What GPA do you need to get into UIUC?

Among 726 applicants who posted a UIUC admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.95 and the middle half reported 3.85 to 4.00 (562 reported a GPA). UIUC sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.

What SAT score do you need for UIUC?

Among 726 applicants who posted a UIUC admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,500 to 1,560 (539 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.

Does applying early help at UIUC?

In these posts, 67% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (370 of 555), against 49% in regular decision (65 of 133). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.

What extracurriculars do UIUC admits have?

The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (65%), stem club/competition (48%), athletics (47%), research (45%). 83% held at least one leadership role and 71% listed a national or international award.

What is the UIUC acceptance rate?

The official rate is published by UIUC in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.

College admissions data

How to get into UIUC

What 726 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,226 UIUC results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.

Applying to UIUC? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.

UIUC admits by the numbers

Median unweighted GPA

3.95

Middle half 3.85 to 4.00

Median SAT

1,540

Middle half 1,500 to 1,560

Median ACT

Middle half 34 to 35

Median weighted GPA

4.50

Middle half 4.30 to 4.70

Results posted: 726 admitted, 406 rejected, 94 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UIUC acceptance rate; the official rate is in UIUC’s Common Data Set.

Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference

Median	Admitted	Rejected
Unweighted GPA	3.95	3.90
SAT	1,540	1,520
ACT	35	35

When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.

What UIUC admits did outside class

Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.

Nonprofit/Service65%
STEM club/competition48%
Athletics47%
Research45%
Tutoring/Teaching44%
Internship37%
Music34%
Work/Job32%

Held a leadership role

83%

Founded something

39%

National or intl. award

71%

Did research

45%

Early vs. regular decision at UIUC

Early (555 results)67%
Regular (133 results)49%

Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.

Intended majors of UIUC admits

Computer Science27%
Engineering26%
Business6%
Math6%
Physics5%
Economics4%

Who got in

Of the admitted posters, 7% first-generation, 7% low income, 7% underrepresented minority, 8% legacy, 2% recruited athlete and 19% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 19% chose UIUC.

Three recent UIUC admits

2026 cycle · Computer Science
CS student with robotics, ML research, game-dev leadership, and a personal family-responsibility story.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
Refinery-town environmental activist and electrochemistry researcher with city commission work and science fair awards.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
2026 cycle · EA · Computer Science
Software-focused CS applicant with a startup, internships, and an international hackathon win.
GPA 3.97 UW · SAT 1550 · Original post

Where else UIUC admits got in

UIUC admissions questions

What GPA do you need to get into UIUC?: Among 726 applicants who posted a UIUC admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.95 and the middle half reported 3.85 to 4.00 (562 reported a GPA). UIUC sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
What SAT score do you need for UIUC?: Among 726 applicants who posted a UIUC admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,500 to 1,560 (539 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
Does applying early help at UIUC?: In these posts, 67% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (370 of 555), against 49% in regular decision (65 of 133). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
What extracurriculars do UIUC admits have?: The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (65%), stem club/competition (48%), athletics (47%), research (45%). 83% held at least one leadership role and 71% listed a national or international award.
What is the UIUC acceptance rate?: The official rate is published by UIUC in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.

Applying to UIUC?

A Specialist who got into a school like UIUC can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.

Book a free call

Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with UIUC. All colleges