Illinois Public University Enrollment Hits Highest Level in over a Decade

Enrollment gains at both SIU campuses help Illinois reach highest total since 2015

A jump in undergraduate enrollment helped offset a drop in graduate and international students.

Illinois university enrollment is way up, but one group fell sharply

Illinois universities topped 190,000 students as SIUE posted a standout enrollment gain.

Illinois public university enrollment highest since 2015, state says

Enrollment in public universities in Illinois is the highest it’s been since 2015.

Capitol Fa - Your Illinois News Radar » Public university enrollment reached 11-year high, but international enrollment falls and WIU loses more groundCapitolFax.com

* Governor JB Pritzker’s office…. Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced that enrollment at public universities in Illinois reached the highest level since 2015, with more than 190,000 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2026-27 academic year. Total enrollment at Illinois public universities increased for the third [...]

Illinois public university enrollment hits highest level in over a decade

Enrollment at Illinois' public universities reached its highest level in over a decade for the fall 2026 semester, with more than 190,000 students reported.