The University of Illinois at Chicago is a public research university that was founded in 1867. UIC is one of the largest universities in Chicago, with 34,000+ students. International student population constitutes up to 21%. The highest number of international students comes from India (1,067), followed by China and Pakistan.

UIC campus is distributed among 16 colleges and schools. There are over 326 programs at University of Illinois Chicago. Amongst the international students, Engineering (37.8%) and Business Administration (25.4%) programs are the most enrolled courses in 2021. Base tuition fee for an Indian student at the University of Illinois at Chicago is 27,504 USD which is equivalent to 20.57 lakhs. Cost of living in Chicago will be approximately 13.99 lakhs per year.

Likes:

  • Research Opportunities: The university is Chicago’s only public research university, which is federally funded. Along with many research opportunities, there is also a Summer Research Program for undergraduate students.
  • Student Intake: University of Illinois has more than 34,000 students across 16 schools.
  • Placement Opportunities: UIC claims to have 100% placement of the graduates in the year 2021.
  • Campus: As the campus is located in the heart of the city itself, it's easy to reach the campus from anywhere in Chicago. The campus is huge with individual spaces for indoor and outdoor sports.

Dislikes:

  • Accommodation Cost: On-campus UIC accommodation cost is a little bit high, around 14,000 USD annually, whereas off-campus housing starts from $500 per year only. For international students, paying that much can be difficult.
  • Limited Scholarships: UIC offers very limited scholarships to international students.
  • Weather Conditions: Another thing about the area that is a bit problematic is the extreme low temperature in winter. This place also faces extreme snowfall which makes it impossible to drive or walk.

University of Illinois at Chicago Ranking

UIC ranks #317 in QS World University Ranking 2023. Amongst the US universities, QS places University of Illinois at Chicago at #36. Some of the other University of Illinois at Chicago world rankings include:

  • #301-350 in THE World University Ranking 2022
  • #91 is US College Rankings by THE in 2022
  • #227 in US News & World Report Rankings- Global Rankings 2022
  • #103 in National Universities by US News in 2022.

As per global QS rankings, the best subjects at UIC include Nursing, Pharmacy, and Education. University of Illinois at Chicago programs are often compared to University of Chicago and New York University. The table below compares the best ranking UIC courses with these two universities:

Subject University of Illinois at Chicago New York University University of Chicago
Nursing #51 #15 -
Pharmacy & Pharmacology #58 #101 -
Art & Design #151 #45 #51
Education & Training #67 #53 #66
Communication & Media #51 #9 #51
Engineering & Technology #234 #129 #121

UIC is often compared with other universities like – University of Chicago, University of Wisconsin etc. Check out the below mentioned links to get a complete comparison between UIC and other universities.

University of Illinois at Chicago Programs

UIC programs are distributed in 16 schools with 11 undergraduate and 14 graduate faculties. Presently, University of Illinois at Chicago graduate programs are offered in 101 courses. In total, UIC offers more than 250 programs for different degrees. These include:

  • 91 undergraduate programs
  • 101 postgraduate programs
  • 61 doctoral programs
  • 73 certificate programs

In terms of student enrollment, the most popular University of Illinois programs are Business Administration, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Engineering.

University of Illinois at Chicago Campus

University of Illinois at Chicago has a huge campus and it’s full of student-friendly facilities. The university has five regional campuses worth mentioning -

  • Peoria - Located on the Illinois River, Peoria is the largest medical campus of downstate Illinois. Peoria offers programs in Nursing and Medicine affiliated with UIC.
  • Quad Cities - The campus of Quad Cities encompasses the cities of Moline, East Moline, and Rock Island, Iowa’s Davenport, and Bettendorf. A regional program of Nursing is offered here.
  • Rockford - The Rockford campus is located northwest of Chicago on the east and west side of river Rock. This campus offers programs  Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. Rockford also provides practical training and research opportunities in local hospitals.
  • Springfield - Springfield also offers many opportunities in Nursing programs. This campus has ties with leading health departments of the city and provides 1st hand trainings.
  • Urbana - Urbana offers unique training programs in Nursing. This campus has clinical partnerships with many leading hospitals and health centers like Carle Foundation Hospital, OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center, and the Danville VA Medical Center.

The UIC campus stretches up to a wide area covering lavish lawns, halls, a recreational complex, and classroom buildings. A student center is a place where students can meet, play, study, eat, and hang out with their friends. Some of the amenities of the Chicago campus of the university include:

UIC Campus Facilities

University of Illinois at Chicago Accommodation

Both off-campus and on-campus housing facilities are available for the students. Off-campus residential housings tend to charge between $500 to $ 5000 (38686 INR to 3,87,305 INR) annually. The cost of on-campus housing is given below -

Campus Housing Maximum Cost (per Year)
Academic and Residential Complex $15,524 (12.01 Lakhs INR)
Commons North $14,063 (10.88 Lakhs INR)
Commons West $13,215 (10.19 Lakhs INR)
Courtyard $14,207 (10.96 Lakhs INR)
James Stukel Towers $14,832 (11.44 Lakhs INR)
Marie Robinson Hall & Thomas Beckham Hall $14,713 (11.35 Lakhs INR)
Single Student Residents $13,069 (10.08 Lakhs INR)

University of Illinois at Chicago Admission

UIC accepts admission for Fall, Spring, and Summer seasons. Students are requested to submit their applications on or before the deadline as there will be no second date. The application process and requirements for University of Illinois at Chicago admission 2023 are as follows.

University of Illinois at Chicago Application Process

University of Illinois at Chicago Application Process

Application Portal: Apply Now | UIC Admissions or Common App.
Application Fee: Pay the non-refundable application fees of $160 (12357 INR).

  • The fee comprises $60 as an application fee
  • $100 as an international evaluation fee.

UIC Requirements for Undergraduate Programs

  • Academic Credentials:
    • For First Year: Official mark sheets of secondary coursework and official Senior Secondary School Certificate.
    • GPA scores of 3.5/4~90% recommended (varies by programs)
    • SAT or ACT scores (optional)
    • Transcripts, Official mark sheets and academic credentials from all the schools attended must be submitted.
    • A syllabus containing subjects and descriptions of selected international courses must be submitted.
  • Academic Qualifications:
    • Secondary School Certificate.
    • Higher Secondary School Certificate.
    • A 3 year diploma which is completed after Secondary Education.
  • English Proficiency: The minimum English Proficiency test scores are as follows-

UIC Requirements for Graduate Programs

  • Academic Credentials:
    • Official mark sheets of every semester.
    • Official certification of Degree.
    • GPA score of a minimum of 2.75/4 (82-83%)
    • GMAT or GRE scores (can be waived on request)
    • Documents must contain official stamps and signatures.
  • Academic Qualifications:
    • 4 to 6 year Bachelor’s degree.
    • 3-year Bachelor's degree followed by a master’s degree or any post-graduate diploma.
  • English Proficiency: The minimum test scores are as follows –

University of Illinois at Chicago Acceptance Rate

University of Illinois at Chicago acceptance rate is 73%. In the last 6-7 years, the university’s selection criteria have been moderately competitive. The acceptance rate trend at UIC in the last few years is mentioned below:

University of Illinois at Chicago Acceptance Rate

University of Illinois at Chicago Cost of Attendance

University of Illinois at Chicago cost of studying varies for international and domestic students. The cost breakdown for Indian students applying for studies in 2022 is as follows:

Tuition Fees

Overall average cost for an undergraduate student at University of Illinois at Chicago will be 34,000 USD (that is 26,23,423 INR). The details of the expenses are here below -

Type Cost per year ( in INR )
Art History, Interdisciplinary Education in Arts 24,96,791
Kinesiology 25,78,993
Health Information Management 26,78,345
Nutrition 25,94,753
Business Administration 26,96,423
Education 24,96,791
Engineering 26,88,389
Liberal Arts & Sciences 26,36,472
Nursing 28,37,649
Public Health 26,51,305
Urban Planning & Public Affairs 24,96,791

UIC Cost of Living

Expenses Category UG Cost per year PG Cost per year
Mandatory Fees 3,90,328 3,73,000
Books & Supplies 1,08,446 1,08,446
Housing & Food 11,15,445 11,15,445
Transportation 9,29,53 (in-state) 2,55,622 (out-state) 9,29,53 (in-state) 2,55,622 (out-state)
Stafford Loan Fees (if applicable) 5,422 15,496
Personal Expenses 3,48,576 3,48,576

University of Illinois at Chicago Scholarships

A number of financial aid options are available for students at the institute including scholarships, grants, and on-campus employment. More than 3,200 students work on-campus, while others work near the Chicago-land area or return to a job at home during break periods to pay for college. Some major scholarships available to international students are:

Scholarship Eligibility
Sigma Xi Research Society Astronomy and vision-related research
East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship Masters and Doctoral funding for Asian, Pacific, and US students in areas of politics, education, health, and other subjects.
AESF Scholarship Undergraduate and Graduate students studying material science, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, etc.
Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship Students Graduating in music, art, or architecture.
The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund Students from developing countries, studying in the US. Amount: 12,000 USD
Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund Undergraduate and graduate students studying/pursuing social justice and activism.

University of Illinois at Chicago Alumni

Alumni of the University of Illinois at Chicago become part of the UIC Alumni Association (UICAA), which has over 285,000 members. As an alumnus, one can enjoy numerous perks. Some of the alumni benefits are listed below:

  • Access to health care, libraries, and fitness facilities
  • Discounted family-friendly services and facilities
  • Resources to support business and leadership development
  • Unique experiences such as UIC sporting events, Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, and live theatre
  • Opportunities to pursue continuing education courses and certificate programs
  • The club receives resources and internal support as fresh graduates navigate their way into the world.
  • A few notable alumni: Bobby Rush—U.S. Representative; Michael Gross—American television actor; Tony Podesta—American lobbyist.

Some of the notable UIC alumni are -

  1. Bernard Shaw - Former chief anchor at CNN.
  2. Rose Economou - Filmmaker and documentarian. He won 7 Emmy Awards and 4 Chicago International Film Festival Awards.
  3. Michael Gross - Actor. Famous for the role of Steven Keaton on Family Ties.
  4. Carol Moseley Braun - Politician. First African-American woman to get elected in the U.S. Senate. Candidate for the Mayor of Chicago in 2011.
  5. Sheryl Underwood - A Comedian and host of t.v. programs.

University of Illinois at Chicago Placements

UIC provides many Career Search resources to its graduates. Students can register on the Handshake platform to get noticed by employers and connect with them. Some of the top recruiters of UIC graduates include Chicago Public School, FM Global, Athletico, Allstate, Best Buy, Chicago Police Department etc. The university has an employment rate of 55.3% including full-time, part-time and military programs.

University of Illinois at Chicago Career Outcome
Source: UIC

University of Illinois Chicago MBA Placements

University of Illinois at Chicago MBA graduates recorded a mean base salary of 91,500 USD (73.18 INR) per annum. Companies like Accenture, Adobe, IBM, Pepsi, Lenovo, Deloitte, Wendy’s and many more are interested in recruiting UIC MBA graduates. Majority of the graduates are getting placement offers from Technology and Consulting industries. Some of the top industries and their placement rates are tabulated below.

Industries Employment Percentage
Consulting 12.5
Retail 2.5
Financial Services 7.5
Government or Education 7.5
Manufacturing 10
Healthcare 10
Technology 17.5
Energy & Transportation 5

Also Check: High paying jobs in USA

Being one of the highly ranked universities in the USA, University of Illinois offers top-class education facilities to international students. The university offers living-learning opportunities to the students through its huge accommodation facilities. Furthermore, the satisfactory employment rate with lucrative salary packages after graduation makes it an attractive centre for studying in USA.

FAQs

Ques. Is University of Illinois at Chicago good for international students?

Ans. University of Illinois at Chicago ranks #36 among US universities by QS WUR ranking 2022. The university caters equally to both domestic and international students. Also, UIC is the only institution from Illinois to rank in Top 10 Best Value Colleges by THE.

Ques. Is University of Illinois at Chicago hard to get into?

Ans. University of Illinois at Chicago has an acceptance rate of 73%. It shows a light competitive admission procedure for international students also.

Ques. What GPA is required for admission in University of Illinois at Chicago?

Ans.University of Illinois at Chicago GPA requirement varies by programs. However, on average, students will need a GPA of 3.5/4 (90%) for admission.

Ques. Does University of Illinois at Chicago require SAT or ACT scores?

Ans.No. SAT or ACT score is not a mandatory requirement for University of Illinois at Chicago admission. However, SAT scores of admitted students range from 980 up to 1400. Willing students can still submit the scores if they want.

Ques. Does University of Illinois at Chicago offers accommodation to international students?

Ans. Yes. University of Illinois at Chicago offers accommodation facilities to domestic and international students equally. Accommodation cost can be up to 12 lakhs per year.