Illinois Sets Record With Largest Freshman Class Ever as Enrollment Tops 61,000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has announced a record-breaking enrollment year for the fall 2026 semester, marking the third consecutive year the university has welcomed its largest first-year class.

Freshman enrollment rose to 9,332 students, up from 9,207 in the prior year. The increase pushed total enrollment across undergraduate, graduate, and online students to 61,060, surpassing the 61,000 mark for the first time in the university's history.

Strong demand continues

Chancellor Charles L. Isbell, Jr. said the record reflects sustained student interest even during a period of uncertainty in higher education.

"We are excited to welcome all new undergraduate and graduate students as they each begin a unique and meaningful academic journey," Isbell said. "During a time of change in higher education, it is clear that student interest and demand for an Illinois education continues to be exceptionally strong, reflecting Illinois' leadership in educational excellence, transformative research and providing a tangible impact for people in this state and beyond."

Freshman applications climbed again to 84,833, an increase of more than 1,700 from the previous year and more than 17,000 higher than three years ago.

A class of strong academic profiles

The incoming freshman class arrives with strong academic credentials, posting an average ACT score of 31.2 and an average SAT score of 1,487. The class predominantly comes from Illinois, with 6,530 new freshmen from the state. Those students represent 92 of the state's 102 counties, an increase of five counties from 2025.

The class also includes 1,307 international students from 56 countries.

Expanding access

A notable share of the incoming class represents first-generation and low-income students. Almost one in four new first-year students, or 24 percent, is a first-generation college student. More than one in five students in the freshman class qualified for a hardship application fee waiver from a low-income household, a 6 percent increase from the prior year.

Provost John Coleman framed the numbers as a matter of institutional mission.

"Expanding access to higher education is central to the mission of our university," Coleman said. "We believe talent and potential exist everywhere, and our responsibility is to ensure opportunity does as well."

Graduate enrollment holds steady

New graduate student enrollment also remained strong despite national uncertainty around research funding, economic conditions, and international student mobility. The university welcomed 6,495 new graduate students, a 5.5 percent decrease from the previous year, bringing total graduate enrollment to 20,241.

Enrollment in online graduate programs increased by 3.7 percent to more than 9,400 students. Those programs include professional master's degrees, certificates, and other opportunities designed for learners across Illinois and around the world.

"Students are drawn to Illinois by our exceptional faculty, the scale of our research enterprise and opportunities to collaborate across disciplines," said Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate College. "Those enduring strengths have not changed."

Transfers and retention

The university also welcomed 1,460 undergraduate transfer students, with 67 percent of those transfers coming from community colleges. First-generation students make up 25 percent of this year's transfer students.

The university's preliminary undergraduate retention rate is 95 percent, compared with the national average of 82 percent for all public universities. The six-year graduation rate stands at 86 percent, compared with the national average of 63 percent. Ninety-three percent of recent graduates found a job or enrolled in a graduate or volunteer program within six months of graduation.