Fall enrollment rose and set records across several public university campuses in the state, including the University of Illinois Chicago and Chicago State University, according to preliminary data.
The University of Illinois Chicago reported its highest enrollment numbers in school history for the second consecutive year, recording over 37,000 students for the fall 2026 semester, according to data in a Wednesday news release.
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UIC’s total enrollment climbed by 3.7% to 37,199 students, according to official figures from the university’s 10th-day census.
This is UIC’s third straight year of enrollment growth, the news release said. First-year enrollment was record-breaking, rising to 5,420. Total undergraduate student enrollment rose 5.6%, to 25,620. Enrollment among specific student groups fared similarly, including transfer students, which increased 7.3% to 2,628.
The figures mark an upward trend not only in UIC’s enrollment numbers but also in retention and transfer rates, both of which saw percentage jumps. Specifically, continuing undergraduate enrollment rose more than 7% this fall, totaling 17,093 students.
“UIC’s continued enrollment growth reflects strong demand for a world-class research university that provides opportunity, economic mobility, and a deep commitment to student success,” UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda said in the release. “Reaching a record enrollment for the second consecutive year demonstrates the confidence students and families place in UIC and the university’s mission to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research and clinical excellence.”
UIC’s numbers parallel a broader trend across the University of Illinois System, which reported record enrollment levels on its Champaign-Urbana campus. In a separate news release, the system said its total fall enrollment is more than 102,000 for the first time, topping more than 25% growth over a decade. The university system attributes the rise in part to new in-state undergraduate students.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign saw a record total enrollment of 61,060 students — undergraduate, graduate and online — breaking the 61,000 mark for the first time.
Despite a bump in first-year enrollment on the University of Illinois Springfield campus, overall enrollment there dipped by 8%. The decline is partly due to challenges in recruiting and enrolling international students, according to the news release. Both schools are part of the university system.
“This record enrollment reflects more than growing demand for an Illinois education. It reflects growing confidence in Illinois itself,” U. of I. System President Tim Killeen said in the release. “Every additional student who chooses one of our universities represents new talent, new ideas and new possibilities for the state’s future workforce, economy and communities. Our responsibility is not only to educate these students, but to ensure Illinois remains a place where they can build careers, start companies, solve problems and contribute to the state’s long-term prosperity.”
Chicago State student body surges
Chicago State University’s enrollment also soared this fall, with the school’s census data showing a 10% increase, according to its news release. The growth was mirrored in freshman enrollment, up over 30%; undergraduate enrollment, up 14%; and new transfer enrollment, up 12%.
It’s the school’s second consecutive year of record-breaking overall enrollment growth, including its highest freshman enrollment level in 15 years.
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“CSU’s increased enrollment for fall 2026 is a testament to the growing recognition of the transformative education and opportunities we offer,” Z Scott, Chicago State University president, said in the release. Initiatives including free tuition freshman year remove barriers and build “real pathways to opportunity,” Scott said. “Our student success model, focused on improved access, scholarship support and education equity, gets results.”