The university has provided a Box folder with photos and b-roll for use by journalists. There is also a document with information about captions, photo credits and copyright.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has reached another enrollment milestone, welcoming a record-breaking class for the fall 2025 semester. With freshman enrollment tallied at 9,207 (compared to 9,008 last year), the new class brings total student enrollment — undergraduate, graduate and online students — to more than 60,000 for the first time in university history at 60,848 students.
The new students have strong academic profiles and predominantly come from in-state high schools and community colleges, with upward trends from first-generation students and those from low-income households contributing to the growing enrollment at Illinois.
The new class has a strong academic profile, with an average ACT score of 32.3 (32.1 in 2024) and an average SAT of 1442 (1440 in 2024).
“These motivated and ambitious students recognize that Illinois is a uniquely positioned institution with a track record of educational excellence, transformative research opportunities, and real-world impact,” said Chancellor Charles L. Isbell, Jr. “We are committed to delivering on that promise by supporting students from the day they arrive all the way through graduation and into their lifetime journey whatever form it may take.”
This year’s freshman class includes 6,587 students from the state of Illinois, with the percentage at 72%. Those students represent every region of the state, including 87 of 102 counties in Illinois and 2,047 in-state high schools.
“The imprint of our university stretches across the globe, but we are first and foremost an institution situated in the heart of Illinois and driven to improve the lives of our state’s families and residents,” Isbell said. “This new class of students is arriving in Champaign-Urbana from every corner of the state, taking the first steps toward being the future leaders of Illinois communities.”
More than 1 in 5 incoming students are a first-generation college student, or 22% of this freshman class. And more than 1 in 5 students qualified for a fee hardship waiver (from a low-income household), which marks a 5% increase from the prior year.
“Illinois is committed to creating as much opportunity for as many as we can,” said Provost John Coleman. “As a former first-generation college student, I know firsthand how transformative access to higher education can be — for individuals, families, and communities. We are dedicated to ensuring first-gen students and those who are federal Pell Grant recipients feel supported, achieve success, and contribute their unique perspectives to a community built on finding your place and pursuing excellence — our hope for all at Illinois.”
The freshman class includes 1,410 enrolled international students from 62 countries, including 14 countries that were not represented last year.
Of the new freshmen, 1,399 new students self-identify as Hispanic, 569 self-identify as African American, 28 self-identify as Native American/Alaska Native, and 13 self-identify as Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.
Applications rose to 83,045 in this admissions cycle, an increase from 73,742 last year.
The university also welcomed 1,682 transfer students, with 61% of those transfers coming from Illinois community colleges. First-generation students make up 26% of all transfer students this year. The new transfer class includes 25% from an underrepresented group, a slight increase from last year.
The university’s preliminary undergraduate retention rate is 94%, compared to the national average of 78% for all public universities. The six-year graduation rate is 85%, compared to the national average of 64% for all public universities. And 90% of graduates found a job or enrolled in a graduate or volunteer program within six months of graduation.
