What University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks for
- A concrete, recent experience that genuinely connects to your intended major.
- Clear, specific goals — what you want to do and how the major gets you there, not vague ambition.
- Concrete specifics over abstractions — a named project or class beats 'I've always loved this field.'
- Authentic academic motivation; Illinois admits by major, so fit with the program is the point.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign supplemental prompts (2026-27)
Major Experience
150 wordsRequired“Explain, in detail, an experience you have had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you have taken, or through something else.”
How to approach it. Pick one recent, specific experience and narrate it with real detail — the prompt explicitly asks for depth, not a list. Show what you did and what it revealed about your interest in the major, not just that you participated. At 150 words, one vivid example beats a survey of everything you've done.
Career Goals
150 wordsRequired“Describe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from UIUC and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.”
How to approach it. Be concrete about where you want to go and draw a clear line from the major to that goal — Illinois admits by major and wants the connection spelled out. Reference specific aspects of the UIUC program or field where you can. Avoid vague ambition; a specific path reads as genuine motivation.
Second-Choice Major
150 words“You have selected a second-choice major. Please explain your interest in that major or your overall academic or career goals.”
How to approach it. Only answer this if you listed a second-choice major. Make the interest genuine rather than a fallback — show a real thread connecting it to your goals or to your first choice, not just a hedge. Even in 150 words, a specific reason beats generic openness.
Score your University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign draft, free
Paste your draft into Halo and get instant feedback scored against a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign-specific rubric — line by line, exactly what is working and what reads as generic. Halo never writes your essay for you.
Try Halo freeYour angel in admissions.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign essay FAQ
- How many supplemental essays does University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign require?
- Illinois requires two 150-word essays tied to your first-choice major, plus one optional 150-word essay if you selected a second-choice major.
- How long are the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign supplemental essays?
- Each essay is capped at 150 words.
- How can I tell if my University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign essay is strong?
- Strong Illinois essays are specific about a real experience and draw a clear line from your major to your goals, since the school admits by major. Halo scores your drafts against a UIUC-specific rubric so you can see where your specificity, fit, and motivation land before you submit.
Sources & official links
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign official website
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education)
- Prompts and requirements are published by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on its official application and admissions pages.
Prompts shown are from the 2026-27 cycle and reflect each school’s officially published questions. Schools release new supplements each year; we update these guides each cycle.