Illinois State University in USA

Illinois State welcomes largest freshman class in 35 years
Illinois State University welcomed 3,983 freshmen, the largest class in 35 years, to its student body for the 2022-2023 academic year. Total enrollment stands at 20,683. This represents an 18 percent increase in freshman enrollment from last year and a 2 percent increase in total enrollment.

“Illinois State continues its tradition of strong enrollment, increased diversity, and student achievement,” said President Terri Goss Kinzy. “We are already planning for next year’s class, and we are working to assure that as many qualified students as possible have access to the Redbird experience.”

The University’s total student population includes 18,055 undergraduates and 2,628 graduate students. It is an exceptional recruitment year for new freshman, graduate, and international students. New freshman and new graduate students are both up 18 percent compared to last year. The international population now represents 3 percent of the student body.

Official enrollment figures were computed after the 10th day of classes.

“We are so excited about this newest class of Redbirds,” said Jana Albrecht, associate vice president for Enrollment Management. “They are exceptional in several ways—in their number, in the diversity of their backgrounds and experiences, and in their academic accomplishments. This group of students is talented, civic minded, and driven, and I cannot wait to see the incredible things they do as part of our campus community over the next few years.”

Illinois State consistently admits students with strong academic profiles. The academic achievement of this year’s freshman class has increased further with a high school GPA of 3.64 on a 4.0 scale and an average ACT score of 24. The incoming freshman class also includes 440 new students in the Honors Program.

Illinois State’s student body is becoming more diverse as well, with 37 percent of this year’s freshman class coming from traditionally underrepresented groups. Twenty-nine-point nine (29.9) percent of the total student population comes from traditionally underrepresented groups.

Be in the Heart of it All
With a strong economy and fun culture, our community gives you big opportunities and unique experiences.

Who We Are

We at Illinois State University work as a diverse community of scholars with a commitment to fostering a small-college atmosphere with large-university opportunities.

Quick Facts
20,683 Students
18,055 undergraduate
2,628 graduate
1,000+ -of-state and international students from 47 states and 74 countries
3 in 10 students from underrepresented backgrounds
4 in 5 students receive financial aid