Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced Monday that public universities across the state reached their highest enrollment levels in 10 years, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled during the fall 2025-26 academic semester. This marks the second consecutive year of enrollment growth.

Total enrollment at Illinois’ 12 public universities reached 189,791 students, reflecting a 2.3% increase from the previous year. 

Over the past seven years, the state has increased operating funding for public universities and community colleges by more than $255 million. Financial aid has expanded by $345 million, while merit-based scholarships through the AIM HIGH program received an additional $25 million investment.

Part of the state’s strategy has been the expansion of need-based financial aid through the Monetary Award Program (MAP). Funding for MAP has grown by over $320 million since fiscal year 2019—an 80% increase. This year, more than 151,000 students are projected to receive support through MAP and AIM scholarships combined, representing 22,000 more students than in FY19.

First-time, full-time freshman enrollment increased by 6.8%, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth in this category. New full-time transfer students increased by 6.5%, signaling growing success in removing barriers for students seeking to continue their education at state universities.

Fall-to-fall retention also improved, rising by 1.4% compared to the previous year.

Undergraduate enrollment overall increased by 3.8%, with eight of the 12 public universities reporting gains. Chicago State University (CSU) led all institutions with a 15% increase in undergraduate enrollment, while Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) posted a 10.7% gain.

The gains in first-time freshmen were even more dramatic at several campuses. CSU experienced a remarkable 111.9% increase in first-time, full-time freshmen. University of Illinois Chicago reported a 22.4% increase, Northern Illinois University saw a 21.8% increase, and both Governors State University and University of Illinois Springfield posted 20.2% increases.

Among the most significant achievements, enrollment of underrepresented student populations expanded substantially. Total enrollment of African American students increased by 9.7%, while Latino student enrollment grew by 8.3%.

The state has also prioritized aligning higher education with workforce demands. Through the Pipeline for Advancement of the Healthcare (PATH) workforce program, more than 25,000 students have enrolled, with over 15,000 completing the program and entering high-demand medical positions.

Transfer students showed particular momentum, with eight of the 12 universities reporting year-over-year growth in new transfer students. CSU led with a 50.6% increase in transfer enrollments, while SIUE followed with a 20.6% increase.

The state’s community college system also contributed to the higher education momentum. Illinois community colleges reported an overall enrollment increase of 3.7% across the state system, as documented in the Fall 2025 Illinois Community College Opening Enrollment Report.