UIUC admits around 44% of applicants overall, but CS and Engineering acceptance rates are far lower. The average admitted student has an unweighted GPA of approximately 3.8 (4.15 weighted). CS is one of the most selective programs in the country at a public university.
UIUC is one of the most selective public universities in the Midwest, particularly for STEM. The overall 44% acceptance rate masks dramatically lower rates for Computer Science (under 10%) and the College of Engineering. Business, fine arts, and liberal arts are more accessible. The average admitted student across all programs has approximately 3.8 unweighted GPA.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (non-CS): More accessible at 3.5-3.7+ unweighted for many programs.
College of Engineering (non-CS): Competitive. 3.7-3.9+ unweighted typical. Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering are strong programs with strong applicant pools.
CS + Engineering: Extremely competitive. Among the hardest CS programs in the country to get into directly. Most CS-admitted students have 3.9+ unweighted with perfect or near-perfect math records and significant competitive programming or project experience.
Gies College of Business: Competitive. 3.7+ unweighted typical with strong quantitative coursework.
For CS at UIUC, below 3.9 is a significant obstacle even for an otherwise strong application. For engineering broadly, below 3.7 makes direct admission a reach. Many students enter UIUC through Liberal Arts or Sciences and attempt internal transfer to engineering, which requires a strong first-year college GPA.
UIUC's CS and engineering courses have a steep learning curve. The rigor of technical coursework at UIUC means that passive study approaches typically produce much worse outcomes than active recall and structured weekly planning. The tools available at StudyEdge AI — study planning, grade tracking, AI flashcards, and practice exams — work for any course at any university.
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