University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Acceptance Rate 2026: 36.6%, GPA, SAT, ACT & Admissions Guide
Direct answer: UIUC’s official 2025 first-year admit-rate page lists a 36.6% total admit rate and a 30.2% first-choice major admit rate. For Computer Science, the official admit rate is only 7.4%, so your major matters a lot.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is selective overall and extremely competitive for several first-choice majors. Do not judge your chance by the overall rate only.
This guide gives the useful answers first: total admit rate, first-choice major rate, CS and CS+X rates, college admit rates, GPA, SAT, ACT, test-optional rules, deadlines, coursework, application materials, essays, video, FAQs and official UIUC links.
Official 2025 first-year total admit rate.
Better number for major-based admission planning.
Official first-year CS admit rate.
Official admitted-student middle 50% GPA range.
UIUC admissions quick navigation
UIUC acceptance rate 2026: clear answer first
| Searcher question | Direct UIUC answer | What it means for applicants |
|---|---|---|
| UIUC acceptance rate 2026 | 36.6% total admit rate. | UIUC is selective overall. |
| First-choice major admit rate | 30.2%. | This is often more useful because UIUC reviews your selected major. |
| Computer Science admit rate | 7.4%. | CS is extremely competitive; do not use the 36.6% overall rate for CS planning. |
| Computer Science + X admit rate | 17.4%. | Still highly competitive, but different from pure CS. |
| What matters most? | Major fit, coursework, rigor, grades, essays, activities and optional scores. | Your application should prove readiness for the first-choice major. |
UIUC admit rates by college and major
UIUC publishes first-choice major admit rates by college. These rates show why major choice is the most important part of this article.
| College / program | Official first-choice admit rate | Applicant strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 7.4% | Show advanced math, programming, projects, research, competitions or strong CS evidence. |
| Computer Science + X | 17.4% | Prove both CS ability and genuine fit with the X field. |
| Gies College of Business | 20.9% | Show quantitative readiness, leadership, business interest and impact. |
| Grainger College of Engineering | 21.2% | Strong math, physics, engineering projects and technical direction matter. |
| College of Applied Health Sciences | 28.0% | Show health interest, science readiness, service and major alignment. |
| College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | 36.4% | Still selective; essays should explain academic direction clearly. |
| College of Fine & Applied Arts | 40.8% | Some programs require portfolio, audition or interview. |
| College of Education | 42.6% | Show teaching interest, service, communication and fit. |
| College of Media | 42.8% | Show writing, communication, media projects and storytelling. |
| School of Social Work | 44.6% | Show service, community commitment and people-focused experience. |
| School of Information Sciences | 48.1% | Show data, information systems, technology and social-impact interests. |
| ACES | 48.5% | Show agriculture, environment, food, consumer science or biological interest. |
| Division of Exploratory Studies | 53.4% | Good for students still exploring, but essays must still show direction. |
UIUC GPA, SAT and ACT: what is competitive?
Campus GPA answer
UIUC’s admitted-student campus middle 50% GPA range is 3.70–4.00.
Campus SAT answer
UIUC’s admitted-student campus middle 50% SAT range is 1420–1540.
Campus ACT answer
UIUC’s admitted-student campus middle 50% ACT range is 31–35.
Test submission answer
About 60% of admitted students in the profile submitted test scores.
Middle 50% profile by college
| College / school | GPA middle 50% | SAT middle 50% | ACT middle 50% | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campus overall | 3.70–4.00 | 1420–1540 | 31–35 | Use this as the broad UIUC benchmark. |
| Grainger Engineering | 3.89–4.00 | 1480–1550 | 33–35 | Very high academic bar; math/science proof matters. |
| Gies Business | 3.82–4.00 | 1430–1520 | 31–34 | Strong grades, quant readiness and leadership expected. |
| Liberal Arts & Sciences | 3.73–4.00 | 1420–1530 | 31–35 | Academic depth and major fit matter. |
| School of Information Sciences | 3.65–4.00 | 1450–1530 | 32–35 | Technology/data interest should be clear. |
| Applied Health Sciences | 3.68–3.95 | 1270–1460 | 28–33 | Science and health-related fit help. |
| Fine & Applied Arts | 3.45–3.93 | 1330–1500 | 30–34 | Creative materials may matter for some programs. |
| Education | 3.54–3.94 | 1260–1500 | 29–33 | Show service, communication and teaching direction. |
| Exploratory Studies | 3.44–3.85 | 1240–1440 | 29–33 | Good for exploration, but still needs academic readiness. |
| Social Work | 3.40–3.83 | 1200–1400 | 27–33 | Service and community focus should be visible. |
UIUC application deadlines for first-year applicants
| Timeline item | Official UIUC date | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Application opens | September 1 | Start early so SRAR, essays and major choice are not rushed. |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 | Non-binding; apply early for top consideration. |
| EA required materials due | November 7 | Application is not complete until required materials are in. |
| Regular deadline | January 5 | Standard timeline for full consideration. |
| Regular required materials due | January 11 | Last safe date for required items. |
| EA notification | January 29 | EA applicants receive decisions earlier. |
| Regular notification | February 26 | Regular applicants receive decisions later. |
| Honors & scholarship notification | April 1 | Honors or scholarship decisions may arrive after admission. |
| Commit deadline | May 1 | National College Decision Day. |
UIUC test-optional policy: should you submit SAT or ACT?
UIUC says Illinois is test optional. You can choose whether to include ACT or SAT scores. If you submit scores, UIUC uses your highest ACT composite or highest SAT total, but says there is no superscoring.
| Applicant situation | Better choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Score inside or above your college profile | Consider submitting | It supports academic readiness for your major. |
| Applying to Engineering, CS or Business with high scores | Submitting may help | These colleges have very high score profiles. |
| Score below profile but transcript is strong | Consider test optional | Your GPA, rigor, courses and essays may tell a stronger story. |
| International applicant without ACT/SAT | Check English test rule | UIUC says applicants without ACT/SAT may need English-language test scores. |
| Submitting scores | Self-report first | Official scores are only needed if you enroll. |
UIUC required high school coursework
UIUC starts review by checking required coursework. Competitive majors often need more than the minimum.
| Course area | Required | Recommended | Applicant warning |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years | Courses should emphasize reading, writing, speaking and listening. |
| Math | 3 or 3.5 years | 4 years | 3.5 years including trigonometry or higher is required for CS+X, Gies Business, Grainger Engineering and several STEM majors. |
| Social Science | 2 years | 4 years | History and government count; economics, psychology and sociology may also count. |
| Lab Sciences | 2 years | 4 years | Biology, chemistry and physics lab courses count; general science does not count. |
| Language other than English | 2 years | 4 years | Must complete through the second level of one language; ASL is acceptable. |
| Flexible academic units | 2 years | 4+ years | Can include academic subjects above and approved art, music or vocational education. |
UIUC application materials: what you actually need
| Material | UIUC detail | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Apply through the Common App. | Choosing a first-choice major without checking selectivity and fit. |
| Major choices | Choose a first-choice major and optional second-choice major. | Using the second-choice major randomly instead of strategically. |
| Essays | UIUC asks prompts about interests, experiences and goals. | Writing general “Illinois is prestigious” essays instead of major-specific answers. |
| Activities | Include clubs, jobs, family responsibilities, volunteering and meaningful involvement. | Listing many items with no depth or impact. |
| Application fee | $75, or approved fee waiver. | Waiting until the deadline to solve fee-waiver issues. |
| Courses and grades | After Common App submission, UIUC emails a link to self-report courses and grades. | Entering grades differently from the transcript. |
| Official transcript | Needed only if you enroll. | Assuming self-reported grades can be inaccurate because transcript comes later. |
| Extra steps | Art & Design portfolio, Dance audition, Music application/audition/interview, Theatre audition/interview/portfolio review. | Missing program-specific deadlines or materials. |
UIUC admissions video guide
Watch this UIUC admissions video, then compare your first-choice major rate, academic profile and application checklist below.
How UIUC reviews applicants
UIUC says admission review is holistic. No single factor determines admission, but academics are central and major fit matters.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign application checklist
Official UIUC links and sources
The key details are summarized above. Use these official links to verify current rules before submitting.
Official total, first-choice, college, CS and CS+X admit rates.
Official GPA, SAT, ACT and college profile ranges.
Official Common App, essays, test-optional, fee, SRAR and extra-step guidance.
Official EA, Regular, notification, honors/scholarship and commit dates.
Official coursework, materials, SRAR and English proficiency requirement details.
Official holistic review, major fit, decision types, deferral and waitlist explanation.
FAQs about University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign acceptance rate 2026
What is the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign acceptance rate for 2026?
UIUC’s official 2025 first-year admit-rate page lists a 36.6% total admit rate and a 30.2% first-choice major admit rate. Use the 30.2% number when planning around first-choice major review.
What is the UIUC Computer Science acceptance rate?
UIUC lists Computer Science at 7.4% and Computer Science + X programs at 17.4%. CS applicants should not use the 36.6% campus rate as their real difficulty level.
Is UIUC hard to get into?
Yes. UIUC is selective overall and much more selective for certain majors. Engineering, Business, Computer Science and CS+X are especially competitive.
What GPA do you need for UIUC?
UIUC does not publish one guaranteed GPA cutoff. The official campus admitted-student middle 50% GPA range is 3.70 to 4.00, while Grainger Engineering is 3.89 to 4.00.
What SAT score is good for UIUC?
The campus middle 50% SAT range is 1420 to 1540. Grainger Engineering is 1480 to 1550, Gies Business is 1430 to 1520 and LAS is 1420 to 1530.
What ACT score is good for UIUC?
The campus middle 50% ACT range is 31 to 35. Grainger Engineering is 33 to 35, Gies Business is 31 to 34 and LAS is 31 to 35.
Is UIUC test optional for 2026?
Yes. UIUC states that Illinois is test optional. Applicants may choose whether to include ACT or SAT scores, and official scores are only needed if the student enrolls.
What are UIUC application deadlines?
The application opens September 1. Early Action is due November 1 with materials due November 7. Regular Decision is due January 5 with materials due January 11. Commit deadline is May 1.
Does UIUC require essays?
Yes. UIUC applicants write responses about interests, experiences and goals. Essays are important because they help show major fit and academic direction.
How can I improve my UIUC application?
Pick the right first-choice major, use the second-choice major carefully, take advanced math and lab science for competitive programs, write major-specific essays, submit strong scores if helpful and complete SRAR accurately.