University of Illinois Chicago

For Fall 2025, 29,929 first-year students applied to UIC, 22,674 were admitted and 5,405 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 75.8%.

Source: UIC Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.

By school or major. UIC's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university, with no rate by college or major. Each UIC college sets its own admission criteria, and the First Year Requirements page shows the middle 50 percent of grades and scores of admitted students by college, but no acceptance rates.

Source: UIC Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Early action. UIC has no early decision plan. The Common Data Set lists a nonbinding early action plan but gives no early action counts, so it gives no early round acceptance rate.

Source: UIC Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

Each UIC college sets its own admission criteria, and your choice of major is part of the review. Some programs ask for more:

• Performance programs (Theatre, Music). An audition is required for all performance degree applicants.
• Honors College and Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA). You must be admitted to UIC before these are reviewed. Each needs its own essay, sent with the application, and two recommendations.
• Honors College and GPPA deadlines. GPPA: November 2, 2026. Honors College: November 2, 2026 (priority) and February 1, 2027 (final).

  Source: UIC Admissions, Undergraduate Application Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Source: UIC Admissions, First Year Requirements (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

98 majors across 10 schools. Every bachelor's degree program in UIC's official 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, grouped by the college that offers it, with the degree it leads to. Minors, concentrations, joint BS/MS and BA/MPH programs, certificates, preprofessional studies and graduate programs are left out.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

Applications open August 1, 2026. For Early Action, the application and every required document must be dated or postmarked by November 2. November 2, 2026 is also the scholarship priority deadline for first-year applicants.

Source: UIC Admissions, Undergraduate Application Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Decision timing: Early Action decisions are released by December 16, and Regular Decision is rolling, January through March. UIC says that historically over 95% of applicants get a decision within these time frames.

Source: UIC Admissions, Application Process (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

UIC is test-optional: the ACT or SAT is not required, and applicants without scores get full consideration, for merit scholarships too. Scores you send are considered only when they strengthen your application. UIC does not use scores typed into the Common Application or superscore reports. To send scores, upload a PDF of the score report through the Common Application, send an official report, include them on your high school transcript, or have a counselor email the report.

Source: UIC Admissions, Test Optional FAQ (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as not required for admission but considered if submitted, for fall 2027 applicants.

Source: UIC Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

• Testing. UIC's Test Optional FAQ says its current policy, under which scores count only when they help an application, takes effect beginning with the 2027 undergraduate admission cycle.

  Source: UIC Admissions, Test Optional FAQ (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028

Not announced yet. When we checked UIC's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.

Source: UIC Admissions, Undergraduate Application Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The published cost of a year at UIC, 2026-2027:

For a full-time undergraduate living on campus, fall and spring. Tuition varies by program: the Common Data Set says 67.7% of full-time undergraduates pay more than the tuition shown here.

Source: UIC Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections G1, G4 and G5. Read Oct 1, 2026.

Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:

What first-year, full-time, in-state students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from UIC's aid offer.

Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Chosen for how close each is to University of Illinois Chicago on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.

• Miami UniversityOxford, OH · Public75.4% admitted$28,384 average net price
• Northern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, IL · Public69.8% admitted$13,391 average net price
• Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL · Public85.5% admitted$19,398 average net price
• Indiana University BloomingtonBloomington, IN · Public75.9% admitted$16,264 average net price
• Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI · Public83.6% admitted$12,766 average net price

Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.