University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, United States · Est. 1913 · Research University

Chicago's largest university with 35,000+ students across 16 colleges and major research programs.

  • Founded 1913 as consolidation of health colleges; public research university in University of Illinois System
  • 35,869 students (fall 2025): 24,260 undergraduates, 11,609 postgraduates
  • Largest university in Chicago metropolitan area; ranked top 40 public university by U.S. News
  • 16 colleges including Medicine, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Nursing
  • Located on Near West Side; 244-acre campus with East and West campuses plus regional sites
  • R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity classification; $527.9M endowment (2025)

Academics

UIC operates 16 colleges offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across engineering, computer science, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, management, sciences, and humanities. The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year MD program at three Illinois sites: Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford. A new College of Engineering building opened in 2019 with the only high-bay structural laboratory in Chicago. The Computer Design Research and Learning Center (CDRLC), budgeted at $117.8 million, is slated for completion fall 2024 to accommodate rising computer science enrollment.

Campus & Student Life

The East Campus, designed in brutalist style by Walter Netsch, sits on the Near West Side just south of Greektown, 15 minutes from downtown Chicago. The West Campus houses health science colleges and the Illinois Medical Center. UIC offers ten residence halls with approximately 3,800 students living on campus, including over half of all freshmen. Student recreation includes a three-story climbing wall, Olympic pool, fitness centers, and outdoor multipurpose fields. The university is accessible via CTA Blue Line (UIC-Halsted, Racine, Illinois Medical District stations) and Pink Line.

Admissions

UIC enrolled its second-largest freshman class with 40% first-generation students. The university offers $0 tuition and fees for families earning $75,000 or less. Regular admission pathways are available for domestic and international students, with transfer options also supported.

Research & Outcomes

Classified as R1: Doctoral Universities with very high research activity, UIC is a major research institution within the University of Illinois System. The university is part of the Illinois Medical District, contributing $3.3 billion to the local economy and supporting 50,000 jobs. UIC College of Medicine was affiliated with Cook County Hospital, featured in the television series E.R.

Founded
1913
Type
Research University
Courses
8
Total intake
Not yet verified
AffiliationUniversity of Illinois System
Websitehttps://uic.edu
HousingNot available
Some details are still being verified.

Quick stats

Courses offered
8
Avg career outcomes
$68.7K
Total intake
Not yet verified
Housing
No
Data last verified June 2026 · compiled from official sources