Overview
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois has competed in club esports since 2015, with affiliations including Big Esports Conference. The program is a student-run club rather than a varsity team run by the university. Its teams currently compete in League of Legends, VALORANT, Rocket League, Overwatch 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Counter-Strike 2 and Marvel Rivals. The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (esports.illinois.edu, 2022); contact the program directly. Federal College Scorecard data shows an average net price of $14,355 per year, an acceptance rate of 42% and a graduation rate of 85% across 36,258 undergraduates.
Esports details verified 2026-10-10 · Federal data retrieved 2026-10-10
Esports scholarships at Illinois
No current esports scholarships published. A March 2022 post announced sponsored 50 and 00 awards; they are not confirmed for later years.
Illinois doesn't publish esports scholarship terms. Ask the program staff about athletic or participation awards during recruiting.
The esports program
- Level
- Club (student-run)
- Founded
- 2015
- Conference / league
- Big Esports Conference
- Facility
- Armory Innovation Studio
- Titles fielded
- 10
Cost & outcomes vs. other esports schools
Compared with the median of all 405 esports programs we track.
| Tuition (in-state / out-of-state) | $16,004 / $35,124 |
|---|---|
| Average net price (after grants) | $14,355 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 23% |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 20:1 |
Who studies at Illinois
36,258 undergraduates, shown as 100 people.
- White 38%
- Hispanic/Latino 14%
- Black 5%
- Asian 23%
- Two or more races 4%
- International 14%
- Other / unknown 2%
- Women
- 48%
- First-generation
- 25%
- Pell recipients
- 23%
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois offer esports scholarships?
The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (esports.illinois.edu, 2022); contact the program directly. Scholarship terms can change each season, so confirm with the program before applying.
What games does Illinois esports compete in?
Illinois fields club teams in League of Legends, VALORANT, Rocket League, Overwatch 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Counter-Strike 2 and Marvel Rivals, according to the program's published information.
How much does Illinois cost per year?
The average annual net price — cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving aid — is $14,355. Published tuition is $16,004 in-state and $35,124 out-of-state (U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard).
How hard is it to get into Illinois?
Illinois admits 42% of applicants, per the College Scorecard.
When did Illinois start club esports?
Illinois's club esports program began in 2015.
Sources
- Esports program and scholarship terms: esports.illinois.edu (2022)
- Cost, admissions, outcomes and demographics: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-10-10
- Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Research notes
Illini Esports is a registered student organization (since Sept 2015), supported by CITL, which hosts it in the Innovation Studio. There are no university-run varsity teams. The scholarship post is dated March 2022 and current availability is unconfirmed; if it can't be verified, consider switching to kind:none. Titles come from esports.illinois.edu/teams and the homepage list. The homepage also lists Halo and Hearthstone, which are omitted. The official staff page is still dated 2023-24. BEC participation comes from a 2024 list.
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