Deadline Update: We want to ensure anyone applying for federal financial aid has enough time to make an informed decision regarding their college choice! For this reason, we're extending our enrollment decision deadline to May 15.

Financial Aid

How to Apply

You can apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available regardless of financial need. Our priority deadline is April 15. Using the FAFSA results, our Office of Student Financial Aid will prepare a Financial Aid Notification for you detailing the total amount of financial aid you'll receive. More information can be found on OSFA's website.

Complete FAFSA

For help when filling out the FAFSA, check out the Federal Student Aid website. If you're an Illinois resident who isn't otherwise eligible for federal financial aid, you can submit the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.

Estimating Your Aid

Our net price calculator can give you a better idea of how much college may cost you after receiving financial aid. This estimate is based on full-time enrollment and doesn't include merit-based or outside scholarships.

Estimate Your Aid

Types of Aid

We assist you in paying for your UIUC expenses in many ways:

circle graph depicting percentages of each of the three types of aid UIUC provides
  1. Scholarships and grants (67%) are awarded based on factors like academic achievement, talent, leadership, geographical location, field of study, and financial need.
  2. Loans (28%) must be repaid, usually with interest.
  3. Student employment (5%) is easy to find at UIUC through Federal Work-Study as well as university hourly and non-university employment.
Samuel dressed up and posing by the Hallene Gateway

Hop, Step, & Jump

Samuel, one of the first Illinois Commitment recipients, talks about what the scholarship means to him and his advice to future Illini.

Read Story

Julissa and her Illini 4000 teammates posing during their cross country trek

A Game-Changing Scholarship

Julissa's journey at UIUC was made possible by a single transformative opportunity.

Read Story

Four Years. Free Tuition.

If you're an Illinois resident whose family makes $67,100 or less, you may be eligible for the Illinois Commitment financial aid package, which covers the cost of tuition and campus fees.

Learn More


1/4 of incoming students received Illinois Commitment in 2022-2023

How We Compare

UIUC strives to keep costs affordable. In fact, our students take out fewer loans and graduate with less debt than the national and state average.

Percent of Graduates Who Borrowed a Student Loan

56% of national graduates borrowed a student loan

National Graduates
$29,096 average loan debt
(per borrower)

57% of state of Illinois graduates borrowed a student loan

State of Illinois Graduates
$28,552 average loan debt
(per borrower)

41% of UIUC graduates borrowed a student loan

UIUC Graduates
$20,305 average loan debt
(per borrower)

International Students

No need-based financial aid is available to international undergraduates, and F-1 visas allow very limited opportunities for students to work at the university. For this reason, you must have sufficient funds for your entire period of study. However, limited scholarships and loans exist through International Student and Scholar Services.

View Opportunities

Student Feature: Arnoldo

After receiving a full ride to UIUC, Arnoldo decided to pay it forward by helping to implement a brand-new scholarship on campus. He hopes it will give people from all backgrounds the opportunity to attend UIUC.

Watch Video

More Info

The Office of Student Financial Aid has details on all things financial aid.

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