university of illinois admissions essay

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Undergraduate Admissions

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.

Essay Questions for Transfer Applicants

You'll answer one to two essays as part of your application, depending on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Essays should be 300 to 400 words each.

If You're Applying to a Major :

Explain your interest in the major you selected. Describe how you have recently developed this interest, inside and/or outside of the classroom, and how this major relates to your professional goals.

If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program :

Explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you are currently considering.

If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared ):

You have selected a second-choice major. Please explain your interest in this major.

Tips for Writing Your Essay

Be memorable..

The essay portion of the application is important because it gives us further insight into who you are and who you want to be. Make us remember you!

Be prepared.

Take time to think about and brainstorm your message. Create an outline, write a good first draft, and edit multiple times.

Be yourself.

We want to know more about you, so be honest and let us into your world. Instead of making broad statements about what you want to do, provide specific examples from your current institution or extracurricular activities. And don’t be afraid to add your personal style and voice to your writing!

You only have a couple of paragraphs to tell us that you’re not only qualified to attend Illinois, but you're also ready for the challenge and will make the most of your experience. Choose your words wisely.

Be focused.

It's not necessary for you to repeat information that’s already elsewhere in your application. Stay focused on explaining how those credentials and qualifications will lead to a successful future here.

Be professional.

Submitting a sloppy-looking essay with spelling errors and glaring mistakes sends us the message that you’re not serious about Illinois. Proofread your essays and ask your counselor, a friend, or a parent to take a second look.

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Command Education Guide

How to write the university of illinois urbana-champaign essays, updated for 2024-2025.

Explain, in detail, an experience you’ve had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you’ve taken, or through something else.

Explanation:

This prompt is an opportunity to narrativize your academic interests. Consider the ways in which your life experiences have shaped you in and out of the classroom and contributed to your interest in a particular field of study. What influenced or inspired you to pursue your chosen academic subject? Is there a particular experience that ignited your passion or changed your perspective? Admissions officers want to understand how you have meaningfully engaged with your area of interest. If you are in need of inspiration, look at the Common App Activities List to see if any of those listed had a significant impact on your decision to choose this major. You can also mention something not included on the Activities List, such as an interaction or relationship with a teacher, a personal endeavor or conversation you had with your parents, or an interest developed through a camp or special workshop. Think about how your interest started—what was it that prompted your desire to learn more about this specific field? How did you further pursue this subject? Give specific details about your experience learning about the subject and how this experience translates to the UIUC major you have chosen.

Each college has its own specific application “review goals and criteria,” so be sure to review the criteria for your intended major here .

Biology club has been a transformative experience for me. From learning about the life cycles of plants to discussing the complexities of animal communication and exploring the functions of the human body, I’ve gained an expansive knowledge of the interconnectedness and beauty of life. This club also gave me the opportunity to pursue field research, which made me realize dissecting the environment around me was a passion of mine, with a special focus on how it relates to human health. Majoring in Biology at UIUC will advance my understanding of the world around me, with a special focus on the intrinsic connection between the health of the environment and the vitality of human communities, especially within local ecosystems. From the impact of invasive species on agricultural cycles to the influence of global warming on allergies and mosquito populations, I can’t wait to further examine and improve these connections at UIUC.

Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.

With this prompt, the admissions committee seeks to understand how your UIUC major will help you reach your future goals. If you choose to write about career goals, be explicit about your intended profession and the ways you intend to shape and influence the field in dynamic and creative ways. Be as specific as possible—what job or position are trying to achieve, and in which department, industry, or company? If you don’t know the answer to this question, do not worry! Most high school students don’t. For now, just pick a field or career goal that currently interests you that can be advanced through your intended course of study. It’s also okay if your answer changes in the future (in fact, it probably will!)

UIUC values impact and innovation for all people, so having goals that align with equity, inclusion, community, social change, and helping others is key . Consider the specific resources, faculty mentors, courses, and research opportunities in your intended UIUC major/program that will help you achieve these goals.

Coming from three generations of farmers, agriculture is in my DNA. In an industrialized society, however, surviving as a farmer means adapting to evolving consumer tastes, economic conditions and supply chain dynamics with strategy and focus. By pursuing a Finance in Agri-Business major, I’ll be able to use the education I gain at UIUC to contribute to my family’s business and one day lead it with world-class business acumen, following in my father’s footsteps. Courses like International Trade in Food and Agriculture and Advanced Farm Management offer the expertise I need to holistically understand the business side of agriculture. Furthermore, supplementing my studies with immersive summer internships at reputable companies like John Deere and Farm Credit will give me the hands-on learning I need. All in all, UIUC will give me the multifaceted education for me to take my family’s farming business to the next level.

If you’re applying to an undeclared major in the Division of General Studies:

Prompt 1: What are your academic interests and strengths? Please include 2-3 majors you’re considering at Illinois and why.

Because you’re not applying to a specific major, the admissions officers want to know more about your interest in their academic programs and how your academic skills will enrich their classrooms. Why do you want to study your subject of interest at UIUC specifically? It is important to show admissions officers that you are confident in who you are and—most importantly—confident in your interest in UIUC. You only have 150 words, so use them wisely to focus on 1-2 interests and strengths. You can show these through your activities, experiences, honors, and awards, so look back to your Activities List again for some inspiration. Some exemplary characteristics and skills that admissions officers look for include leadership ability, perseverance, creativity, generosity, determination, motivation, concern, and intellectual curiosity.

You should also include 2-3 UIUC majors you may be interested in—this not only shows the admissions officers you are looking into specific programs at UIUC and may be a future good fit, but also demonstrates that you are actively working towards creating a meaningful career for yourself, even if you are unsure of your specific academic path. Explain how your mentioned interests and strengths will help you excel in the majors you are considering at UIUC.

Since I was young, the stage has been my second home. From Oklahoma! to Wicked and Hamilton, I’ve always been fascinated by the unique worlds teams of creatives were able to create onstage — art imitating life. While most people think of Broadway when acknowledging excellence in musical theater, I can’t help but notice the rich musical theater tradition that already exists in the Midwest, where I call home. By studying either Lyric Theatre, Scenic Design or Sound Design at UIUC, I’ll be able to explore the art of world-building through the sonic and visual dimensions of theater. A top-ranked, diverse and vibrant educational community, UIUC offers a unique array of theater-specific courses that will shape me into a skilled performing arts professional. Furthermore, the study abroad programs, cultural centers and student groups will expand my worldview, giving me the cultural foundation and communal support I need to create with purpose.

Prompt 2: What are your future career or academic goals? You may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals.

To answer this question, first clearly state your goals for your academic and professional future—where do you see yourself in five years and what do you hope to accomplish as a student at UIUC in order to arrive at that professional destination? Given that you are not applying to a specific major, work backwards from your ultimate goals to consider what milestones you hope to reach on your way to that goal. Be as specific as possible—these may change over time as you learn and grow, but the admissions committee wants to know what is motivating you as you pursue study at UIUC. Mention specific details about UIUC that will help you achieve those academic or career goals—the research opportunities, the emphasis on innovation or equity, or a specific school or program you find interesting. The admissions officers are looking for students who will positively contribute to the Illinois campus and who will be deeply invested in their course of study. Focus on the impact you want to make and how you’d like to create change and help others.

For as long as I can remember, I have taken action to create a more equitable world, from founding my middle school’s first Environmental Action Club to leading my high school’s Reading Equity Alliance. Taking AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, AP World History: Modern and AP Human Geography propelled me further on my journey, collectively helping to steer me towards a career aspiration in Environmental Justice. At UIUC, I know I’ll be able to make that aspiration a reality, with a variety of courses and majors to choose from that will educate me on the history and future of equity as it relates to environmentalism, from Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences to Environmental Economics and Policy. Outside of the classroom, joining organizations like EMBRACE, Illinois Solar Decathlon, Impact Investing Club and American Association for Aerosol Research will empower me to increase opportunity, access and outcomes for those in need.

If you’ve selected a second choice major (including undeclared):

Prompt 1: Please explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.

Admissions recommends that prospective students select a second choice major, in case they do not get selected to their first choice. You should approach this answer in a similar way to how you answered the first-choice major question. Be specific about why you’re interested in this major and include experiences—academic, extracurricular, volunteer—that relate to the major or broader field.

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How to Write a College Application Essay: Tips and Tricks

If there’s anything we know, it’s that applying to college is stressful. And while every part of the process brings its own challenges, completing the written portion of your application is one of the most nerve-racking.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a short list of tips and tricks for how to write a college application essay. We’ve even provided some special advice for tackling Illinois’s written questions, just in case you decide to apply. Here we go!

1. Write about what they ask about.

Sometimes when you’re writing an application response, it can be easy to lose sight of the topic at hand. Since you only have so many words to respond, it’s imperative you don’t stray too far from what the prompt specifically asks you about.

One way to make sure you’re staying on track is to directly reference the prompt in your response. This shows you understand what’s being asked and you’re going to tell colleges exactly what they want to know, which can set your essay apart from other applicants.

Tips & Tricks for Illinois

In our Illinois College Essay Prompt Example blog , we wrote a sample response for the following myIllini essay prompt: “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? Who or what do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

In our response, we included lines like, “The question of which came first captivates me because it is a question without an answer” and “ When I want to learn more about this concept, I turn to my grandfather.” Both of these sentences include phrases from the prompt directly in the answer.

2. Directly reference your own experiences. 

Colleges will ask you a variety of different questions in their prompts. No matter the topic, it’s important to be specific about the experiences you’ve had that are unique to you and your educational experience. By including personal details, colleges see that you have a genuine interest in the major you’ve picked. Make sure to clearly explain both what the experience was and how it had an impact on you.

One of Illinois’s short-answer questions specifically asks you to reference your own experience, so it’s important to provide concrete examples relevant to what you’re writing about.

We wrote another blog with examples for both Illinois major-specific prompts . In the examples, our lovely (and definitely real) applicant wrote about their experience at a DNA lab and how that affected their decision to apply for the *fake* DNA Analysis major at Illinois.

While you might not have taken the same path to your chosen major as our totally-a-real-person applicant, it’s important to be specific about the experiences you have had.

3. Be concise.

You might think you need to use a lot of words to say what you need to say (just ask John Mayer), but often less is really more. Too many words can confuse the reader and actually detract from the point of your essay.

A good way to ensure you’re being concise is to put your paper through a hardcore spring cleaning. In other words, take what you don’t need and throw it out. Once you get a first draft, read through and cut out any unnecessary words. You might even find whole sentences that seemed important at the time but sound repetitive or irrelevant when you give them a second glance.

Being concise is something good to keep in mind when writing anything, but we want to emphasize this point specifically for our major-specific prompts . You only have 150 words apiece to respond, so you’ll want to make those words count.

4. Edit, edit, edit!

You know the feeling you get when you hear you own voice on a recording and think, “Oh gosh, I can’t believe I sound like that!”? The same thing can happen when you reread something you wrote. That’s why it’s so important to take time to edit your responses before you submit them.

Wait a minute, didn’t we just talk about going back over essays for spring cleaning? Why yes, we did! Checking for brevity is a big part of editing, but if you want to submit the best version of your essay, there are other things to watch out for, too—like spelling, grammar, and clarity, just to name a few.

The best way to start is to start early. The sooner you have a complete draft, the more time there is to walk away and reevaluate your work with fresh eyes. After taking a break, you might catch errors you otherwise would’ve never seen.

Another technique is having a teacher, friend, or parent review your response. They can catch spelling/grammar mistakes you might miss and can give you a nudge in the right direction if you’ve strayed from the topic or lost your voice.

5. Be yourself.

We know you’ve heard this a millions times before, and we know it sounds like corny, cliché advice, but letting your voice shine really does make a difference in your writing. For most of the application process, you tick boxes and answer the same questions as thousands of other applicants. The written portion is your chance to show colleges who you really are (bleh, another cliché).

If you get the urge to fill you essay with cookie-cutter fluff you think colleges want to hear, remember that thousands of other kids are going to write the same cookie-cutter fluff. But there’s only one person who can tell your story.

For the full essay, there are many prompts to choose from, so pick the one that means the most to you. Write about why you really want this major, a story that actually affected you, or a topic you’re truly passionate about. When you choose to write about something meaningful, it will not only be easier for you to brainstorm ideas, but will also provide a more genuine glimpse of who you are.

As you write, keep in mind that whatever essay you end up with will be the best essay for your application because it is uniquely you. If you apply these tips and tricks on how to write a college application essay and try your best, you’re going to knock the socks off all of your applications. Good luck!

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Very insightful, helps remove the fear of trying to write the perfect essay

This is really helpful for getting applicants started on the essay. Indeed it is very insightful and valuable for students to read over!

I am so touched!! This is the first school that I fell in love with from the website. I think it makes me deeply feel that the school sincerely wants to help the students, especially those who are confused

So happy to see that their are blogs helping us students, really shows this school cares!!

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How to Write the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Essays 2020-2021

Located in the vast cornfields of east-central Illinois, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is widely renowned as one of the country’s most influential public research universities. In fact, it has ranked first in National Science Foundation award funding for six consecutive years.

Many sources consider UIUC one of the top 50 universities in the world, and some have even ranked its engineering school in the top five worldwide.

Boasting over 24 million items in its library collection, it’s no secret that UIUC is an intellectual powerhouse. On top of that, it’s also a haven for sports lovers. UIUC was one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference, a tradition that has remained strong, as evidenced by its 21 NCAA teams.

When it comes to the student body, UIUC’s average ACT scores range from 27-33, while average SAT scores range from 1280-1490. With an acceptance rate of about 60% , UIUC is a fairly selective school.

One final thing to keep in mind is that UIUC is not a Common Application school. That means you’ll have to submit a separate application either on the school’s website or by mail.

This also means UIUC won’t be reading your Common App essay, meaning that the school-specific essays count for even more. Luckily, we at CollegeVine are here to give you numerous tips on how to tackle your UIUC essays! Want to know your chances at UIUC? Calculate your chances for free right now.

UIUC Application Essay Prompts

Explain your interest in the major you selected and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. you may also explain how this major relates to your future career goals. if you’re applying to the division of general studies, explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. you may include any majors or areas of study you’re currently considering. (300-400 words).

Since this is the most extensive essay UIUC will be receiving from you, it is also the most important! This prompt asks you to write a “Why This Major” essay. Your main objectives here should be conveying your passion for a certain subject and explaining how that relates to your future goals. Also, focus on expressing your love for the school by touching on specific aspects of the school that you think will suit you well.

While you might be tempted to simply reference your extracurricular activities in this section, this is not enough . Admission officers can already see your activities, so mentioning them again without further elaboration would be redundant. Instead, you should hone in on something more personal, and then proceed to explain it in greater depth.

Although your essay should not just restate extracurriculars or relevant classes, it is okay to briefly mention them as long as they provide a transition into new, more meaningful information. This “something meaningful” can be anything from an entertaining moment during one of your activities/classes to a more serious discussion of how you arrived at that passion. Just make sure your response illuminates something unique about you.

Because this essay is the most complex for this school, we recommend tackling it in smaller chunks. You’ll find that focusing on the structure of these shorter essays often does wonders for the overall cohesion of the finished product.

Introduction (100 words or less)

In this section of the response, your primary goal is to indicate your prospective major, but in a manner that the school would find compelling. Some of the most effective ways to hook the reader are by using figurative language or an anecdote, but there are a plethora of other ways as well — just be creative! Also, make sure your introduction allows for enough elaboration in the body section.

Because the introduction is so crucial to the development of this essay, below are some examples of good and bad introductions with explanations.

Good examples :

• “Time to get to work. My classmates opened the textbook and saw gibberish, but I saw a colony of enchanting symbols beckoning me to dance with them. Smug and graceful, they taunted me with their movements, tantalizing me into an exotic tango. These symbols held the secrets of the universe. It was during this fateful study group that I pinpointed my undying love for math…” Why it’s good: While a little cheesy, this author has introduced their love of math with flair. They use the imagery of “enchanting symbols” within the context of a specific instance during their study group, likely intriguing the reader as to why this led to such passion. A capable writer would go on to explain this whimsical statement in the body of the essay.
• “The summer of skeletons was drawing to a close. On my last day at the clinic, they crept up on me, begging me to stay. I knew I had to return one day. They liked being analyzed by me — the touch, the care. These cadavers were always desperate for my attention, but it took me a full six weeks to realize that I was also desperate for theirs…” Why it’s good: While it could be a little creepy and somewhat obsessive, it certainly conveys the author’s passion for bone structures. This author still needs to specify their major (biology, anthropology, bioengineering, etc.), but otherwise, they have the foundation for a great essay. Moving forward, they have two options: focus on this sudden realization at the end of what is presumably a summer internship or talk a little more about the ongoing process. Either one is suitable.

Bad examples :

• “Ever since a young age, I was interested in math. It’s always been my favorite subject. That’s why I want to major in it when I get to college. UIUC has an amazing math program that I want to participate in with amazing faculty. I’ve always pursued difficult math classes, and I’ve even engaged in some extracurricular activities related to math. These activities had possibly the biggest impact on me out of any of my activities…” Why it’s bad: It’s easy to imagine an adcom reading this introduction and wanting to go back to sleep. The author hasn’t shown any personality, and they certainly haven’t set themselves up for anything more than a simple retelling of their most impactful extracurricular activities.
• “Growing up, I’ve always admired the true heroes of our society: doctors. That’s why I want to major in bioengineering. I want to be a hero just like them. At UIUC, the main track for pre-med students is bioengineering, which is also a topic that really interests me. I’ve done a lot of extracurriculars pertaining to the medical field, and I’ve even had some hands-on experience through clinical internships. Bioengineering at UIUC is definitely right for me…” Why it’s bad: This “bad example” is certainly better than the first one, but it still has a lot of room for improvement. Using the theme of doctors as heroes isn’t necessarily bad, but it isn’t implemented well here. Instead, the author should’ve discussed a specific time (perhaps during their clinical internship) that they saw a doctor do something brave, and how that inspired them to become a doctor. This introduction really goes downhill when they abruptly move on to general statements about their interests and past experiences. Also, statements like “Bioengineering at UIUC is definitely right for me” should be avoided at all cost. Remember to show, rather than tell.

Body (250 Words or Less)

Your goal with the body of this essay is to further elaborate on your involvement with your respective major. It is okay to mention extracurriculars and classes in this section, but only if you couple them with explanations of how they impacted you. Consider implementing some additional discussion of your future career plans if you haven’t already done so in the introduction.

The body of your essay doesn’t have to be quite as flashy as the introduction, but it needs to be more purposeful. You might spend less time here on an extended metaphor, and instead opt to explain why your experience in a particular subject area inspired you to pursue it further.

No length is specified in the conclusion, because it varies depending on how many words you have already used, and to what extent your intro/body necessitates closure.

If you have a lot of space left, you might mention specific programs or clubs that fit with your major. You could also go into greater depth here regarding your long-term career goals. If you find a program at UIUC that incorporates your career aspirations — take, for example, a school-funded internship program — this is a great place to discuss it.

Otherwise, the conclusion should simply wrap up the main idea of your essay with a general discussion of your interests that you already set forth. Avoid being too repetitive; it’s better to keep your summary brief and to the point. If you began the essay with thematic material, it should resurface in the conclusion. The last sentence of the essay should be powerful enough to leave a lasting impression on the reader. This will ensure that adcoms remember your essay.

If you select a second-choice major other than the Division of General Studies on your application, write a second essay explaining your interest in this major, too. (300-400 words)

This prompt is similar to the previous one, so you should approach it in largely the same manner. It might be tempting to focus less on this essay, but you shouldn’t neglect it just because it’s your second-choice major. Admission officers will be able to tell if you’ve gotten lazy.

Other than that, make sure you keep our suggestions from the previous section in mind. Remember to provide adequate insight into any examples you provide, and focus on being succinct, so you can add in as much content as possible.

Some Final Words

It’s already been mentioned, but it’s important enough to mention again: These are the only essays UIUC will see. That means you have a huge responsibility to be personable and unique while also demonstrating competent writing style and academic focus.

While we at CollegeVine sometimes encourage riskier supplemental essays, you should avoid that for UIUC. This is because you aren’t coupling these with your Common App essay, which tends to be more grounded and central to your identity.

Most importantly, make sure your essays are truly a reflection of you . Don’t try to use overly elevated language if that isn’t how you normally write. If you’re unsure whether your voice is coming across, ask a family member or friend to read over your essays; they often have invaluable advice.

Want help on your college essays to get into your dream schools? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses, as well as our Essay Peer Review.

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