FUELING TALENT, ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE, POWERING THE FUTURE
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ACCESS & OPPORTUNITY
GROWING ACCESS,
ADVANCING OPPORTUNITY
With more than 101,000 students enrolled at U of I System universities, access is more than aspiration — it’s a reality
Today, the cost of a four-year degree can delay or derail students’ goals. In fiscal year 2025, the U of I System advanced its mission to make higher education more attainable and equitable.
At UIS, the Prairie Promise program — which combines grants to fully cover tuition and fees — serves eligible Illinois families earning $75,000 or less per year. UIS also expanded offering in-state tuition to students from counties in Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana. At UIC, the new Aspire grant covers tuition and fees like UIUC’s grant and scholarship program, Illinois Commitment. Both support eligible families earning $75,000 or less a year. Each help fulfill the system’s commitment to an affordable and accessible world-class education.
Systemwide, an expanded transfer guarantee welcomes qualified students from any college nationwide, and a new partnership with One Million Degrees strengthens support for community college transfers.
TUITION-FREE PATHWAY
“By covering my tuition, UIC Aspire transformed my perspective from worrying about college costs to seeing a university as a growth opportunity where I could gain new experiences, meet diverse people, and pursue my academic and career goals.”
Victoria Betancourt, a first-year UIC political science student
UIC launched its Aspire grant, a landmark commitment to affordability. The program ensures qualifying students from families with income and assets of $75,000 or less can pursue a degree tuition-free. The impact is clear: Aspire lowers barriers for families that too often find higher education out of reach. Students are eligible for up to four academic years of support.
UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda captured the program’s promise: “Access to higher education is essential for building a more equitable society. We are so very excited about the vast opportunities that UIC Aspire will unlock for students and their families.”
UIC’s Aspire is an invitation for thousands of Illinois students to belong and succeed.
HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS
Expanded UIS program reaches farther across state lines
At UIS, access took center stage with the expansion of its in-state tuition program. The broadened eligibility now allows more first-time freshmen from nearby states to pursue an affordable degree close to home.
This change builds upon the long-standing tradition of open arms at UIS, where nearly 70% of students are first-generation or transfer students. For many, cost can be the deciding factor between enrolling or opting out. The expanded program ensures more families see high-quality public higher education as a realistic path to opportunity.
The result? More students from Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana graduating equipped with the knowledge, skills, and experiences a U of I System degree promises.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO COMPLETION
The U of I System is strengthening transfer pathways through Transfer Drive, a new partnership with One Million Degrees, which supports community college students with academic coaching, financial guidance, and mentoring. System universities are identifying community college partners for the four-year pilot’s 2026 launch.
The initiative focuses on helping more students go beyond community college to complete a bachelor’s degree at one of the system’s universities. Research shows wraparound services like these can double graduation rates for low-income students.
For Illinois, the benefits are clear: more graduates entering high-demand fields, and more families experiencing the social and economic mobility a degree provides.