View source for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

{{Short description|Public university in Illinois, US}}
{{Redirect|University of Illinois|the university system|University of Illinois System}}
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = University of Illinois<br>Urbana-Champaign
 | image                  = University of Illinois seal.svg
 | image_upright          = .7
 | motto                  = "Learning & Labor"
 | former_names           = Illinois Industrial University (1867–1885)<br />University of Illinois (1885–1982)<br>University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1982–2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hlcommission.org/component/directory/?Itemid=&Action=ShowBasic&instid=1872|title=HLC - University of Illinois Urbana Champaign}}</ref>
 | established            = {{start date and age|1867}}
 | type                   = [[Public university|Public]] [[Land-grant university|land-grant]] [[research university]]
 | parent                 = [[University of Illinois System]]
 | accreditation          = [[Higher Learning Commission|HLC]]
 | academic_affiliations  = {{hlist
|[[Association of American Universities|AAU]]|[[Universitas 21|U21]]|
|[[Universities Research Association|URA]]
|[[National Sea Grant College Program|Sea-grant]]
|[[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program|Space-grant]]
}}
 | endowment              = $3.38 billion (2023)<br />(system-wide)<ref name=NACUBO>As of June 30, 2023. {{cite web |url=https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/nacubo1-nacubo-prd-dc8b/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2023-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-FINAL.xlsx |title=U.S. and Canadian 2023 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2023 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY22 to FY23, and FY23 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student |date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) |access-date=July 12, 2024 |format=XLSX |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523180252/https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/nacubo1-nacubo-prd-dc8b/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2023-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-FINAL.xlsx |archive-date=May 23, 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | budget                 = $7.7 billion (2023) (system-wide)<ref name="Budget">{{cite web |title=Budget |url=https://www.uillinois.edu/about/budget |website=uillinois.edu |publisher=University of Illinois Foundation |access-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203225426/https://www.uillinois.edu/about/budget |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | chancellor             = [[Charles Lee Isbell Jr.]]
 | provost                = John Coleman<ref>{{cite web |url=https://provost.illinois.edu/staff-directory/john-coleman/ |title= Coleman, John |publisher= Office of the Provost, University of Illinois |website= illinois.edu |access-date=August 10, 2023 }}</ref>
 | students               = 60,848 (2025)<ref name="Fall 2025 enrollment">{{cite web |website=illinois.edu |url= https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/class/enrfa25.htm |title=UIUC Student Enrollment by Curriculum and Student Level Fall 2025 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |date=September 9, 2025 |access-date=October 5, 2025}}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 38,572 (2025)<ref name="Fall 2025 enrollment"/>
 | postgrad               = 20,877 (2025)<ref name="Fall 2025 enrollment"/>
 | faculty                = 2,548
 | administrative_staff   = 8,803<ref>{{cite web |title=2024-2025 Campus Profile - Campus Total |url=https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/cp/ |website=dmi.illinois.edu |access-date=January 21, 2025 |archive-date=January 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120221123/https://dmi.illinois.edu/cp/ }}</ref>
 | city                   = [[Urbana, Illinois|Urbana]]-[[Champaign, Illinois|Champaign]]
 | state                  = Illinois
 | country                = United States
 | campus                 = Small city<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Illinois&s=all&pg=2&id=145637| title= College Navigator - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign| website= National Center for Education Statistics| publisher= US Department of Education| access-date= February 23, 2022| archive-date= June 2, 2022| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220602054044/https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Illinois&s=all&pg=2&id=145637| url-status= live}}</ref>
 | campus_size            = {{convert|6370|acre|ha|0}}<ref name="Illinois Facts">{{cite web |title=Campus Facts |url=http://illinois.edu/about/facts.html |website= illinois.edu |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=August 30, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170828202400/http://illinois.edu/about/facts.html |archive-date=August 28, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | free_label             = Newspaper
 | free                   = ''[[The Daily Illini]]''
 | colors                 = {{college color list|team=Illinois Fighting Illini}} <!-- Automatically formatted due to athletics and academic brands unified -->
 | sports_nickname        = [[Fighting Illini]]
 | sporting_affiliations  = [[NCAA Division I]] [[Football Bowl Subdivision|FBS]] – [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]]
 | website                = {{Official URL}}
 | logo                   = University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Wordmark.svg
 | logo_upright           = 0.9
}}

The '''University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign''' ('''UIUC''', '''U. of I.''', '''Illinois''', or '''University of Illinois''')<ref>{{cite web |title=Our name |url=https://marketing.illinois.edu/messaging/name |website=Office of Strategic Marketing and Branding, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 24, 2021 |archive-date=December 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202003611/https://marketing.illinois.edu/messaging/name |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cam.illinois.edu/iii/iii-1.htm|title=Campus Administrative Manual – Urbana–Champaign Campus Designation|publisher=University of Illinois Office of the Chancellor|access-date=August 14, 2016| website= marketing.illinois.edu |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160306201754/http://cam.illinois.edu/iii/iii-1.htm|archive-date=March 6, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> is a [[public university|public]] [[land-grant university|land-grant]] [[research university]] in the [[Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area]], Illinois, United States. Established in 1867, it is the founding campus and [[Flagship#Colleges and universities in the United States|flagship]] institution of the [[University of Illinois System]]. With over 59,000 students, the University of Illinois is one of the [[List of United States public university campuses by enrollment|largest public universities by enrollment]] in the United States.

The university contains 16 schools and colleges<ref>{{cite web|url=http://illinois.edu/academics/academics.html|title=Academics | publisher= University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign|website=illinois.edu|language=en|access-date=March 20, 2018| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180325182706/http://illinois.edu/academics/academics.html|archive-date=March 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and offers more than 150 undergraduate and over 100 graduate programs of study. The university holds 651 buildings on {{convert|6370|acre|ha|0}}<ref name="Illinois Facts" /> and its annual operating budget in 2016 was over $2 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.illinois.edu/authFiles/6833/333582/84134.pdf|title=PROSPECTUS FOR THE POSITION OF CHANCELLOR, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and VICE PRESIDENT, University of Illinois|date=Spring 2016|website= illinois.edu| publisher= University of Illinois President's Office|access-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180630105226/https://blogs.illinois.edu/authFiles/6833/333582/84134.pdf|archive-date=June 30, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign also operates [[Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|a research park]] home to innovation centers for over 90 start-up companies and [[multinational corporation]]s.<ref name="research.illinois.edu" />

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a member of the [[Association of American Universities]] and is [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".<ref name="Carnegie">{{cite web |title=Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup |url=https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=145637 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726001336/https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=145637 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |access-date=July 25, 2020 |website=carnegieclassifications.iu.edu |publisher=Center for Postsecondary Education}}</ref> In fiscal year 2019, research expenditures at Illinois totaled $652 million.<ref name="2018_R&D" /><ref name="research.illinois.edu" /> The campus library system possesses the [[University libraries in the United States|fourth-largest university library]] in the United States by holdings.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Mian |first1=Anam |url=https://publications.arl.org/ARL-Statistics-2020/ |title=ARL Statistics 2020 |last2=Roebuck |first2=Gary |publisher=[[Association of Research Libraries]] |year=2020 |location=Washington, DC |pages= |access-date=March 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203171520/https://publications.arl.org/ARL-Statistics-2020/ |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> The university also hosts the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |url=http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224001346/http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/ |archive-date=December 24, 2012 |access-date=December 11, 2012 |website=ncsa.illinois.edu}}</ref>

The alumni, faculty members, or researchers of the university include 24 [[Nobel Prize|Nobel]] laureates, 27 [[Pulitzer Prize]] winners, 2 [[Fields Medal|Fields medalists]], and 2 [[Turing Award]] winners. Illinois athletic teams compete in [[NCAA Division I|Division I]] of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] and are collectively known as the [[Illinois Fighting Illini|Fighting Illini]]. They are members of the [[Big Ten Conference]] and have won the [[Big Ten Conference#Conference titles|second-most conference titles]]. [[Illinois Fighting Illini football]] won the [[Rose Bowl Game]] in 1947, 1952, 1964 and a total of five national championships. Illinois athletes have won 29 medals in [[Olympic Games|Olympic events]]. 
{{TOC limit|3}}

== History ==
{{Main|History of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign}}

===Illinois Industrial University (1867–1885)===
[[File:IllinoisIndustrialUniversity.jpg|thumb|University Hall stood from 1871 until 1938 and was replaced by Gregory Hall and the [[Illini Union]]. Pieces were used in the erection of Hallene Gateway.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily Illini|url=http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL18790101&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------#|website=Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections|access-date=July 20, 2015|date=January 1, 1879|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721191459/http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL18790101&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|archive-date=July 21, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
The University of Illinois, originally named "Illinois Industrial University", was one of the 37 universities created under the first [[Morrill Land-Grant Acts|Morrill Land-Grant Act]], which provided public land for the creation of agricultural and industrial colleges and universities across the United States. Among several cities, [[Urbana, Illinois|Urbana]] was selected in 1867 as the site for the new school.<ref name="Illini years pg6">Illini Years: A Picture History of the University of Illinois (1950). p. 6</ref><ref name="University of Illinois Archives">{{cite web|last1=Brichford|first1=Maynard|title=A Brief History of the University of Illinois|url=http://archives.library.illinois.edu/features/history.php|website=A Brief History of the University of Illinois|publisher=University of Illinois Archives|access-date=September 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823190550/http://archives.library.illinois.edu/features/history.php|archive-date=August 23, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> From the beginning, President [[John Milton Gregory]]'s desire to establish an institution firmly grounded in the [[liberal arts]] tradition was at odds with many state residents and lawmakers who wanted the university to offer classes based solely around "industrial education".<ref name=manifesto>Brichford, Maynard. (1983), ''[http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/UIHISTORY.PDF A Brief History of the University of Illinois] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615013717/http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/UIHISTORY.PDF |date=June 15, 2007 }}''</ref> The university opened for classes on March 2, 1868, and had two faculty members and 77 students.<ref name=story>McGinty, Alice. [http://www.champaign.org/justkids/homework_help/illinois_champaign/champaign_history/story_of_champaign_urbana.html "The Story of Champaign-Urbana"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214140313/http://www.champaign.org/justkids/homework_help/illinois_champaign/champaign_history/story_of_champaign_urbana.html |date=February 14, 2016 }} Champaign Public Library</ref>

The library, which opened with the school in 1868, started with 1,039 volumes. Subsequently, President [[Edmund J. James]], in a speech to the board of trustees in 1912, proposed to create a research library. It is now one of the world's largest public academic collections.<ref name="University of Illinois Archives"/><ref name="illinois2">{{cite web |url=http://illinois.edu/about/overview/facts/facts.html |title=Facts &#124; Illinois |website=Illinois.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811133826/http://illinois.edu/about/overview/facts/facts.html |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="About the University Library">{{cite web|title=About the University Library|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/history.html|website=About the University Library|publisher=University of Illinois|access-date=September 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003114900/http://www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/history.html|archive-date=October 3, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1870, the Mumford House was constructed as a model farmhouse for the school's experimental farm. The Mumford House remains the oldest structure on campus.<ref>{{cite web | title=University of Illinois Campus Tour- Alma Mater | url=http://uihistoriesproject.chass.illinois.edu/virtualtour/landmarks/almamater/ | access-date=June 13, 2007 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708141332/http://uihistoriesproject.chass.illinois.edu/virtualtour/landmarks/almamater/ | archive-date=July 8, 2010 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The original University Hall (1871) was the fourth building built; it stood where the Illini Union stands today.<ref name=UIHistories>{{cite web|last1=Leetaru|first1=Kalev|title=Hallene Gateway|url=http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/virtualtour/landmarks/hallene/|website=University of Illinois: Virtual Campus Tour|publisher=UIHistories|access-date=September 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018191138/http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/virtualtour/landmarks/hallene/|archive-date=October 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The University of Illinois' Undergraduate Library (UGL) was constructed underground to preserve open space on campus and to prevent casting shadows on the adjacent Morrow Plots, the oldest continually used experimental agricultural fields in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why is the Undergraduate Library underground? - FAQ and Chat |url=https://faq.library.illinois.edu/faq/148534 |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=faq.library.illinois.edu}}</ref> This unique design inspired The Other Guys, a student a cappella group, to create the "Morrow Plots Song," humorously explaining that the library was built underground "'Cause you can't throw shade on the corn".
<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=Ryan A. |date=2022-12-12 |title=University of Illinois Alumni |url=https://uiaa.org/2022/12/12/memory-lane-an-underground-lair/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=University of Illinois Alumni |language=en-US}}</ref> The song has become a beloved piece among students and alumni, celebrating the university's history and traditions.

===University of Illinois (1885–1977)===
[[File:University of Illinois 1900.jpg|thumb|Full Membership certificate of the University of Illinois, issued 22 March 1900]]
[[File:Alma-front.jpg|thumb|''[[Alma Mater (Illinois sculpture)|Alma Mater]]'' by [[Lorado Taft]], located in front of [[Altgeld Hall]]]]
In 1885, the Illinois Industrial University officially changed its name to the "University of Illinois", reflecting its agricultural, mechanical, and liberal arts curriculum.<ref name=manifesto />  According to educational historian [[Roger L. Geiger]], Illinois and a few other public and private universities set the standard for what the [[research university]] in the United States would become.<ref name="Crow">{{cite book|last1=Crow|first1=Michael M.|last2=Dabars|first2=William B.|author-link1=Michael M. Crow|title=Designing the New American University|date=2015|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore|isbn=9781421417233|pages=17–18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xAu5BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA17|access-date=May 28, 2017}}  The quoted sentence is Crow and Dabars' paraphrasing of Geiger's analysis.</ref><ref name="Geiger_Page_3">{{cite book |last1=Geiger |first1=Roger L. |title=To Advance Knowledge: The Growth of American Research Universities, 1900–1940 |date=1986 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |location=New Brunswick, New Jersey |isbn=9781412840088 |page=3 |edition=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y2SbOAWadz4C&pg=PA3 |access-date=May 28, 2021 |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314013100/https://www.google.com/books/edition/To_Advance_Knowledge/y2SbOAWadz4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA3&printsec=frontcover |url-status=live }}</ref>
During his presidency, [[Edmund J. James]] (1904–1920) set the policy of building a massive research library.<ref name="Solberg-I-67">Solberg, Winton U. (2004) "Edmund Janes James Builds a Library: The University of Illinois Library, 1904–1920" ''Libraries & Culture'' 39(1): pp. 36–75 [67]</ref>  He also laid the foundation for the large Chinese international student population on campus.<ref name="IAM">Mary Timmins, [http://www.uiaa.org/illinois/news/blog/index.asp?id=379 "Enter the Dragon"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906002755/http://www.uiaa.org/illinois/news/blog/index.asp?id=379 |date=September 6, 2015 }}, ''Illinois Alumni Magazine'' December 15, 2011.</ref> James established ties with China through the Chinese Minister to the United States [[Wu Tingfang|Wu Ting-Fang]]. Class rivalries and [[Robert Zuppke|Bob Zuppke's]] winning football teams contributed to campus morale.<ref name="University of Illinois Archives"/>

[[Alma Mater (Illinois sculpture)|''Alma Mater'']], a prominent statue on campus created by alumnus [[Lorado Taft]], was unveiled on June 11, 1929. It was funded from donations by the Alumni Fund and the classes of 1923–1929.<ref name="Alma Mater">{{cite web|title=Alma Mater|url=http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/virtualtour/landmarks/almamater/|website=University of Illinois: Virtual Campus Tour|publisher=University of illinois|access-date=September 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018191138/http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/virtualtour/landmarks/almamater/|archive-date=October 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Great Depression in the United States]] slowed construction and expansion on the campus. The university replaced the original university hall with Gregory Hall and the [[Illini Union]]. After World War II, the university experienced rapid growth. The enrollment doubled and the academic standing improved.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/07/obituaries/david-d-henry-89-president-of-illinois-u-in-time-of-tumult.html | work=The New York Times | title=David . Henry, 89, President Of Illinois U. in Time of Tumult | date=September 7, 1995 | access-date=February 20, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519172131/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/07/obituaries/david-d-henry-89-president-of-illinois-u-in-time-of-tumult.html | archive-date=May 19, 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref>  This period was also marked by large growth in the Graduate College and increased federal support of scientific and technological research. During the 1950s and 1960s the university experienced the turmoil common on many American campuses. Among these were the water fights of the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peterson |first=Doug |date=2015-04-09 |title=University of Illinois Alumni |url=https://uiaa.org/2015/04/09/memory-lane-the-water-fighting-illini/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=University of Illinois Alumni |language=en-US}}</ref>

===University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1977–present)===
[[File:UIUCEngineeringHall.jpg|thumb|[[Engineering Hall, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|Engineering Hall]] is located along [[Boneyard Creek]] on the [[Engineering Campus (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Engineering Campus]]]]
By 1967, the [[University of Illinois system]] consisted of a main campus in Champaign-Urbana and two Chicago campuses, Chicago Circle (UICC) and Medical Center (UIMC), and people began using "Urbana-Champaign" or the reverse to refer to the main campus specifically. The university name officially changed to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by 1977 (although the word "at" was later dropped for marketing purposes by all U of I System campuses by 2021). While this was a reversal of the commonly used designation for the metropolitan area ([[Champaign-Urbana]]), a majority of the campus is located in Urbana. The name change established a separate identity for the main campus within the [[University of Illinois System]], which today includes separate institutions at the [[University of Illinois Chicago]] (formed by the merger of UICC and UIMC) and [[University of Illinois Springfield]].

In 1998, the Hallene Gateway Plaza was dedicated. The Plaza features the original sandstone portal of University Hall, which was originally the fourth building on campus.<ref name="UIHistories"/> In recent years, state support has declined from 4.5% of the state's tax appropriations in 1980 to 2.28% in 2011, a nearly 50% decline.<ref>{{cite web| title=University of Illinois FY2010 Budget Request| url=http://www.pb.uillinois.edu/Documents/budgetbook/FY2012Budgetbook.pdf| access-date=May 26, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616172334/http://www.pb.uillinois.edu/Documents/budgetbook/FY2012Budgetbook.pdf| archive-date=June 16, 2011| url-status=live}}</ref>  As a result, the university's budget has shifted away from relying on state support with nearly 84% of the budget coming from other sources in 2012.<ref name="Budget by Source of Funds">{{cite web |url=http://oc.illinois.edu/budget/budgetchart1.html |title=Budget by Source of Funds &#124; Stewarding Excellence @ Illinois |website=Oc.illinois.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305234310/http://oc.illinois.edu/budget/budgetchart1.html |archive-date=March 5, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On March 12, 2015, the Board of Trustees approved the creation of a medical school, the first college created at Urbana-Champaign in 60 years.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.medicine.illinois.edu/faq.html|title = Frequently Asked Questions|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = Carle Illinois College of Medicine|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150601011751/http://www.medicine.illinois.edu/faq.html|archive-date = June 1, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="chicagotribune.com">{{cite web|url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-u-of-i-medical-school-20140930-story.html#page=1|title = U. of I. pitches new medical school|date = September 30, 2015|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = Chicago Tribune|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150420192032/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-u-of-i-medical-school-20140930-story.html#page=1|archive-date = April 20, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="news.illinois.edu">{{cite web|url = http://news.illinois.edu/news/15/0312College_of_Medicine.html|title = U. of I., Carle moving forward with the first engineering-based college of medicine|date = March 12, 2015|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = Illinois News Bureau|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150502090955/http://news.illinois.edu/news/15/0312College_of_Medicine.html|archive-date = May 2, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> The [[Carle Illinois College of Medicine]] began classes in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medicine.illinois.edu/assets/docs/COM_Core_Curr_Comm.pdf|title=Core curriculum committee formed for Carle Illinois College of Medicine|date=December 10, 2015|publisher=University of Illinois|access-date=June 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328122332/http://medicine.illinois.edu/assets/docs/COM_Core_Curr_Comm.pdf|archive-date=March 28, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is the world's first engineering-based medical school.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Communications |first=Carle Illinois College of Medicine Office of Marketing and |title=About Us |url=https://medicine.illinois.edu/about |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=medicine.illinois.edu |language=en}}</ref>

==Campus==
{{main|Campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign}}
{{See also|Campustown (Champaign, Illinois)}}
[[File:GreenStreetCampustownChampaignIllinois.JPG|thumb|Green Street in [[Campustown (Champaign, Illinois)|Campustown]]]]
The main research and academic facilities are divided almost evenly between the twin cities of [[Urbana, Illinois|Urbana]] and [[Champaign, Illinois|Champaign]], which form part of the [[Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area]]. Some parts are in [[Urbana Township, Champaign County, Illinois|Urbana Township]].<ref>
* {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st17_il/place/p1712385_champaign/DC20BLK_P1712385.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Champaign city, IL|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 1, 2023|quote=Univ of Illinois|pages=2, 4 (PDF p. 3, 5/5)}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st17_il/place/p1777005_urbana/DC20BLK_P1777005.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Urbana city, IL|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 1, 2023|quote=Univ of Illinois|page=2 (PDF p. 3/4)}} - Compare to:
* {{cite web|url=https://illinois.edu/files/map.pdf<!--Alternate URL: https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/contact/images/uiuc-campus-map.pdf-->|title=Campus Map|publisher=University of Illinois|accessdate=July 1, 2023}}
</ref>

Four main quads compose the center of the university and are arranged from north to south. The Beckman Quadrangle and the [[John Bardeen]] Quadrangle occupy the center of the [[UIUC Engineering Campus|Engineering Campus]]. [[Boneyard Creek]] flows through the John Bardeen Quadrangle, parallel to Green Street. The Beckman Quadrangle, named after [[Arnold Orville Beckman]], is primarily composed of research units and laboratories, and features a large solar calendar consisting of an obelisk and several copper fountains. The Main Quadrangle and South Quadrangle follow immediately after the John Bardeen Quad. The former makes up a large part of the [[UIUC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences|Liberal Arts and Sciences]] portion of the campus, while the latter comprises many of the buildings of the [[UIUC College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences|College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences]] (ACES) spread across the campus map.<ref>{{cite web| title=Campus map|url=http://www.uiuc.edu/images/maps/campusmap.gif| access-date=November 23, 2005 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051107045227/http://www.uiuc.edu/images/maps/campusmap.gif |archive-date = November 7, 2005}}</ref>

Additionally, the research fields of the College of ACES stretch south from Urbana and Champaign into [[Savoy, Illinois|Savoy]] and [[Champaign County, Illinois|Champaign County]]. The university also maintains formal gardens and a conference center in nearby [[Monticello, Illinois|Monticello]] at [[Robert Allerton Park|Allerton Park]].

The campus is known for its landscape and architecture, as well as distinctive landmarks.<ref>{{cite web| title=Campus Landmarks| url=http://www.publicaffairs.uiuc.edu/facts/landmarks.html| access-date=August 30, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070819052401/http://www.publicaffairs.uiuc.edu/facts/landmarks.html |archive-date = August 19, 2007}}</ref> It was identified as one of 50 college or university "works of art" by T.A. Gaines in his book ''The Campus as a Work of Art''.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.appa.org/facilitiesmanager/article.cfm?ItemNumber=394&parentid=203| title = Expenditures on O&M at America's Most Beautiful Campuses| first = Shari L.| last = Ellertson| publisher = APPA| access-date = July 24, 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080219150922/http://www.appa.org/facilitiesmanager/article.cfm?ItemNumber=394&parentid=203| archive-date = February 19, 2008| url-status = dead}}</ref> The campus also has a number of buildings and sites on the [[National Register of Historic Places|U.S. National Register of Historic Places]] including [[Harker Hall]], the [[Astronomical Observatory (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Astronomical Observatory]], [[Louise Freer Hall]], the [[Main Library (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Main Library]], the [[University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District|Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District]], and the [[Morrow Plots]]. [[University of Illinois Willard Airport]] is one of the few airports owned by an educational institution.<ref>Committee on Campus Operations. [http://www.senate.uiuc.edu/co0402.asp UIUC Senate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906013148/http://www.senate.uiuc.edu/co0402.asp |date=September 6, 2006 }}. April 26, 2004.</ref>

[[Chesterbrook Academy]] private preschool, which opened in 2007, is located on the campus and serves infants through Pre-K.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-13 |title=Daycare {{!}} Research Park |url=https://researchpark.illinois.edu/about/amenities/daycare/ |access-date=2025-07-18 |website=researchpark.illinois.edu |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Preschool {{!}} Chesterbrook Academy of Champaign UIUC, IL |url=https://www.chesterbrookacademy.com/preschools/il/champaign/uiuc/about-us/our-preschool/ |access-date=2025-07-18 |website=Chesterbrook Academy |language=en-US}}</ref>

{{Panorama
|image   = File:UIUC Main Quad.jpg
|height  = 230
|caption = Panorama facing north on the Main Quad
}}

===Sustainability===
[[File:UIUC morrow plot.JPG|thumb|[[Morrow Plots]] in front of the [[Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology]]]]
In 2008, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign became a signatory of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, binding the campus to the goal of [[carbon neutrality]] as soon as possible. In 2010, the first Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) was written to chart a path to this goal. The iCAP is a strategic framework for meeting the university's Climate Leadership Commitments to be carbon-neutral by 2050 or sooner and build resilience with its local community. Since then, the iCAP has been rewritten every five years to track the university's progress.

In December 2013, the University of Illinois launched the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) on the Urbana-Champaign campus. The institute, under the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, leads an interdisciplinary approach to researching solutions for the world's most pressing sustainability, energy, and environmental needs. In addition, iSEE has engaged students, faculty, staff, and campus leadership in the iCAP process — especially in the areas of zero waste and conservation of energy, food, water, land, and natural resources — as well as sustainability outreach and immersive educational programs.

In 2022, new solar and geothermal energy projects, a reduction in water use, and wide-ranging sustainability research helped the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn its fifth consecutive gold certification in the [[Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System|Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign {{!}} Scorecard {{!}} Institutions {{!}} STARS Reports |url=https://reports.aashe.org/institutions/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-il/report/2022-02-25/ |access-date=March 23, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207221106/https://reports.aashe.org/institutions/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-il/report/2022-02-25/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Illinois has consistently achieved gold certification since it began reporting data through STARS in 2013, and the 2022 score was one of its highest to date.

Currently, the campus features 27 LEED-certified buildings.

==Academics==
As of 2024, 87% of students graduate within 8 years of entering, compared to the national median of 58% for all 4-year universities nationwide.<ref name="collegescorecard.ed.gov">{{cite web|title=College Scorecard: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?145637-University-of-Illinois-Urbana-Champaign|publisher=[[United States Department of Education]]|access-date=September 7, 2024}}</ref>

===Undergraduate admissions===
{{Infobox U.S. college admissions
|year              = 2025
|admit rate        = 36.6%
|admit rate change = -26.7
|yield rate        = 
|yield rate change = 
|test optional     = yes
|SAT Total         = 1420–1540<br/>
|SAT Total change  =
|ACT               = 31–35<br/>
|ACT change        =
|float             = right
|ref               =<ref name="FallEnrollmentReport">{{cite web |url=https://dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/ |title=UIUC Common Data Set 2024-2025 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=May 24, 2025 }}</ref><ref name="Admit Rates">{{cite web |url=https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/admit-rate |title=UIUC Acceptance Data |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=May 24, 2025 }}</ref><ref name="s449">{{cite web | title=First-Year Class Profile, Undergraduate Admissions, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | website=University of Illinois Undergraduate Admissions | url=https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/profile | access-date=September 11, 2025}}</ref>
}}

The overall first-year admit rate for 2025 is 36.6%, which differs among U. of I. colleges.<ref name="Admit rates" /><ref name="s449" /> Certain majors can be extremely competitive, such as computer science (where the university's program is consistenly ranked fifth nationwide<ref>{{cite web|title=2021 Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs Rankings|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/computer-science-overall|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029171454/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/computer-science-overall|archive-date=October 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Computer Science Open Rankings | url = https://drafty.cs.brown.edu/csopenrankings/ | access-date = January 30, 2021 | archive-date = February 4, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210204064224/https://drafty.cs.brown.edu/csopenrankings/ | url-status = live }}</ref>) with an acceptance rate of 7.4% in 2025.<ref name="Admit rates" />

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; float:left; font-size:90%; margin:10px"
|+ Fall First-Time Freshman Statistics<ref name="FallEnrollmentReport" /><ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=first-year admit rates for 2022 - official|url=https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/admit-rate|access-date=August 23, 2022|website=admissions.illinois.edu|archive-date=September 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909150148/https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/admit-rate|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2020_2021.xlsx |title=UIUC Common Data Set 2020-2021 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112093839/https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2020_2021.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2019_2020.xlsx |title=UIUC Common Data Set 2019-2020 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112093902/https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2019_2020.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2018_2019.xlsx |title=UIUC Common Data Set 2018-2019 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116215525/https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2018_2019.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2017_2018.xlsx |title=UIUC Common Data Set 2017-2018 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116215508/https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2017_2018.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2016_2017.xls |title=UIUC Common Data Set 2016-2017 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112093840/https://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/misc/cds_2016_2017.xls |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=First-Year Enrollment 10th Day Report 2022 |url=https://enrollmentmanagement.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/10thDay-FirstYear-Fall-2022-1.pdf |access-date=February 14, 2023 |website=University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204150952/https://enrollmentmanagement.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/10thDay-FirstYear-Fall-2022-1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!
!2022
! 2021 !! 2020 !! 2019 !! 2018 !! 2017 !! 2016
|-
! Applicants
|63,257 
| 47,593 || 43,473 || 43,509 || 39,406 || 38,965 || 38,093
|-
! Admits
|28,354
| 28,395 || 27,520 || 25,684 || 24,496 || 23,974 || 22,881
|-
! Admit rate
|44.8
| 59.7 || 63.3 || 59.0 || 62.2 || 61.5 || 60.1
|-
! Enrolled
|7,957
| 8,303 || 7,530 || 7,665 || 7,609 || 7,518 || 7,593
|-
! Yield rate
|27.4
| 29.2 || 27.4 || 29.8 || 31.1 || 31.4 || 33.2
|-
! ACT composite*<br />(out of 36)
|30–34<br />(55.4%<sup>†</sup>)
| 29–34<br />(24%<sup>†</sup>) || 27–33<br />(50%<sup>†</sup>) || 27–33<br />(55%<sup>†</sup>) || 26–32<br />(63%<sup>†</sup>) || 26–32<br />(85%<sup>†</sup>) || 26–32<br />(85%<sup>†</sup>)
|-
! SAT composite*<br />(out of 1600)
|1350–1510<br />(55.4%<sup>†</sup>)
| 1340–1510<br />(43%<sup>†</sup>) || 1220–1450<br />(75%<sup>†</sup>) || 1230–1460<br />(79%<sup>†</sup>) || 1220–1480<br />(63%<sup>†</sup>) || 1340–1500<br />(22%<sup>†</sup>) || {{sdash}}
|-
| colspan="8" | * middle 50% range<br /> <sup>†</sup> percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit
|}

{{clear}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; float:left; font-size:90%; margin:10px"
|+Freshmen admitted in Fall 2025
<ref>{{cite web | title = First-Year Class Profile|url=https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/profile |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 1, 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="Admit rates">{{cite web | title = Admit Rates|url=https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/admit-rate |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 1, 2024}}</ref>
!College
!ACT composite*<br />(middle 50%, out of 36)
!SAT composite*<br />(middle 50%, out of 1600)
!Admit rate
!Computer Science Programs<ref name="Admit rates"/><ref>{{cite web | title = UIUC CS Rankings & Statistics|url=https://cs.illinois.edu/about/statistics |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=November 1, 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Grainger College of Engineering
|33–35
|1480–1550
|21.2%
|Computer Science admit rate: 7.4%<br/>
Computer Science + X admit rate: 17.4%
|-
!College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
|31–35
|1420–1530
|36.4%
|
|-
!Gies College of Business
|31–34
|1430–1520
|20.9%
|
|-
!School of Information Sciences
|32–35
|1450–1530
|48.1%
|-
!School of Social Work
|27–33
|1200–1400
|44.6%
|
|-
|}

{{clear}}

In 2009, an investigation by ''[[The Chicago Tribune]]'' reported that some applicants "received [[Social influence|special consideration]]" for acceptance between 2005 and 2009, despite having sub-par qualifications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-illinois-college-admissions-scandal-20190313-storygallery.html|title=Illinois' very own college admissions scandal: Editorials from a shameful chapter in U. of I. history|website=Chicago Tribune|date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=October 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006185512/https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-illinois-college-admissions-scandal-20190313-storygallery.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This incident became known as the [[University of Illinois clout scandal]].

===Academic divisions===
{| class="toccolours" style="float:right; font-size:90%; margin:10px; width:300px"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |'''University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign'''
|-
|'''College/School'''||{{center|'''Year Founded'''}}
|-
|[[College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences|Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences]]||{{center|1867}}
|-
|[[College of Fine and Applied Arts (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Fine and Applied Arts]]||{{center|1867}}
|-
|[[Grainger College of Engineering]]||{{center|1868}}
|-
|[[School of Information Sciences (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Information Sciences]]||{{center|1893}}
|-
|[[College of Applied Health Sciences (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Applied Health Sciences]]||{{center|1895}}
|-
|[[University of Illinois College of Law|Law]]||{{center|1897}}
|-
|[[College of Education (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Education]]||{{center|1905}}
|-
|[[College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Liberal Arts and Sciences]]||{{center|1913}}
|-
|[[Gies College of Business]]||{{center|1915}}
|-
|[[College of Media (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Media]]||{{center|1927}}
|-
|[[School of Social Work (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Social Work]]||{{center|1944}}
|-
|[[School of Labor and Employment Relations (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Labor and Employment Relations]]||{{center|1946}}
|-
|[[College of Veterinary Medicine (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Veterinary Medicine]]||{{center|1948}}
|-
|[[Carle Illinois College of Medicine]]||{{center|2015}}
|}

The university offers more than 150 undergraduate and 100 graduate and professional programs in over 15 academic units, among several online specializations such as Digital Marketing and an online MBA program launched in January 2016. In 2015, the university announced its expansion to include an engineering-based medical program, which would be the first new college created in Urbana-Champaign in 60 years.<ref name="chicagotribune.com" /><ref name="news.illinois.edu" /> The university also offers undergraduate students the opportunity for graduation honors. University Honors is an academic distinction awarded to the highest achieving students. To earn the distinction, students must have a cumulative grade point average of a 3.5/4.0 within the academic year of their graduation and rank within the top 3% of their graduating class. Their names are inscribed on a Bronze Tablet that hangs in the Main Library.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://illinois.edu/academics/honors.html |title=University of Illinois Academics |access-date=February 15, 2017 |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210191126/http://illinois.edu/academics/honors.html |archive-date=February 10, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Online learning===
In addition to the university's Illinois Online platform, in 2015 the university entered into a partnership with the Silicon Valley educational technology company [[Coursera]] to offer a series of master's degrees, certifications, and specialization courses, currently including more than 70 joint learning classes. In August 2015, the Master of Business Administration program was launched through the platform.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/series/mba/ct-mba-online-programs-bsi-20150810-story.html|title=The online MBA: Advantages, disadvantages in growing trend|last=Jackson|first=Cheryl V.|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=January 21, 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122001158/http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/series/mba/ct-mba-online-programs-bsi-20150810-story.html|archive-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On March 31, 2016, Coursera announced the launch of the Master of Computer Science in Data Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://qz.com/650283/coursera-is-offering-a-way-to-get-a-real-masters-degree-for-a-lot-less-money/|title=Coursera is offering a way to get a real master's degree for a lot less money|last=Wang|first=Amy X.|work=Quartz|access-date=January 21, 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122001208/https://qz.com/650283/coursera-is-offering-a-way-to-get-a-real-masters-degree-for-a-lot-less-money/|archive-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, the university's computer-science graduate program was ranked fifth in the United States by ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings|title=Best Graduate Computer Science Programs|date=January 21, 2018|website=U.S. News & World Report|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314175442/https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings|archive-date=March 14, 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=January 21, 2018}}</ref> On March 29, 2017, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign launched their Master's in Accounting (iMSA) program, now called the Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA) program. The iMSA program is led through live sessions, headed by Illinois faculty.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/03/29/university-of-illinois-at-urbanachampaign-hec-paris-launch-masters-degrees-on-coursera.aspx|title=University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, HEC Paris Launch Master's Degrees on Coursera – Campus Technology|website=Campus Technology|language=en|access-date=January 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072110/https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/03/29/university-of-illinois-at-urbanachampaign-hec-paris-launch-masters-degrees-on-coursera.aspx|archive-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Similar to the university's on-campus admission policies, the online master's degrees offered by the U. of I. through Coursera also has admission requirements.  All applicants must hold a bachelor's degree, and have earned a 3.0 GPA or higher in the last two years of study. Additionally, all applicants must prove their proficiency in English.<ref name="coursera.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.coursera.org/degrees/imsa#admissions|title=Master's in Accounting – iMSA by University of Illinois {{!}} Coursera|website=Coursera|language=en-US|access-date=January 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072046/https://www.coursera.org/degrees/imsa#admissions|archive-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.coursera.org/degrees/masters-in-computer-data-science#admissions|title=Master of Computer Science in Data Science {{!}} Coursera|website=Coursera|language=en-US|access-date=January 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072049/https://www.coursera.org/degrees/masters-in-computer-data-science#admissions|archive-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The U. of I. also offers online courses in partnership with Coursera, such as ''Marketing in a Digital'' ''World,'' which focuses on how digital tools like internet, smartphone and 3D printers are changing the marketing landscape.

===Reputation and rankings===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{Infobox US university ranking
|THE_WSJ = 47
|Forbes = 38
|USNWR_NU = 33 (tie)
|USNWR_W = 109 (tie)
|Wamo_NU= 19
|QS_W = 70 (tie)
|THES_W = 41 (tie)
|ARWU_W = 53 (tie)
}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=4 |Computer Science Rankings
|-
| THE<ref name="THE World University Rankings 2024 by subject: computer science">{{cite web|title=THE World University Rankings 2024 by subject: computer science|date=October 18, 2023 |access-date=December 10, 2023|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/subject-ranking/computer-science#}}</ref> || 19
|-
| QS<ref name="QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023: Computer Science and Information Systems">{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023: Computer Science and Information Systems|access-date=December 10, 2023|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-subject-rankings/computer-science-information-systems}}</ref> || 25
|-
| CSRankings<ref name="CSRankings: Computer Science Rankings">{{cite web|title=CSRankings: Computer Science Rankings|access-date=December 10, 2023|url=https://csrankings.org/#/index?all&world}}</ref> || 2
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="float:right; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=4 |USNews National Rankings<ref name="USNWR Grad School Rankings">{{cite magazine |title=University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign - U.S. News Best Grad School Rankings |magazine=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=April 8, 2025 |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign-145637/overall-rankings }}</ref>
|-
! Program
! Ranking
|-
| Audiology || 18
|-
| Biological Sciences || 32
|-
| Chemistry || 9
|-
| Clinical Psychology || 14
|-
| Computer Science || 5
|-
| Earth Sciences || 30
|-
| Economics || 32
|-
| Education || 31
|-
| Engineering || 7
|-
| English || 21
|-
| Fine Arts || 53
|-
| History || 25
|-
| Law || 48
|-
| Library and Information Studies || 1
|-
| Mathematics || 20
|-
| Physics || 9
|-
| Political Science || 27
|-
| Psychology || 8
|-
| Public Health || 55
|-
| Social Work || 24
|-
| Sociology || 42
|-
| Speech-Language Pathology || 14
|-
| Statistics || 22
|-
| Veterinary Medicine || 18
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="float:right; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=4 | USNews Global Rankings<ref name="USNWR Global Univ Rankings">{{cite magazine|title=University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign - U.S. News Best Global University Rankings|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=October 22, 2020|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-145637|archive-date=February 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228194539/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-145637|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! Program
! Ranking
|-
| Agricultural Sciences || 20
|-
| Arts and Humanities || 31
|-
| Biology and Biochemistry || 35
|-
| Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology || 30
|-
| Cell Biology || 119
|-
| Chemical Engineering || 178
|-
| Chemistry || 47
|-
| Civil Engineering || 70
|-
| Clinical Medicine || 328
|-
| Computer Science || 13
|-
| Economics and Business || 63
|-
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering || 5
|-
| Energy & Fuels || 75
|-
| Engineering || 38
|-
| Environment/Ecology || 96
|-
| Geosciences || 99
|-
| Materials Science || 4
|-
| Mathematics || 54
|-
| Mechanical Engineering || 42
|-
| Microbiology || 87
|-
| Molecular Biology & Genetics || 101
|-
| Nanoscience & Nanotechnology || 81
|-
| Neuroscience & Behavior || 186
|-
| Physics || 22
|-
| Plant & Animal Science || 31
|-
| Psychiatry/Psychology || 54
|-
| Public, Environmental & Occupational Health || 177
|-
| Social Sciences & Public Health || 82
|-
| Space Science || 20
|}
{{col-end}}

In the 2021 ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' "America's Best Colleges" report, Illinois's undergraduate program was ranked tied for 47th among national universities and tied for 15th among public universities, with its undergraduate engineering program ranked tied for 6th in the U.S. among schools whose highest degree is a doctorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-illinois-urbanachampaign-1775/overall-rankings|title=University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign Rankings|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=October 22, 2020|archive-date=October 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007061503/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-illinois-urbanachampaign-1775/overall-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[Washington Monthly]]'' ranked Illinois 18th among 389 national universities in the U.S. for 2020, based on its contribution to the public good as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020college-guide/national |title=2020 National University Rankings |magazine=Washington Monthly |access-date=September 1, 2020 |archive-date=September 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901051024/https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020college-guide/national |url-status=live }}</ref>  [[Kiplinger's Personal Finance]] rated Illinois 12th in its 2019 list of 174 Best Values in Public Colleges,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table |title=Kiplinger's Best College Values – Public Colleges |publisher=The Kiplinger Washington Editors |date=July 2019 |access-date=September 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823230821/https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table |archive-date=August 23, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> which "measures academic quality, cost and financial aid."

The Graduate Program in Urban Planning at the College of Fine and Applied Arts was ranked 3rd nationally by Planetizen in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.planetizen.com/topschools-2014|title=The Top Schools For Urban Planners|work=Planetizen - Urban Planning News, Jobs, and Education|access-date=September 11, 2019|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703135054/https://www.planetizen.com/topschools-2014|archive-date=July 3, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>  The university was also listed as a "Public Ivy" in ''The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public Universities'' (2001) by Howard and Matthew Greene.<ref name="Greene 2001">{{cite book |last=Greene |first=Howard R. |title=The public ivies: America's flagship public universities |author2=Greene, Matthew W. |publisher=Cliff Street Books |year=2001 |isbn=978-0060934590 |edition=1st |location=New York}}</ref>  ''[[The Princeton Review]]'' ranked Illinois 1st in its 2016 list of top party schools.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-princeton-review-releases-list-of-top-party-schools-in-the-nation/|title=Top party schools named by the Princeton Review|publisher=CBS News|date=August 3, 2015|access-date=November 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023458/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-princeton-review-releases-list-of-top-party-schools-in-the-nation/|archive-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Internationally, Illinois engineering was ranked 13th in the world in 2016 by the ''[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]'' (ARWU) and the university 38th in 2019;<ref>{{cite web|title=Academic Ranking of World Universities 2016|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/World-University-Rankings/University-of-Illinois-at-Urbana-Champaign.html|publisher=ShanghaiRanking Consultancy|access-date=September 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731140445/http://www.shanghairanking.com/World-University-Rankings/University-of-Illinois-at-Urbana-Champaign.html|archive-date=July 31, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> the university was also ranked 48th globally by the ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]]'' in 2020 and 75th in the world by the ''[[QS World University Rankings]]'' for 2020. The [[University rankings|Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)]] has ranked University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as the 20th best university in the world for 2019–20.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cwur.org/2019-2020.php|title=CWUR - World University Rankings 2019-2020|website=cwur.org|language=en|access-date=September 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907230317/https://cwur.org/2019-2020.php|archive-date=September 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

Illinois is also ranked 32nd in the world in ''[[Times Higher Education]]'' World Reputation Rankings for 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/top-50-universities-reputation-2018#survey-answer|title=The top 50 universities by reputation 2018|date=May 30, 2018|work=Times Higher Education (THE)|access-date=June 7, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143050/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/top-50-universities-reputation-2018#survey-answer|archive-date=June 12, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Philanthropy==
Notable among significant donors, alumnus entrepreneur [[Thomas Siebel|Thomas M. Siebel]] has committed nearly $150 million to the university, including $36 million to build the [[Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science]], $25 million to build the [[Campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign#Siebel Center for Design|Siebel Center for Design]], and $50 million to support the renamed Department of Computer Science to become Siebel School of Computing and Data Science.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://grainger.illinois.edu/news/stories/66263|title=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announces the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science|date=April 24, 2024|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Furthermore, the Grainger Foundation (founded by alumnus [[W. W. Grainger]]) has contributed more than $300 million to the university over the last half-century,{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} including donations for the construction of the [[Grainger Engineering Library]]. Larry Gies and his wife Beth donated $150 million in 2017 to the shortly thereafter renamed [[Gies College of Business]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-met-univ-illinois-donation-20171026-story.html|title=Couple donate $150 million to University of Illinois in its largest gift ever|first=William|last=Lee|website=chicagotribune.com|date=October 26, 2017 |access-date=July 9, 2021|archive-date=May 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230503015112/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-met-univ-illinois-donation-20171026-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Research==
[[File:Dairy farm 4390.jpg|thumb|[[Round Barns in Illinois Thematic Resources|Round Barns]] found on the [[University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District]], part of [[UIUC College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences|ACES]]]]

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is often regarded as a world-leading magnet for engineering and sciences (both applied and basic).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mup.asu.edu/research2011.pdf |title=Research- The Center for Measuring University Performance |website=Mup.asu.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020140324/http://mup.asu.edu/research2011.pdf |archive-date=October 20, 2012 }}</ref> According to the [[National Science Foundation]], the university spent $625 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 37th in the nation.<ref name="2018_R&D">{{cite web |title=Table 20. Higher education R&D expenditures, ranked by FY 2018 R&D expenditures: FYs 2009–18 |url=https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2018/html/herd18-dt-tab020.html |website=ncsesdata.nsf.gov |publisher=[[National Science Foundation]] |access-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930141919/https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2018/html/herd18-dt-tab020.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="research.illinois.edu">{{cite web|url=https://research.illinois.edu/research-illinois/numbers|title=By the Numbers - Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research|website=research.illinois.edu|access-date=August 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731213034/http://research.illinois.edu/research-illinois/numbers|archive-date=July 31, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> It is also listed as one of the top 25 American research universities by [[The Center for Measuring University Performance]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mup.asu.edu/research.html |title=Research- The Center for Measuring University Performance |website=Mup.asu.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617210050/http://mup.asu.edu/research.html |archive-date=June 17, 2012 }}</ref>

Besides the annual influx of grants and sponsored projects, the university manages an extensive modern research infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ece.uiuc.edu/about/buildings.html |title=About Us: Buildings and Facilities – ECE ILLINOIS &#124; University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |website=Ece.uiuc.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828114316/http://ece.uiuc.edu/about/buildings.html |archive-date=August 28, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> The university has been a leader in computer-based education and hosted the [[PLATO (computer system)|PLATO]] project, which was a precursor to the internet and resulted in the development of the [[plasma display]]. Illinois was a 2nd-generation [[ARPAnet]] site in 1971 and was the first institution to license the [[UNIX]] operating system from Bell Labs. In [[Bill Gates]]' 2004 talk as part of his five-university campus tour titled "Software Breakthroughs: Solving the Toughest Problems in Computer Science,"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/2004/02-24UnivIllinois.aspx |title=Remarks by Bill Gates |website=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=July 5, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705100452/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/speeches/2004/02-24UnivIllinois.aspx |archive-date=July 5, 2007 }}</ref> he mentioned that [[Microsoft]] hired more graduates from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign than from any other university in the world.<ref>{{cite web |author=Department of Computer Science |url=http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/news/articles.php?id=2004Feb27-1 |title=News & Events &#124; Department of Computer Science at Illinois |website=Cs.uiuc.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016151215/http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/news/articles.php?id=2004Feb27-1 |archive-date=October 16, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Centers and institutes===
{{main|National Center for Supercomputing Applications|Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology|Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology|Prairie Research Institute}}
[[File:BeckmanInstitute.jpg|thumb|The [[Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology]] is the largest interdisciplinary facility on campus at {{convert|313000|sqft|m2}}]]

The university hosts the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] (NCSA), which created [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], the first graphical [[web browser]], the [[Apache HTTP server]], and [[NCSA Telnet]]. The Parallel@Illinois program hosts several programs in [[parallel computing]], including the [[UPCRC Illinois|Universal Parallel Computing Research Center]]. The university contracted with [[Cray]] to build the [[National Science Foundation]]-funded supercomputer [[Blue Waters]].<ref>{{cite web| url =https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109850&org=OCI&from=news| title =National Science Board Approves Funds for Petascale Computing Systems| access-date =August 24, 2007| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070831214740/http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109850&org=OCI&from=news| archive-date =August 31, 2007| url-status =live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Feldman|first=Michael|title=NCSA Signs Up Cray for Blue Waters Redo|date=November 14, 2011|url=http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2011-11-14/ncsa_signs_up_cray_for_blue_waters_redo.html|publisher=HPC Wire|access-date=December 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216073807/http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2011-11-14/ncsa_signs_up_cray_for_blue_waters_redo.html|archive-date=February 16, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Blue Waters system stats|url=http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/BlueWaters/system.html|website=Ncsa.illinois.edu|access-date=December 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028051501/http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/BlueWaters/system.html|archive-date=October 28, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The system also has the largest public online storage system in the world with more than 25 petabytes of usable space.<ref>{{cite web|title=Blue Waters One Year Later: Delivering Sustained Petascale Science|url=http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/News/Stories/BW1year/|website=Nncsa.illinois.edu|access-date=December 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125204701/http://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/News/Stories/BW1year/|archive-date=January 25, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>  The university celebrated January 12, 1997, as the "birthday" of [[HAL 9000]], the fictional supercomputer from the novel and film ''2001: A Space Odyssey''; in both works, HAL credits "Urbana, Illinois" as his place of operational origin.

The [[Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology]] supports interdisciplinary collaborative research in the broad areas of intelligent systems, neuroscience, molecular science and engineering, and biomedical imaging.

The [[Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology]] supports research in genomics and related areas of biology.

[[File:UofIPrarieResearch.JPG|thumb|One of the university's research [[prairie]] fields, located off Florida Avenue]]

The [[Prairie Research Institute]] on campus houses several divisions, including the [[Illinois Natural History Survey]], Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and Illinois State Archaeological Survey. Researchers focus on areas such as agriculture, biodiversity, climate, public health, emerging pests, energy, mineral resources, pollution mitigation, and water resources. The Illinois Natural History Survey holds extensive collections, including one of North America's largest insect collections. The Illinois State Geological Survey manages the Illinois Geological Samples Library and paleontological collections. The Illinois State Archaeological Survey preserves a large collection of Illinois archaeological artifacts, including those from the [[Cahokia]] Mounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cahokiamounds.com/cahokia.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006185053/http://www.cahokiamounds.com/cahokia.html|url-status=dead|title=Cahokiamounds.com|archivedate=October 6, 2008|website=Cahokiamounds.com}}</ref>

The Technology Entrepreneur Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers resources for students to develop their entrepreneurial ideas, including classes, competitions, and workshops.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is TEC? |url=https://tec.illinois.edu/what-is-tec/mission |access-date=October 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024143603/https://tec.illinois.edu/what-is-tec/mission |archive-date=October 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> It hosts events including the Cozad New Venture Challenge, Silicon Valley Entrepreneurship Workshop, Illinois I-Corps, and SocialFuse. The Cozad Challenge, held annually since 2000, provides mentorship and workshops on venture creation, with teams competing for funding.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cozad New Venture Challenge |url=https://tec.illinois.edu/programs/cozad |access-date=October 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024143620/https://tec.illinois.edu/programs/cozad |archive-date=October 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Silicon Valley Workshop, a week-long event in January, exposes students to startups, technology companies, and entrepreneurial alumni in [[Silicon Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Silicon Valley Entrepreneurship Workshop Application Due Sept. 30, 2019|url=https://students.grainger.illinois.edu/TEC/rsvp_boot?id=593314|access-date=October 24, 2019|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030033816/https://students.grainger.illinois.edu/TEC/rsvp_boot?id=593314|url-status=live}}</ref> Illinois I-Corps helps National Science Foundation grantees identify valuable product opportunities from academic research through customer discovery and entrepreneurship training.<ref>{{cite web|title=NSF Innovation Corps|url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/|access-date=October 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104031426/https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/|archive-date=November 4, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Illinois I-Corps|url=https://tec.illinois.edu/programs/icorps|access-date=October 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709225933/https://tec.illinois.edu/programs/icorps|archive-date=July 9, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> SocialFuse is a pitching and networking event where students can present ideas and connect with potential teammates.<ref>{{cite web|title=SocialFuse|url=https://tec.illinois.edu/programs/socialfuse|access-date=November 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024143615/https://tec.illinois.edu/programs/socialfuse|archive-date=October 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Center for Plasma-Material Interactions was established in 2004 by Professor David N. Ruzic to research the complex behavior between [[ion]]s, [[electron]]s, and [[Energetic neutral atom|energetic atom]]s generated in [[Plasma (physics)|plasmas]] and the surfaces of materials. CPMI encompasses [[Nuclear fusion|fusion plasmas]] in its research.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik|title=WEGA fusion experiment passed on to the USA|url=https://phys.org/news/2014-09-wega-fusion-usa.html|access-date=December 3, 2021|date=September 22, 2014|website=[[Phys.org]]|archive-date=November 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125095745/https://phys.org/news/2014-09-wega-fusion-usa.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Semaca|first=Michael|date=September 15, 2016|title=University's nuclear fusion device receives million dollar grant|url=https://dailyillini.com/news/2016/09/15/universitys-nuclear-fusion-device-receives-million-dollar-grant/|website=[[The Daily Illini]]|access-date=December 3, 2021|archive-date=November 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109045039/https://dailyillini.com/news/2016/09/15/universitys-nuclear-fusion-device-receives-million-dollar-grant/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=October 16, 2020|title=AVS zeichnet Mark C. Hersam und David N. Ruzik|url=https://www.pro-physik.de/nachrichten/avs-zeichnet-mark-c-hersam-und-david-n-ruzik-aus|trans-title=American Vacuum Society honors Mark C. Hersam and David N. Ruzik|access-date=December 3, 2021|language=de|website=[[Physik Journal]]|archive-date=November 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109173315/https://www.pro-physik.de/nachrichten/avs-zeichnet-mark-c-hersam-und-david-n-ruzik-aus|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2007, the university-hosted research [[Institute for Condensed Matter Theory]] (ICMT) was launched, with the director [[Paul Goldbart]] and the chief scientist [[Anthony Leggett]]. ICMT is currently located at the Engineering Science Building on campus.

===Research Park===
{{main|Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign}}
[[File:University of Illinois Research Park Aerial View 2017.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]]]]

Located in the southwest part of campus, [[Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|Research Park]] opened its first building in 2001 and has grown to encompass 13 buildings. Ninety companies have established roots in research park, employing over 1,400 people. Tenants of the Research Park facilities include prominent Fortune 500 companies Capital One, John Deere, State Farm, Caterpillar, and Yahoo, Inc. Companies also employ about 400 total student interns at any given time throughout the year. The complex is also a center for entrepreneurs, and has over 50 startup companies stationed at its EnterpriseWorks Incubator facility.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://researchpark.illinois.edu/enterpriseworks|title = EnterpriseWorks Incubator|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = Research Park at Illinois|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150507105035/http://researchpark.illinois.edu/enterpriseworks|archive-date = May 7, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref>

In 2011, Urbana, Illinois, was named number 11 on Popular Mechanics' "14 Best Startup Cities in America" list, in a large part due to the contributions of Research Park's programs.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://researchpark.illinois.edu/news/urbana-named-top-startup-city-popular-mechanics|title = Urbana Named a Top Startup City by Popular Mechanics|date = January 14, 2015|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = Research Park at Illinois|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150430062514/http://www.researchpark.illinois.edu/news/urbana-named-top-startup-city-popular-mechanics|archive-date = April 30, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> The park has gained recognition from other notable publications, such as inc.com and Forbes magazine. For the 2011 fiscal year, Research Park produced an economic output of $169.5M for the state of Illinois.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.researchpark.illinois.edu/about|title = About|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = Research Park at Illinois|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150504064118/http://researchpark.illinois.edu/about|archive-date = May 4, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref>

===Notable discoveries and innovations===
[[File:GraingerEngineeringLibrary.jpg|thumb|[[Grainger Engineering Library]]]]

In the field of natural sciences, the [[BCS theory]], a groundbreaking theory of [[superconductivity]], was proposed by [[John Bardeen]] in collaboration with [[Leon Cooper]] and his doctoral student [[John Robert Schrieffer]]. Their work earned them the [[Nobel Prize in Physics]] in 1972.<ref name="washpost">{{cite news |title= John Bardeen, Nobelist, Inventor of Transistor, Dies |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1047095.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121102062647/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1047095.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= November 2, 2012|newspaper=Washington Post|date=January 31, 1991 |access-date=August 3, 2007 }}</ref> In the realm of agricultural science, John Laughnan, while a professor, developed [[Sweet corn#Genetics|sweet corn]] with higher-than-normal sugar content, a significant advancement in crop science.<ref name="DLLarson">{{cite journal|last=Levey Larson|first=Debra|date=August 2003|title=Supersweet sweet corn: 50 years in the making|url=http://www.news.uiuc.edu/II/03/0807/sweetcorn.html|journal=Inside Illinois|publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|volume=23|issue=3|access-date=September 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012155831/http://www.news.uiuc.edu/II/03/0807/sweetcorn.html|archive-date=October 12, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In computer and applied sciences, several notable achievements originated from the University of Illinois. The [[ILLIAC I]], built in 1952, was the first computer entirely constructed and owned by a U.S. educational institution. It was also used by [[Lejaren Hiller]] and [[Leonard Issacson]] to create the ''[[Illiac Suite]]'', the first known composition written by an electronic computer.<ref>Andrew Stiller, "Hiller, Lejaren (Arthur)", ''Grove Music Online'' (reviewed December 3, 2010; accessed December 14, 2014).</ref><ref name="Baggi">Denis L. Baggi, "[http://www.lim.dico.unimi.it/events/ctama/baggi.htm The Role of Computer Technology in Music and Musicology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722063617/http://www.lim.dico.unimi.it/events/ctama/baggi.htm |date=July 22, 2011 }}", ''lim.dico.unimi.it'' (December 9, 1998).</ref> The development of [[LLVM]], initially started by [[Vikram Adve]] and [[Chris Lattner]], is now recognized as a major project in compiler infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://llvm.org/|title=The LLVM Compiler Infrastructure Project|website=llvm.org|access-date=January 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040503004454/http://llvm.org/|archive-date=May 3, 2004|url-status=live}}</ref> Another milestone was the development of the [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic web browser]] at the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] in 1993.<ref name="mosaic and th w3">{{cite web|url=http://vision.unipv.it/wdt-cim/articoli/00318591.pdf|title=Mosaic and the World-Wide Web|last=Vetter|first=Ronald J.|date=October 1994|publisher=[[North Dakota State University]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824192903/http://vision.unipv.it/wdt-cim/articoli/00318591.pdf|archive-date=August 24, 2014|access-date=November 20, 2010}}</ref>

[[NAMD]], a molecular dynamics simulation code, was pioneered by [[Klaus Schulten]] and his team at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, further advancing computational biophysics. The [[PLATO (computer system)|PLATO system]], also developed at the University of Illinois, was the first generalized [[computer assisted instruction]] system, which by the late 1970s supported thousands of terminals globally, introducing many concepts foundational to modern multi-user computing such as forums, instant messaging, and online testing.<ref>{{Citation|last=Bitzer|first=Don|title=Email|author-mask=Don Bitzer}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|title=CSL Quarterly Report for June, July, August 1960|date=September 1960|publisher=Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois}}</ref> In terms of interface technologies, [[Donald Bitzer]] was instrumental in the 1960s development of both [[touchscreen]]s and [[plasma display]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2012/08/100-important-innovations-that-came-from-university-research/|title=100 Important Innovations That Came From University Research - Online Universities|date=August 27, 2012|website=OnlineUniversities.com|access-date=May 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516175851/https://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2012/08/100-important-innovations-that-came-from-university-research/|archive-date=May 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Furthermore, Doug Brown and David R. Woolley created [[Talkomatic]] in 1973 on the PLATO system, an early online chat system enabling real-time text communication among small groups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://talko.cc/|title=Welcome to the new Talkomatic : Homepage|website=Talko.cc|access-date=February 23, 2022|archive-date=December 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204070513/http://www.talko.cc/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="FalkDrayton">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b5UbAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT8|title=Creating and Sustaining Online Professional Learning Communities|last1=Falk|first1=Joni K.|last2=Drayton|first2=Brian|publisher=Teachers College Press|isbn=978-0807772140|pages=8–|access-date=May 30, 2014|year=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709031908/http://books.google.com/books?id=b5UbAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT8|archive-date=July 9, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Bidgoli2004">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bW2_KaeKuVkC&pg=PA665|title=The Internet Encyclopedia|last=Bidgoli|first=Hossein|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|year=2004|isbn=978-0471222040|pages=665–|access-date=May 30, 2014}}</ref>

In the realm of audio-visual technology, [[Joseph Tykociński-Tykociner]] publicly demonstrated for the first time a motion picture with a soundtrack optically recorded directly onto the film in 1922.<ref>Tykociner, Joseph T., "Photographic recording and photoelectric reproduction of sound," Trans. SMPE, no. 16, 90-119, 1923. cited in [http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/smpte/movie.sound/kellogg-history1.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213062514/http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/smpte/movie.sound/kellogg-history1.pdf|date=December 13, 2016}} Kellogg, Edward W., History of Sound Motion Pictures, First Installment. Journal of the SMPTE, 1955, June, pp. 291–302. retrieved December 17, 2006</ref>

==Student life==
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Student body composition as of September 2024
|-
! Race and ethnicity<ref name="collegescorecard.ed.gov"/>
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
|align=right| {{bartable|39|%|2||background:gray}}
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|22|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|14|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Foreign national]]
|align=right| {{bartable|14|%|2||background:orange}}
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
|align=right| {{bartable|6|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|-
| Other{{efn|Other consists of [[Multiracial Americans]] and those who prefer to not say.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|5|%|2||background:brown}}
|-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]]
|-
| [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|26|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|74|%|2||background:black}}
|}

===Student body===
As of spring 2018, the university had 45,813 students.<ref name="Spring 2018 Enrollment">{{cite web|url=http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/class/enrsp18.htm|title=Enrollment Spring 2018|website=UIUC Student Enrollment Spring 2018|publisher=UIUC|access-date=February 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220152200/http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/class/enrsp18.htm|archive-date=February 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2015}}, over 10,000 students were international students, and of them 5,295 were [[Mainland China|Mainland Chinese]].<ref name="GuardianChinesefootball">"[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/sep/19/illinois-launches-chinese-language-broadcasts-of-football-games Illinois launches Chinese-language broadcasts of football games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710100220/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/sep/19/illinois-launches-chinese-language-broadcasts-of-football-games |date=July 10, 2017 }}." ''[[The Guardian]]''. Saturday September 19, 2015. Retrieved on October 16, 2015.</ref> The university also recruits students from over 100 countries<ref name="Enrollment 2015">{{cite web|title=Enrollment 2015|url=http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/#foreign|website=UIUC Student Enrollment|publisher=UIUC campus.|access-date=September 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915054813/http://dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/#foreign|archive-date=September 15, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Campus Facts- Students">{{cite web|title=Students|url=http://illinois.edu/about/facts.html|website=Campus Facts|publisher=University of Illinois Urbana Champaign|access-date=September 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905052431/http://illinois.edu/about/facts.html|archive-date=September 5, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> among its 32,878<ref name="Fall 2015 Enrollment">{{cite web|url=http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/class/enrfa15.htm|title=Enrollment Fall 2015|website=UIUC Student Enrollment Fall 2015|publisher=UIUC|access-date=October 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018191138/http://www.dmi.illinois.edu/stuenr/class/enrfa15.htm|archive-date=October 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> undergraduate students and 10,245<ref name="Fall 2015 Enrollment" /> graduate and professional students.<ref name="Campus Facts- Students" /> The gender breakdown is 55% men, 45% women.<ref name="Campus Facts- Students" /> Illinois in 2014 enrolled 4,898 students from China, more than any other American university. They comprise the largest group of international students on the campus, followed by South Korea (1,268 in fall 2014) and India (1,167). Graduate enrollment of Chinese students at Illinois has grown from 649 in 2000 to 1,973 in 2014.<ref>Elizabeth Redden, "The University of China at Illinois," [https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/07/uiuc-growth-number-chinese-students-has-been-dramatic ''Inside Higher Education'' Jan 7, 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107132422/https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/07/uiuc-growth-number-chinese-students-has-been-dramatic |date=January 7, 2015 }}</ref>

===Student organizations===
[[File:Illini Union University of Illinois front.jpg|thumb|[[Illini Union]]]]
The university has over 1,000 active registered student organizations,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://illinois.collegiatelink.net/organizations |title=University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |website=Illinois.collegiatelink.net |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724043032/http://illinois.collegiatelink.net/organizations |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> showcased at the start of each academic year during Illinois's "Quad Day." Registration and support is provided by the Student Programs & Activities Office, an administrative arm established in pursuit of the larger social, intellectual, and educative goals of the Illini Student Union. The Office's mission is to "enhance ... classroom education," "meet the needs and desires of the campus community," and "prepare students to be contributing and humane citizens."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.union.uiuc.edu/involvement/Default.aspx |title=Programs and Activities |website=Union.uiuc.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622160222/http://www.union.uiuc.edu/involvement/Default.aspx |archive-date=June 22, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Beyond student organizations, [[Daily Illini|The Daily Illini]] is a student-run newspaper that has been published for the community of since 1871. The paper is published by [[Illini Media]] Company, a not-for-profit which also prints other publications, and operates [[WPGU]] 107.1 FM, a student-run commercial radio station. The Varsity Men's Glee Club is an all-male choir at Illinois that was founded in 1886.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publish.illinois.edu/mensgleeuiuc/about-us/|title=About Us – Varsity Men's Glee Club|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011105058/https://publish.illinois.edu/mensgleeuiuc/about-us/|archive-date=October 11, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The Varsity Men's Glee Club<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1022355611.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220221208/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1022355611.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 20, 2016|title= Men's Glee Club to Host Choral Conference|journal=US Fed News Service|via=[[HighBeam Research|HighBeam]]|date=April 17, 2006|access-date=June 21, 2016}}</ref> is one of the [[List of collegiate glee clubs|oldest glee clubs]] in the United States as well as the oldest registered student organization at the U. of I. As of 2018, the university also has the largest chapter of [[Alpha Phi Omega]] with over 340 active members.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter Standing|url=https://apo.org/members-main-page/chapter-standing/|publisher=Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity|access-date=August 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807213911/https://apo.org/members-main-page/chapter-standing/|archive-date=August 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Greek life====
{{main|List of University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign fraternities and sororities}}

There are 59 fraternities and 38 sororities on campus.<ref>[http://fsaffairs.illinois.edu Fraternity & Sorority Affairs :: University of Illinois] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109042606/https://fsaffairs.illinois.edu/|date=January 9, 2019}}. Odos.uiuc.edu. Retrieved on August 7, 2013.</ref> Of the approximately 30,366 undergraduates, 3,463 are members of sororities and 3,674 are members of fraternities.<ref>{{cite web| title=Fraternity and Sorority Affairs| url=http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/GREEK/scholarship/panGrades.asp| access-date=September 22, 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207032230/http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/GREEK/scholarship/panGrades.asp| archive-date=December 7, 2008| df=mdy-all}}</ref> The Greek system at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a system of self-government. While staff advisors and directors manage certain aspects of the Greek community, most of the day-to-day operations of the Greek community are governed by the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council.<ref>{{cite web| title=IFC chapter membership| url=http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/greek/IFCchapterMembership.xls| access-date=April 24, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051224213203/http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/greek/IFCchapterMembership.xls <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = December 24, 2005}}</ref> A smaller minority of fraternities and sororities fall under the jurisdiction of the Black Greek Council and United Greek Council; the Black Greek Council serves historically black Greek organizations while the United Greek council comprises other multicultural organizations.<ref>[http://www.illinoisbgc.org/about/ About – Black Greek Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310020204/http://www.illinoisbgc.org/about/ |date=March 10, 2016 }}. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310012002/http://www.illinoisbgc.org/ |date=March 10, 2016 }}. Retrieved on March 8, 2016.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.illinoisugc.org/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310012637/http://www.illinoisugc.org/#!about-us/cjg9|url-status=dead|title=United Greek Council at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|archive-date=March 10, 2016|website=Illinoisugc.org|access-date=February 23, 2022}}</ref> Many of the fraternity and sorority houses on campus are on the National Register of Historic Places.

====Student government====
[[File:"2010" University of Illinois.jpg|thumb|[[Foellinger Auditorium]]]]
U. of I. has an extensive history of past student governments. Two years after the university opened in 1868, John Milton Gregory and a group of students created a constitution for a student government. Their governance expanded to the entire university in 1873, having a legislative, executive, and judicial branch. For a period of time, this government had the ability to discipline students. In 1883, however, due to a combination of events from Gregory's resignation to student-faculty infighting, the government formally dissolved itself via [[plebiscite]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Solberg|first=Winton|title=The University of Illinois and the Reform of Discipline in the Modern University, 1868-1891|journal=AAUP Bulletin|date=September 1966|volume=52|issue=3|pages=305–314 |jstor=40224166|doi=10.2307/40224166}}</ref>

It was not until 1934, when the Student Senate, the next university-wide student government, was created. A year before, future Illinois Dean of Students, Fred H. Turner and the university's Senate Committee on Student Affairs gave increased power to the Student Council, an organization primarily known for organizing dances. A year after, the Student Council created a constitution and became the Student Senate, under the oversight of the Committee on Student Affairs. This Student Senate would last for 35 years.<ref>{{cite news|title=Student Council, Committee Hold Dinner Meeting|url=http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19331116|newspaper=[[Daily Illini]]|date=November 16, 1933|access-date=October 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117021332/http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19331116|archive-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The Student Senate changed its purpose and name in 1969, when it became the Undergraduate Student Association (UGSA). It ceased being a representational government, becoming a [[collective bargaining agency]] instead. It often worked with the Graduate Student Association to work on various projects<ref>{{cite web |title=Graduate Student Association Subject File, 1967–71 |url=http://www.library.uiuc.edu/archives/uasfa/4162015.pdf |publisher=University of Illinois |access-date=July 17, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 1967, [[Bruce A. Morrison]] and other U of I graduate founded the Graduate Student Association (GSA). GSA would last until 1978, when it merged with the UGSA to form the Champaign-Urbana Student Association (CUSA).<ref>{{cite news|last=Blan|first=Ken|title=First GSA Meeting Monday|url=http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19670204|newspaper=Daily Illini|date=February 4, 1967|access-date=October 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127092644/http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19670204|archive-date=January 27, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="illinois1948">{{cite web|title=Student Senate Files, 1948–2008|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/archives/archon/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=1370|publisher=University of Illinois|access-date=July 17, 2012|archive-date=May 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230503015116/https://archon.library.illinois.edu/archives/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=1370|url-status=live}}</ref> CUSA lasted for only two years when it was replaced by the Student Government Association (SGA) in 1980. SGA lasted for 15 years until it became the Illinois Student Government (ISG) in 1995. ISG lasted until 2004.<ref name="illinois1948" />

The current university student government, created in 2004, is the Illinois Student Senate, a combined undergraduate and graduate student senate with 54 voting members. The student senators are elected by college and represent the students in the Urbana-Champaign Senate (which comprises both faculty and students), as well as on a variety of faculty and administrative committees, and are led by an internally elected executive board of a President, External Vice President, Internal Vice President, and Treasurer. {{as of|2012}}, the executive board is supported by an executive staff consisting of a Chief of Staff, Clerk of the Senate, Parliamentarian, Director of Communications, Intern Coordinator, and the Historian of the Senate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iss.illinois.edu/execboard.asp |title=ISS Executive Board |website=Iss.illinois.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004063436/http://iss.illinois.edu/execboard.asp |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Residence halls===
[[File:BuseyHall Urbana Illinois 4543.jpg|thumb|[[Busey-Evans Residence Halls]] is one of many buildings on the [[NRHP]]]]

The university provides housing for undergraduates through [[Campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign#Residence halls|24 residence halls in Urbana and Champaign]]. Incoming freshmen are required to live in student housing (campus or certified) their first year on campus. The university also maintains two graduate residence halls, which are restricted to students who are sophomores or above, and three university-owned apartment complexes. Some undergraduates choose to move into apartments or the Greek houses after their first year. There are a number of private dormitories around campus, as well as 15 private, certified residences that partner with the university to offer a variety of different housing options, including ones that are cooperatives, single-gender or religiously affiliated.<ref name="PCH16">{{cite web |title=Private Certified Housing FAQ |date=2016 |publisher=Private Certified Housing University of Illinois |url=http://certified.housing.illinois.edu/pch-resources/faqs/ |access-date=November 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161102202537/http://certified.housing.illinois.edu/pch-resources/faqs/ |archive-date=November 2, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The university is known for being one of the first universities to provide accommodations for students with disabilities.<ref name="Education secretary UI">{{cite news|last1=Wurth|first1=Julie|title=Education secretary visits UI as part of national tour|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-09-16/education-secretary-visits-ui-part-national-tour.html|access-date=September 21, 2015|publisher=The News Gazette|date=September 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919002550/http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-09-16/education-secretary-visits-ui-part-national-tour.html|archive-date=September 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, the University of Illinois announced that they would be naming its newest residence hall after [[Carlos Montezuma]] also known as Wassaja. Wassaja is the first [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] graduate and is believed to be one of the first Native Americans to receive a medical degree.<ref>{{cite news|title=University makes strides to honor first Native American alumnus|url=http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/04/university-makes-strides-to-honor-first-native-american-alumnus|access-date=August 9, 2015|publisher=The Daily Illini|date=April 22, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808210807/http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/04/university-makes-strides-to-honor-first-native-american-alumnus|archive-date=August 8, 2015}}</ref>

===Libraries and museums===
{{See also|University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign University Library|Main Library (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Spurlock Museum|Krannert Center for the Performing Arts|Grainger Engineering Library|Krannert Art Museum}}

[[File:UIUC Krannert Art.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Krannert Art Museum]]]]
Among universities in North America, only the collections of Harvard are larger.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://publications.arl.org/ARL-Statistics-2009-2010/83|title=Rank Order Table 1: Volumes in Libraries |journal=ARL Statistics 2009-2010|first1=Gary|last1=Roebuck|first2=Shaneka|last2=Morris|first3=Martha|last3=Kyrillidou|date=October 6, 2011|via=publications.arl.org|access-date=May 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516175903/https://publications.arl.org/ARL-Statistics-2009-2010/83|archive-date=May 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Currently, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's 20+ departmental libraries and divisions hold more than 24 [[million]] items, including more than 12 million print volumes.<ref name="illinois2" /> {{as of|2012}}, it had also the largest "browsable" university library in the United States, with 5 million volumes directly accessible in stacks in a single location.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/circ/about/stacks/ |title=About the Main Stacks |website=Library.illinois.edu |access-date=December 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220034947/http://www.library.illinois.edu/circ/about/stacks/ |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The university also has the largest public engineering library ([[Grainger Engineering Library]]) in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publicaffairs.illinois.edu/rankings/ |title=University and College Rankings |access-date=September 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915233624/http://publicaffairs.illinois.edu/rankings/ |archive-date=September 15, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="illinois2" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/services/snapshot/2012/data_users.html#content |title=What our users were doing on Snapshot Day |website=Library.illinois.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516144548/http://www.library.illinois.edu/services/snapshot/2012/data_users.html#content |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In addition to the main library building, which houses numerous subject-oriented libraries, the Isaac Funk Family Library on the South Quad serves the [[UIUC College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences|College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences]] and the Grainger Engineering Library Information Center serves the [[UIUC College of Engineering|College of Engineering]] on the [[UIUC Engineering Campus|John Bardeen Quad]].

[[File:MainLibrary Urbana Illinois 4582.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Main Library (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Main Library]], which includes the [[The Rare Book & Manuscript Library (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|Rare Book & Manuscript Library]]]]
Residence Hall Library System is one of three in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.housing.uiuc.edu/living/library/ |title=Living-Learning Communities &#124; University Housing at Illinois |website=Housing.uiuc.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311014914/http://www.housing.uiuc.edu/living/library/ |archive-date=March 11, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.housing.uiuc.edu/living/library/|title= Residence Hall Libraries<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date= July 29, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311014914/http://www.housing.uiuc.edu/living/library/|archive-date= March 11, 2009|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref> The Residence Hall Libraries were created in 1948 to serve the educational, recreational, and cultural information needs of first- and second-year undergraduate students residing in the residence halls, and the living-learning communities within the residence halls. The collection also serves University Housing staff as well as the larger campus community.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.housing.uiuc.edu/living/library/aboutus.htm|title= About Us<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date= April 14, 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080725054719/http://www.housing.uiuc.edu/living/library/aboutus.htm|archive-date= July 25, 2008|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref> [[The Rare Book & Manuscript Library (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)|The Rare Book & Manuscript Library]] (RBML) is one of the [[Special collections]] units within the University Library.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/|title=Home: UIUC Rare Book and Manuscript Library: UIUC Rare Books and Manuscript Library|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608115731/http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/|archive-date=June 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The RBML is one of the largest special collections repositories in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/about.html|title=About the Library|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505044643/http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/about.html|archive-date=May 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/kolbp/|title=The Kolb–Proust Archive for Research|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608115726/http://www.library.illinois.edu/kolbp/|archive-date=June 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections_book_collections.html|title=Book Collections|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505050630/http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections_book_collections.html|archive-date=May 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections_manuscript_collections.html|title=Manuscript Collections|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505050640/http://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections_manuscript_collections.html|archive-date=May 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The university has several museums, galleries, and archives which include [[Krannert Art Museum]], [[Sousa Archives and Center for American Music]] and [[Spurlock Museum]]. Gallery and exhibit locations include [[Krannert Center for the Performing Arts]] and at [[UIUC College of Fine and Applied Arts|the School of Art and Design]].

The {{anchor|Illinois Open Publishing Network}}Illinois Open Publishing Network (IOPN) is hosted and coordinated by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library, offering publishing services to members of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign community, to disseminate [[open access]] [[scholarly publication]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Illinois Open Publishing Network – digital publishing from the University Library |url=https://iopn.library.illinois.edu/ |website=[[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign University Library]] |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=October 2, 2022 |archive-date=October 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006170945/https://iopn.library.illinois.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Recreation===
[[File:Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.jpg|thumb|[[Activities and Recreation Center (UIUC)|Activities and Recreation Center]]]]
The campus has two main recreation facilities, the [[Activities and Recreation Center (UIUC)|Activities and Recreation Center]] (ARC) and the Campus Recreation Center – East (CRCE). Originally known as the Intramural Physical Education Building (IMPE) and opened in 1971, IMPE was renovated in 2006 and reopened in August 2008 as the ARC.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/cview?SITEID=1&ID=140|title = Intramural Physical Education Building / IMPE|access-date = April 27, 2015|website = UIHistories Project|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151018191138/http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/cview?SITEID=1&ID=140|archive-date = October 18, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> The renovations expanded the facility, adding 103,433 square feet to the existing structure and costing $54.9 million. This facility is touted by the university as "one of the country's largest on-campus recreation centers." CRCE was originally known as the Satellite Recreation Center and was opened in 1989. The facility was renovated in 2005 to expand the space and update equipment, officially reopening in March 2005 as CRCE.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.campusrec.uiuc.edu/ |title=Campus Recreation » University of Illinois |website=Campusrec.uiuc.edu |access-date=July 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709025731/http://www.campusrec.uiuc.edu/ |archive-date=July 9, 2006 }}</ref>

===Transportation===
[[File:CUMTD Bus 2105.jpg|thumb|A [[Champaign–Urbana Mass Transit District]] (MTD) bus]]
The bus system that operates throughout the campus and community is operated by the [[Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District]]. The MTD receives a student-approved transportation fee from the university, which provides [[Universal transit pass|unlimited access]] for university students, faculty, and staff.

Daily [[Amtrak]] trains through [[Illinois Terminal]] connect Champaign-Urbana with Chicago and [[Carbondale, Illinois]]. This includes the corridor service ''[[Illini and Saluki]]'' and the long-distance ''[[City of New Orleans (train)|City of New Orleans]]'', which provides a direct route to [[Memphis, Tennessee]]; [[Jackson, Mississippi]]; and [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] southbound, in addition to Chicago northbound.

[[University of Illinois Willard Airport|Willard Airport]], opened in 1954 and is named for former University of Illinois president Arthur Cutts Willard. The airport is located in Savoy. Willard Airport is home to university research projects, along with flights from [[American Airlines]]. In 2013, the university's [[University of Illinois Institute of Aviation|Institute of Aviation]] was closed at the University of Illinois and the program was transferred to [[Parkland College (United States)|Parkland College]].

[[File:MTD Routes on University of Illinois Campus.svg|thumb|Campus bus routes]]

===Security===
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a dedicated police department, UIPD, which operates independently from CPD, the department that serves the surrounding Champaign area.

On June 9, 2017, Yingying Zhang, a Chinese international student, was [[Murder of Yingying Zhang|abducted and murdered]] in a case that made national headlines at the time. The university subsequently announced plans to install additional, high-definition, security cameras across the campus.<ref name=WQAD8Security>{{cite web |first=Christina |last=Lorey |title=University of Illinois increasing security on campus following kidnapping |url=http://wqad.com/2017/07/06/university-of-illinois-increasing-security-on-campus-following-kidnapping/ |publisher=[[WQAD-TV]] |date=July 6, 2017 |accessdate=July 9, 2017}}</ref>

In July 2022, the university announced that it was partnering with local businesses to invest $300,000 to combat violent crime in Champaign County.<ref>{{cite news |title=University, area businesses invest $300,000 to fight local crime |url=https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/1086442741 |access-date=October 9, 2023 |publisher=UIUC News Bureau}}</ref>

In September 2022, the City of Champaign transferred responsibility for a large swath of Campustown from CPD (Champaign Police Department) to UIPD, claiming that doing so would reduce response times and improve the quality of service. As part of the jurisdictional reforms, the city agreed to pay a substantial portion of the cost to hire seven new officers to patrol the new coverage area.<ref>{{cite web |title=What UIPD's Campustown plans mean for student safety |url=https://police.illinois.edu/what-uipds-campustown-plans-mean-for-student-safety/ |website=UIUC Division of Public Safety |date=September 30, 2022 |access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref>

Violent crime fell sharply in 2022 compared to the year prior, with shootings and homicides declining by 50 and 47 percent, respectively. The city attributed the decrease in crime to improved staffing levels and the installation of [[automatic number-plate recognition|automatic license plate readers]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sadovi |first1=Aidan |title=Champaign shooting incidents drop by half in 2022 |url=https://dailyillini.com/news-stories/2023/01/15/champaign-shooting-statistics/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |publisher=The Daily Illini}}</ref>

==Athletics==
{{Main|Illinois Fighting Illini}}
[[File:MemorialStadiumIllinois.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Memorial Stadium (University of Illinois)|Memorial Stadium]] with the [[State Farm Center]] in the background]]

The Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics fields teams for ten men's and eleven women's varsity sports. The university participates in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]'s Division I. The university's athletic teams are known as the Fighting Illini. The university operates a number of athletic facilities, including [[Memorial Stadium (University of Illinois)|Memorial Stadium]] for [[American football|football]], the [[State Farm Center]] for men's and women's basketball, and the Atkins Tennis Center for men's and women's tennis. The men's NCAA basketball team had a dream run in the [[2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2005 season]], with [[Bruce Weber (coach)|Bruce Weber]]'s Fighting Illini tying the record for most victories in a season. Their run ended 37–2 with a loss to the [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|North Carolina Tar Heels]] in the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|national championship game]]. Illinois is a member of the [[Big Ten Conference]]. Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as [[Graduation|commencement]] and [[convocation]], and athletic games are: [[Illinois Loyalty]], the school song; [[Oskee Wow Wow]], the [[fight song]]; and [[Marching Illini#Hail to the Orange|Hail to the Orange]], the alma mater.

On October 15, 1910, the Illinois football team defeated the [[University of Chicago]] Maroons with a score of 3–0 in a game that Illinois claims was the first [[homecoming]] game, though several other schools claim to have held the first homecoming as well.<ref>{{cite web |title=Columbia Missourian&nbsp;— Tradition's beginnings mysterious |url=http://columbiamissourian.com/sports/story.php?ID=22348 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20061024203049/http://columbiamissourian.com/sports/story.php?ID=22348 |archive-date=October 24, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Origin of the University Homecoming |url=http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/homecoming/history.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20060219081820/http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/homecoming/history.pdf |archive-date=February 19, 2006 |access-date=December 13, 2005}}</ref> On November 10, 2007, the unranked Illinois football team defeated the No. 1 ranked [[Ohio State]] football team in [[Ohio Stadium]], the first time that the Illini beat a No. 1 ranked team on the road.

The [[University of Illinois Ice Arena]] is home to the university's club [[college ice hockey]] team competing at the [[American Collegiate Hockey Association|ACHA Division I]] level and is also available for recreational use through the Division of Campus Recreation. It was built in 1931 and designed by Chicago architecture firm Holabird and Root, the same firm that designed the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Memorial Stadium and Chicago's Soldier Field. It is located on Armory Drive across from the Armory. The structure features four rows of bleacher seating in an elevated balcony that runs the length of the ice rink on either side. These bleachers provide seating for roughly 1,200 fans, with standing room and bench seating available underneath. Because of this set-up the team benches are actually directly underneath the stands.<ref>{{cite web |author=Staff |date=July 26, 2006 |title=Ice Arena Facility |url=http://www.campusrec.uiuc.edu/facilities/ice_arena.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060426003535/http://www.campusrec.uiuc.edu/facilities/ice_arena.html |archive-date=April 26, 2006 |access-date=August 22, 2006 |publisher=University of Illinois, Division of Campus Recreation}}</ref>

In 2015, the university began [[Mandarin Chinese]] broadcasts of its American football games as a service to its Chinese international students.<ref name="GuardianChinesefootball" />

===Mascot===
{{Main|Chief Illiniwek}}
[[File:Illinois Fighting Illini logo.svg|thumb|upright=0.4|The [[Illinois Fighting Illini|Fighting Illini]] athletics logo since 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/543635|title=Urbana campus consolidates to single logo|last=Kaler|first=Robin|website=news.illinois.edu|language=en-US|access-date=March 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904223643/https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/543635|archive-date=September 4, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>]]

The U. of I. currently has no mascot.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-28 |title=What is a Fighting Illini? Explaining the origin of Illinois' nickname, mascot history {{!}} Sporting News |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/fighting-illini-origin-illinois-nickname-mascot-history/84da7d1f9b62a386287fc4d1 |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-us}}</ref> [[Chief Illiniwek]], also referred to as "The Chief", was from 1926 to 2007 the official symbol of the U. of I. in university intercollegiate athletic programs. The Chief was typically portrayed by a student dressed in [[Sioux]] regalia. Several groups protested that the use of a Native American figure and indigenous customs in such a manner was inappropriate and promoted ethnic stereotypes. In August 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association expressed disapproval of the university's use of a "hostile or abusive" image.<ref name="LAT2005">{{cite news |title=NCAA to crack down on hostile nicknames |first=Robyn |last=Norwood |date=August 6, 2005 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-06-sp-ncaa6-story.html |access-date=November 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105034336/http://articles.latimes.com/2005/aug/06/sports/sp-ncaa6 |archive-date=November 5, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> While initially proposing a consensus approach to the decision about the Chief, the board in 2007 decided that the Chief, its name, image and regalia should be officially retired. Nevertheless, the controversy continues on campus with some students unofficially maintaining the Chief. Complaints continue that indigenous students feel insulted when images of the Chief continue to be present on campus.<ref>[http://www.aaup.org/report/UIUC Academic Freedom and Tenure: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070256/http://www.aaup.org/report/UIUC |date=May 1, 2015 }} AAUP, April 2015, pp. 5–6</ref> The effort to resolve the controversy has included the work of a committee, which issued a report of its "critical conversations" that included over 600 participants representing all sides.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/Exhaustion-Confusion-and/244513| title='Exhaustion, Confusion, and Anger': U. of Illinois Finds a Community at Odds Over Old Mascot| first=Chris| last=Quintana| date=September 13, 2018| access-date=September 16, 2018| newspaper=The Chronicle of Higher Education| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916202020/https://www.chronicle.com/article/Exhaustion-Confusion-and/244513| archive-date=September 16, 2018| url-status=live}}</ref>

There is a grassroots campaign of students and alumni to officially recognize the [[belted kingfisher]] as the mascot of the U. of I.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-04-13 |title=ct-viz-university-of-illinois-belted-kingfisher-mascot |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/04/13/ct-viz-university-of-illinois-belted-kingfisher-mascot/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Niekerk |first=Maaike |last2=Gregerman |first2=Sam |date=2024-12-04 |title=Kingfisher movement pushes for new campus mascot |url=https://dailyillini.com/life_and_culture-stories/2024/12/04/kingfisher-movement-campus-mascot/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=The Daily Illini}}</ref> Female belted kingfishers are orange and blue (the school's colors) and the bird is native to Illinois.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-18 |title=The University of Illinois Might Make a Kingfisher Its New Mascot. It should! {{!}} Audubon |url=https://www.audubon.org/news/the-university-illinois-might-make-kingfisher-its-new-mascot-it-should |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=www.audubon.org |language=en}}</ref> A Kingfisher costume has been created and has made appearances on campus.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-19 |title=Kingfisher mascot makes first appearance on U of I campus |url=https://www.wcia.com/news/kingfisher-mascot-makes-first-appearance-on-u-of-i-campus/amp/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=WCIA.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The campaign to adopt the mascot is not seeking to change the name "Fighting Illini."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight-Gibson |first=Louise |date=2023-10-25 |title=The students behind the Kingfisher mascot - Culture |url=https://www.smilepolitely.com/culture/the-students-behind-the-kingfisher-mascot/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=Smile Politely — Champaign-Urbana's Culture Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Multiple Indigenous organizations have also expressed support for the Kingfisher.<ref>{{Cite web |last=SIMMONS |first=ETHAN |date=2022-12-09 |title=American Indian group: Proposal to make kingfisher UI's new mascot isn't for the birds |url=https://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/university-illinois/american-indian-group-proposal-to-make-kingfisher-uis-new-mascot-isnt-for-the-birds/article_5ffc6595-d3b0-5eb2-976c-9f8494bd4ec6.html |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=The News-Gazette |language=en}}</ref>

==Notable alumni and faculty==
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{{main list|List of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign people|Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni|Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty}}
[[File:HalleneGatewayUIUC.JPG|thumb|Hallene Gateway was dedicated in 1998 by donations from alumni Alan M. and Phyllis Welsh Hallene.<ref name="UIHistories" />]]

Twenty-seven alumni and faculty members of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have won a [[Pulitzer Prize]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Nobel Laureates & Pulitzer Prize Winners|url=http://illinois.edu/about/awards.html|publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|access-date=August 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005035202/https://illinois.edu/about/awards.html|archive-date=October 5, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2019}}, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni, faculty, and researchers include 24 Nobel laureates (including 11 alumni). In particular, [[John Bardeen]] is the only person to have won two Nobel prizes in physics, having done so in 1956 and 1972 while on faculty at the university. In 2003, two faculty members won Nobel prizes in different disciplines: [[Paul C. Lauterbur]] for physiology or medicine, and [[Anthony Leggett]] for physics.

Alumni and faculty have invented the [[LED]] and the [[quantum well laser]] ([[Nick Holonyak]], B.S. 1950, M.S. 1951, Ph.D. 1954), [[DSL]] ([[John Cioffi]], B.S. 1978), [[JavaScript]] ([[Brendan Eich]], M.S. 1986),<ref name="U of I alumn"/> the [[integrated circuit]] ([[Jack Kilby]], B.S. 1947), the [[transistor]] ([[John Bardeen]], faculty, 1951–1991), the [[pH meter]] ([[Arnold Beckman]], B.S. 1922, M.S. 1923), [[MRI]] ([[Paul C. Lauterbur]]), the [[plasma screen]] ([[Donald Bitzer]], B.S. 1955, M.S. 1956, Ph.D. 1960), color plasma display ([[Larry F. Weber]], B.S. 1968 M.S. 1971 Ph.D. 1975), the training methodology called PdEI and the coin counter ([[James P. Liautaud]], B.S. 1963), the statistical algorithm called [[Gibbs sampling]] in computer vision and the machine learning technique called [[random forests]] ([[Donald Geman]], B.A. 1965), and are responsible for the structural design of such buildings as the [[Willis Tower]], the [[John Hancock Center]], and the [[Burj Khalifa]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.som.com/content.cfm/william_f_baker |title=William F. Baker |website=Som.com |date=December 19, 2011 |access-date=July 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812140143/http://www.som.com/content.cfm/william_f_baker |archive-date=August 12, 2012 }}</ref>

Mathematician [[Richard Hamming]], known for the [[Hamming code]] and [[Hamming distance]], earned a PhD in mathematics from the university's Mathematics Department in 1942.<ref>{{cite web |title=Richard Wesley Hamming |url=https://history.computer.org/pioneers/hamming.html |publisher=[[IEEE Computer Society]] |access-date=August 30, 2020 |archive-date=September 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904020535/https://history.computer.org/pioneers/hamming.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Primetime Emmy Award]]-winning engineer [[Alan Bovik]] (B.S. 1980, M.S. 1982, Ph.D. 1984) invented neuroscience-based video quality measurement tools that pervade [[television]], [[social media]] and [[home cinema]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/news/press-releases/honorees-announced-67th-engineering-emmy-awards|title=Honorees Announced for the 67th Engineering Emmy Awards|website=Television Academy|access-date=July 12, 2021|archive-date=July 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712014843/https://www.emmys.com/news/press-releases/honorees-announced-67th-engineering-emmy-awards|url-status=live}}</ref> Structural engineer [[Fazlur Rahman Khan]] earned two master's degrees, and a PhD in structural engineering from the university.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctbuh.org/People/FazlurRKhan/tabid/1579/language/en-US/Default.aspx|title=CTBUH Profile|access-date=May 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521214909/http://www.ctbuh.org/People/FazlurRKhan/tabid/1579/language/en-US/Default.aspx|archive-date=May 21, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Illinois alumni and faculty have founded numerous companies and organizations. Notable founders include [[Marc Andreessen]], co-founder of [[Andreessen Horowitz]] (2009); [[Jerry Sanders (businessman)|Jerry Sanders]], co-founder of [[AMD]] (1969); and [[Jerry Colangelo]], founder of the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] (1995). [[George Halas]], who founded the [[Chicago Bears]] (1920) and co-founded the [[NFL]], and [[Reshma Saujani]], founder of [[Girls Who Code]] (2012), also made significant contributions. In technology, Marc Andreessen and [[Brendan Eich]] co-founded [[Mozilla Corporation]] and [[Netscape]] in the 1990s, while [[Larry Ellison]] and [[Bob Miner]] co-founded [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]] (1977). Other tech innovators include Nathan Gettings ([[Palantir Technologies]], 2003), [[Luke Nosek]] and [[Max Levchin]] ([[PayPal]], 1998), [[Martin Eberhard]] ([[Tesla, Inc.]], 2003), and [[Stephen Wolfram]] and [[Theodore Gray]] ([[Wolfram Research]], 1987). Additionally, [[Hugh Hefner]] founded [[Playboy]] Enterprises (1953), [[Thomas Siebel]] co-founded [[Siebel Systems]] (1993), and [[Jerry Yue]] founded Brain Technologies, Inc. (2010). Other prominent companies like [[Yelp]] (2004) and [[YouTube]] (2005) were co-founded by [[Jeremy Stoppelman]], [[Russel Simmons]], [[Steve Chen]], and [[Jawed Karim]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://illinoisventures.com/university-of-illinois-alumni-companies/|title=Illinois VENTURES – UofI Alumni Founded Companies|website=illinoisventures.com|language=en-US|access-date=November 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041557/http://illinoisventures.com/university-of-illinois-alumni-companies/|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://medium.com/hack-vc/tech-companies-started-by-university-of-illinois-alumni-6753327a0829 | title=Tech companies started by University of Illinois alum | publisher=Medium | author=Afridi, Ali | date=July 23, 2015 | access-date=December 27, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228000140/https://medium.com/hack-vc/tech-companies-started-by-university-of-illinois-alumni-6753327a0829 | archive-date=December 28, 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/suns/news/bio_jcolangelo.html | website=Nba.com | title=Jerry Colangelo profile | access-date=December 27, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713104713/https://www.nba.com/suns/news/bio_jcolangelo.html | archive-date=July 13, 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> Alumni have also led several companies, including [[McDonald's]], [[Goldman Sachs]], [[BP]], [[Eastman Kodak|Kodak]], [[Shell Oil|Shell]], [[General Motors]], [[AT&T]], and [[General Electric]] and others.<ref name="U of I alumn">{{cite web |title=This School In Rural Illinois Has Produced Some Of The Most Amazing Visionaries In Tech |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/uiuc-amazing-tech-visionaries-who-went-to-school-there-2014-12 |work=[[Business Insider]] |access-date=September 1, 2020 |archive-date=April 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200430054425/https://www.businessinsider.com/uiuc-amazing-tech-visionaries-who-went-to-school-there-2014-12 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:HKN Monument at the University of Illinois.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Eta Kappa Nu]] was founded at U of I in 1904.]]

Alumni have founded many organizations, including the [[Susan G. Komen for the Cure]] and [[Project Gutenberg]], and have served in a wide variety of government and public interest roles. [[Rafael Correa]], President of [[Ecuador|The Republic of Ecuador]] from 2007 to 2017, secured his M.S. and PhD degrees from the university's Economics Department in 1999 and 2001 respectively.<ref>Markey, Patrick. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/11/AR2006101101081.html Ecuador's Correa leaps from outsider to take lead]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''Washington Post'', October 11, 2006</ref> [[Nathan Clifford Ricker|Nathan C. Ricker]] attended Illinois and in 1873 was the first person to graduate in the United States with a certificate in architecture. [[Mary L. Page]], the first woman to obtain a degree in architecture, also graduated from the U. of I.<ref>Professor Paul Kruty. [http://www.arch.uiuc.edu/about/history/ricker/ Establishing Architecture at the University of Illinois] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901094804/http://www.arch.uiuc.edu/about/history/ricker/ |date=September 1, 2006 }}. Last updated May 28, 2005.</ref> Disability rights activist and co-organizer of the [[504 Sit-in]], [[Kitty Cone]], attended during the 1960s, but left six hours short of her degree to continue her activism in New York.<ref name="Cone Illinois">{{cite web|last1=Cone|first1=Kitty|title=Kitty Richmond Cone|url=https://archives.library.illinois.edu/erec/University%20Archives/1303023/CD6_KittyCone_9-24-2009/ConeKitty%20Richmond--%209-24-09Archives.pdf|website=University of Illinois Archive|access-date=August 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817204752/https://archives.library.illinois.edu/erec/University%20Archives/1303023/CD6_KittyCone_9-24-2009/ConeKitty%20Richmond--%209-24-09Archives.pdf|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In sports, baseball pitcher [[Ken Holtzman]] was a two-time All Star major leaguer, and threw two [[no-hitter]]s in his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/453be7e7|title=Ken Holtzman - Society for American Baseball Research|website=sabr.org|access-date=April 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401144731/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/453be7e7|archive-date=April 1, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In sports entertainment, [[David Otunga]] became a two-time [[WWE Raw Tag Team Championship|WWE Tag Team Champion]].

[[Eta Kappa Nu]] (HKN) was founded at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as the national honor society for electrical engineering in 1904. Maurice LeRoy Carr (B.S. 1905) and Edmund B. Wheeler (B.S. 1905) were part of the founding group of ten students, and they served as the first and second national presidents of ΗΚΝ. The Eta Kappa Nu organization is now the international honor society for [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]].<ref>{{cite web|title=About|url=https://hkn.ieee.org/about|access-date=December 20, 2021|website=IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN)|language=en-US|archive-date=December 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220222859/https://hkn.ieee.org/about/|url-status=live}}</ref> The U. of I. collegiate chapter is known as the Alpha chapter of ΗΚΝ.<ref>{{cite web |title=ECE's IEEE-ΗΚΝ chapter wins national recognition |url=https://ece.illinois.edu/newsroom/news/3951 |publisher=University of Illinois |access-date=August 30, 2020 |archive-date=November 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101211429/https://ece.illinois.edu/newsroom/news/3951 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Lowell P. Hager]] was the head of the Department of Biochemistry from 1969 until 1989 and was elected to the [[National Academy of Sciences]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|url=https://mcb.illinois.edu/remembering/lowell_hager/|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=mcb.illinois.edu|language=en|archive-date=May 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511223002/https://mcb.illinois.edu/remembering/lowell_hager/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[James Holzhauer]], the [[American game show winnings records#All-time top 25 winnings list|fourth-highest-earning American game show contestant of all time]] and holder of several [[Jeopardy!]] records, attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a member of the [[Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering]] Team that won the state competition for the university, contributing by taking first place in physics and second in math.<ref>Baker, Suzanne (April 10, 2019). "Naperville native sets new Jeopardy! record for 1-day winnings with $110,914; 4-day streak continues". Naperville Sun. Illinois: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved April 10, 2019.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-jeopardy-naperville-native-st-0410-story.html</ref> Holzhauer graduated with a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in mathematics in 2005.<ref>"Professional Sports Gambler James Holzhauer's Aggressive Style Paying Off on Jeopardy!". ''[[PokerNews]]''. April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.https://www.pokernews.com/news/2019/04/sports-gambler-james-holzhauer-aggressive-style-jeopardy-33890.htm</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Hoddeson, Lillian. ''No Boundaries: University of Illinois Vignettes''. (University of Illinois Press, 2004; {{ISBN|9780252072031}})
* Johnson, Henry C. Jr. and Erwin V. Johanningmeier. ''Teachers for the Prairie: The University of Illinois and the Schools, 1868–1945'' (University of Illinois Press, 1972)
* Kanfer, Alaina. ''Illini Loyalty: The University of Illinois''. (University of Illinois Press, 2011; {{ISBN|9780252035005}})
* Scheinman, Muriel. ''A Guide to Art at the University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign, Robert Allerton Park, and Chicago'' (University of Illinois Press, 1995) [https://books.google.com/books?id=3SYxQdDPM7UC&dq=university+of+Illinois+urbana&pg=PP13 online]
* Solberg, Winton U. ''The University of Illinois, 1894-1904: an intellectual and cultural history''. (University of Illinois Press, 2000; {{ISBN|9780252025792}}) [https://archive.org/details/universityofilli0000solb online]
* Tate, Lex; Franch, John. ''An Illini Place - Building the University of Illinois Campus''. (University of Illinois Press, 2017; {{ISBN|9780252041112}})
* Williamson, Ann Joy. ''Black Power on Campus - The University of Illinois, 1965-75''. (University of Illinois Press, 2003; {{ISBN|9780252095801}}) [https://books.google.com/books?id=5XI2rxI3agUC&dq=university+of+Illinois+urbana&pg=PP15 online]

==External links==
{{Commons category|University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{official website|http://www.fightingillini.com/}} of University of Illinois Athletics
* {{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Illinois, University of|short=x}}
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Illinois, University of|short=x}}

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