic success and vitality of the state and their own communities,” Killeen said.
The U of I System’s commitment to accessibility includes robust spending on financial aid; $277 million in FY ’22, the most recent year available. Additionally, more than 23,000 students at system universities receive assistance from the state’s Monetary Award Program (MAP), which Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the General Assembly expanded by $100 million this year. Almost 21,000 U of I System students receive federal Pell grants.
Highlights from each university:
