Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois Tech is a contemporary and exciting institution. Everything at the university is about pushing forward, about innovating, and about helping to not just respond to the challenges of the future, but to help shape the overall future of society.

This drive for innovation is also reflected in the ongoing investment into the university. In September 2022, Illinois Tech launched a new USD 1 billion fundraising campaign. This historic and monumental campaign is designed to boost every aspect of the university, helping to grow the student body, invest in tech and faculty, and develop new research programs.

Investment at Illinois Tech includes support for major research initiatives, such as a USD 20 million grant to a research coalition based in Chicago that includes researchers from Illinois Tech. This funding will enable university researchers to accelerate their learning in data science, and is an example of the ongoing opportunities and innovations that await students.

Illinois Tech offers students seemingly endless opportunities to make their mark on the world. For example, a team of Illinois Tech finance students progressed to the semifinals of a global competition that looks at innovative investment strategies. Students at Illinois Tech can apply their education and use it in competitions and research projects, offering them valuable out-of-classroom experience that boosts their prestige and career prospects.

While Illinois Tech offers students a high-quality experience across their lives-from housing to out-of-classroom opportunities to mentoring-what ultimately matters most is the quality of the education provided, and Illinois Tech truly excels in this area.

Students learn from exceptional professors who are recruited for their experiences in their respective fields but also for their ability to communicate effectively, bringing the very best out of every student. In the classroom, 100 percent of courses are taught by professors, meaning that Illinois Tech students learn directly from their professors as opposed to teaching assistants.

Illinois Tech also offers a number of additional active learning programs that further develop students' core skills. These include the one-of-a-kind Elevate program, which guarantees that students take part in hands-on experiences-such as internships, competitions, research, study away, and more-and receive personalized mentorship. It's all designed to ensure that students graduate ready to pursue career and OPT/CPT opportunities.

There's also the IPRO Program, which mimics real-world project teams, and the Leadership Academy for any students with aspirations to lead. Students can also make use of the Idea Shop to bring their own inventions to life, and the Kaplan Institute gives all students access to support and training in entrepreneurship.

Illinois Tech is made up of seven colleges, each of which offers students the opportunity to learn from world-renowned faculty whilst making use of contemporary facilities and resources.

The seven colleges of Illinois Tech are:

• Armour College of Engineering
• Chicago-Kent College of Law
• College of Architecture
• College of Computing
• Institute of Design
• Lewis College of Science and Letters
• Stuart School of Business

In addition, there are four institutes based at the university that undertake groundbreaking research and run separate programs that can benefit students in their career path. These are:

• Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship
• Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH)
• Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Science and Engineering
• Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research (WISER)

Entry requirements for Illinois Tech can be divided into two separate categories: the general academic requirements that apply to all students, and the additional requirements for international students.

The general requirements look beyond just the academic achievements of students. Illinois Tech considers a good applicant to be someone who is of a high academic caliber, but also someone who is involved in their community, and has shown leadership attributes. Someone with clear goals for their career, and a view of how to achieve them, will be looked upon favorably.

International students also need to provide three further evidence items. They must prove that they are proficient in the English language, since all courses are taught and assessed in English.

They must provide a financial statement proving that they can afford their fees over the full length of their studies at the university.

And they require a student visa. There is an international team based at the university that can offer advice to any students wishing to apply.

While students work hard for their own success at Illinois Tech, they also receive an extraordinary amount of support from the university. As such, there are a number of dedicated support teams available to ensure that students can achieve the maximum success during their time at Illinois Tech.

This includes the Student Health and Wellness Center, which offers students a range of health services for both physical and mental wellbeing, including counseling and crisis management where required.

The on-campus International Center is dedicated to helping international students settle into university life and to offering advice on matters such as visas. The English Language Services team offers support for students who need additional help meeting the communication needs of their courses.

The Career Services team helps students both find networking and internship opportunities while a student, and prepare for their future after graduation. Services include support finding work, assisting students in writing their resumes, and workshops on interviewing and career opportunities.

Graduates from Illinois Tech are prepared for an exciting future. As the university puts it, students graduate not just ready to take on the world, but ready to change it by continuing the drive for innovation and excellence in their field.

But it's not just about potential, there are also tangible benefits to completing an academic program at Illinois Tech. Illinois Tech graduates have a 92.8 percent job-placement rate and earn competitive salaries (2021 mean starting salaries: USD 70,444 undergraduate and USD 78,633 graduate). Illinois Tech is ranked no. 3 in Illinois and no. 78 in the United States for the 40-year net present value of its degrees, meaning the value of an Illinois Tech degree has lasting significance well into the future (Center on Education and the Workforce).

Illinois Tech students are highly sought after, with graduates taking up employment in many of the largest companies in the world. The top 20 employers for Illinois Tech graduates include Boeing, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase & Co, and General Motors.