woman vet consulting with counselor with a laptop

Why Choose the University of Illinois?

#1 Your Degree Will be Respected

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a highly ranked university that offers comprehensive undergraduate, graduate, and professional educational programs that are respected by employers.

#2 Our Students are Successful after Graduation

  • 72 of America’s Fortune 100 companies (including 8 of the top 10) recruited on campus last year
  • 5,123 Companies recruited on campus in the 2013-2014 academic year
  • 14,158 Student interviews were conducted on campus
  • In 2015 – 2016, one-third of our undergraduate veterans were named to the Dean’s List

#3 We Offer World-Class Programs and Services for People with Disabilities

  • #1 Rated as the most “disability-friendly” U.S. campus whose pioneering achievements stem from a history of serving veterans.
  • First to provide students with disabilities access to all university services, curricula, and facilities; developed first architectural accessibility standards; designed & instituted a wheelchair-accessible bus system; first to offer comprehensive wheelchair sports programming. Of note, 87% of registered graduating seniors with disabilities who responded to the 2010 Chancellor’s Senior Survey reported that they experienced "no unmet disability-related needs" while enrolled at Illinois.
  • The best accessible transportation system for students with disabilities of any college campus in the United States with fixed route and a call-in service as needed.
  • Developed the first transitional living program for students with physical disabilities needing personal assistant support services. Students with physical disabilities who require personal assistant support services have an 87% graduation rate; nearly 60% obtain employment within a year of graduation, while another 32% enroll in graduate or professional schools.
  • UIUC is an official U.S. Paralympic Training Site. On September 26, 2014, The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Assembly in Chicago announced that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been designated an official U.S. Paralympic Training Site. The University of Illinois wheelchair program has turned out such outstanding Paralympic athletes as Sharon Hedrick, Jean Driscoll, and Shawn Meredith. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, athletes from the University of Illinois accounted for 10 of the 28 total U.S. track & field medals won. University of Illinois graduate Tatyana McFadden won three gold medals and one bronze medal, and University of Illinois junior Raymond Martin won four gold medals.

#4 We Have a Thriving Veteran Community on Campus

  • There are over 350 veterans and 200 dependents on campus. We have a thriving group of veterans on campus that look out for each other. Our veterans are an excellent resource for making peer connections and learning strategies to maximize your success on campus. Interested new veterans can also be paired-up to a seasoned student veteran through our Vet Connect mentoring program.
  • There is an active Student Veterans of America Chapter. The Illini Veterans are the student veteran voice on campus. This fast-growing chapter has over 150 active members who are engaged in a wide array of social and philanthropic activities.
  • The Student Veterans Lounge is located in our popular Illini Union and is a great place to study, interact with other veterans, or simply hang out and watch TV.
  • UIUC has been designated as a GI Jobs “Military-Friendly” school for the past four years in a row and as a Military Advanced Education Top College for 2016 and a Military Times Best for Vets College.
  • We offer an innovative first-year course for veterans. To assist with your transition to campus, an innovative first-year course for veterans is available (AHS 199) that provides a welcoming environment where you will learn about assistive resources and engage in reflective reading and writing assignments with other veterans. This is an excellent way to start off your college career.

#5 We Have the First and Only Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education.

The Center provides one point of contact for accessing comprehensive services that are individually tailored to the needs of each student veteran to help them be successful in their college career. In addition to cutting-edge programs, the Center is a state-of-the-art facility and a great place to meet and socialize with other student veterans, study, and obtain services that support your academic success and career goals. Student veterans registered with the Center can receive:

  • Benefits and outreach services that help student veterans facilitate access to their entitled benefits and address their financial needs. Individualized financial aid and benefits counseling is provided by a VA Vet Success on Campus counselor and a financial aid certifying official, to ensure that student veterans understand and receive the benefits they are entitled to.
  • Academic accommodations, such as priority registration, note-taking services, and a distraction-reduced testing environment. In addition, UIUC is a leader in the production of alternative accessible media including converting print-based course information to formats such as e-text, Braille, enlarged print and MP3, and in captioning multimedia. Interpreter and Computer Assisted Real-time Transcription (CART) services are also available to those students needing accommodations within the classroom as well as at University-sponsored events.
  • Academic coaching and tutoring that focuses on orienting the student veteran to a college environment and teaching study skills and strategies to reduce barriers to learning.
  • Individual, group, couples, and family counseling to address a variety of physical and psychological challenges, especially focused on readjustment and reintegration strategies.
  • Career development counseling and guidance regarding disability disclosure and employment accommodations. We also have recruitment visits by both private and public employers who are looking to hire veterans for internships and/or employment opportunities.
  • VA services offered at the Center through the Illiana VA Healthcare System (Danville, IL), including social work, individual therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy.
  • Residential services to help students find housing options that are best suited to their individual needs and budget, including housing at the Center.