The University of Illinois is an excellent institution, and the main campus is located in Campagne, Illinois. This campus is also known as University of Illinois Urbana-Campaign or UIUC. The university was established in 1867, and it has been providing an excellent education to its students. Because of this great academics, many students have been successful after graduation. It is especially known for computer science and engineering programs.
If you are considering majoring in those two programs, you definitely should have UIUC in your list. This does not mean that other programs in the University of Illinois are bad. Students in any major will find themselves challenged in UIUC.
In this article, we will be discussing how you can finance your education at the University of Illinois by covering scholarships and financial aid.
UIUC Cost of Attendance
The cost of attending the University of Illinois is different based on your state residency. If you are an Illinois resident, the tuition is around $20,000 a year and room and board is around $11,000 a year. If the personal expenses are added, the total cost of attendance is around $34,000 a year. If you are not a resident of Illinois, the total cost of attendance is approximately $50,000.
There are many forms of University of Illinois scholarships and financial aid to lower this cost of attendance. So, let’s take a look!
University of Illinois Scholarships
The first type of financial aid available is scholarships. These are awarded on merit primarily, but there are also need-based scholarships as well. However, you do need to meet certain academic criteria to be eligible for both types of scholarships.
1. Merit-Based Scholarships
There are several merit-based scholarships that are available in the University of Illinois. These are separated into in-state and out-of-state awards.
A. In-State Scholarships
The first major award is Stamps scholarships, which is a four-year scholarship whose maximum award is full tuition, room, and board. Approximately ten students each year get this scholarship.
The second major award is Provost scholarships, which is a four-year full tuition scholarship. Approximately thirty students each year are awarded this scholarship.
The third scholarship is President’s Award, which is a $5,000 a year scholarship to outstanding students who are from underrepresented groups.
The fourth scholarship is President’s Award Honours, which is $10,000 a year scholarships to the best students who received the President’s award.
You do not need to submit extra applications for these University of Illinois Scholarships. All you need to do is submit the application to the university itself!
B. Out-of-State Scholarships
If you are not an Illinois Resident, you are eligible for Illinois Achievement Scholarship, which is $10,000 per year scholarship. Like the scholarship above, you are automatically considered for this scholarship.
C. Department Scholarships
There are many scholarships that are awarded by different departments. Some have residency requirements, and some don’t. Here’s the list of the scholarships!
2. Need-Based Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded based on need. To be eligible, you will need to file FAFSA. No other application is needed.
University of Illinois Grants
Grants are money from the University of Illinois that do not need to be repaid by the student. It is typically awarded based on need. Like the need-based scholarships, you will need to file FAFSA to be eligible.
The deadline to submit FAFSA to University of Illinois is March 15, but it is advised that you submit in early January so that you have more time for your admission application. If you submit the financial documents early, you will have more breathing room when you are busy with admissions documents. FAFSA becomes available on October 1st, so take your time then to finish and submit! It’s also free, so why not submit the FAFSA early?
University of Illinois Financial Aid Quick Facts
Now, let’s discuss the facts about the financial aid available at the University of Illinois. Over $400 million was awarded to approximately 70% of the students last year. Approximately 60% of these was grants and scholarships, which do not need to be repaid by the student. Approximately 35% was loans, which do need to be repaid, and 5% was student employment.
If you do receive loans in your financial package, you have the option to reject or accept. If you do need loans, you should definitely accept it because loans offered by the University of Illinois is far better than those from private lenders.
If you don’t need it, you can reject the loan offer. Loans from the university are often subsidized, meaning that you don’t have to pay interests until after graduation. Also, if you continue studying such as in medical school or graduate school, the loans oftentimes do not accrue interest. However, private loans most likely are unsubsidized, which means you will pay interest as you attend school.
Also, if you are offered to work at the University, you should definitely take it. They do not require students to do difficult work, and most often, students will be able to study while working, such as working in the library. So, you should definitely take advantage of the financial options that you have available.
Net Price Calculator
If you are interested in learning how much you will pay, you can use the Net Price Calculator that is provided to you by the University of Illinois. Here, you will input your residency status, department of choice, family income, estimated family contribution, etc. In return, you will receive a rough estimation of how much you will get in financial aid by the university.
Please keep in mind that only US Citizens or Permanent Residents can accurately use this tool to estimate their aid. If you are an international student, this tool will give you an inaccurate estimation.
I hope that this article on the University of Illinois Scholarships and Financial Aid Information was helpful. If you are an Illinois Resident, you should definitely check out the Illinois Scholarships Category to see scholarships in Illinois universities.
These will be most likely be affordable to your family. If you are not from Illinois, you should visit Authority Scholarships Website and go to the state that you are from. It doesn’t hurt to check the scholarships offered in your state!
