Illinois Institute of Technology Announces Zero Tuition Pledge for In State Students

CHICAGO-January 15, 2025-Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) has announced a new scholarship program that broadens the university's commitment to providing learners with access to a world-class education: zero-tuition scholarships for high-performing Illinois students.

The Illinois Tech Purpose scholarship builds upon the university's founding mission to prepare learners of all backgrounds for meaningful roles in a modernized workforce. The scholarship covers 100 percent of a student's full-time tuition and mandatory fees for up to four years of undergraduate study or five years for students in the five-year undergraduate architecture program after all other federal and state grants have been accounted for.

"Our university was founded on a noble mission to provide opportunity for those may who lack financial resources but have the commitment, perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit needed to advance technology and innovation for the common good. As a result, Illinois Tech has established itself as one of Illinois' top universities in advancing economic mobility. We are proud to be a private university with a public mission and to continue that legacy with new ways to support the Illinois' next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs," says Illinois Tech Vice President for Enrollment Mallik Sundharam.

To be eligible, students must be Illinois residents from families with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less and an excellent academic record. New first-year students must have at least a 3.7 grade-point average and be in the top 10 percent of their class. The scholarship is also open to undergraduate students who may wish to transfer to Illinois Tech from another four-year university or community college. New transfer students under the age of 24 must have a 3.4 GPA, have earned no more than 61 credits at a previous institution, and must be earning their bachelor's degree for the first time.

Illinois Tech Purpose significantly reduces students' financial burden, allowing them to focus more on coursework and less on paying for their education. In addition to financial support, Illinois Tech's close-knit community and network of student services include advisers, student success coaches, peer mentors, academic tutoring, career counselors, and more.

"Illinois Tech Purpose is more than just a scholarship," says Sundharam. "It provides not only financial assistance, but also connects students to unique programs like Elevate, , which offers access to twenty-first-century skills, holistic advising, and mentorship opportunities-addressing the whole student. Throughout their time with us, students are guaranteed access to career-building experiences that prepare them with the real-world skills to thrive after graduation. The incredible success of our graduates is a testament to the transformative power of an Illinois Tech degree. The scholarship is just one piece of the larger puzzle."

The United States Department of Education stresses the importance of holistic, wraparound services for students of lower income, noting that without such services, 52 percent did not apply for essential support services because they did not know how to do so, and 80 percent reported moderate to high levels of stress.

Illinois Tech has been recognized consistently for its efforts to help lower-income students attain college degrees. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies recognized Illinois Tech as an American Talent Initiative (ATI) High-Flier, which is defined as a high-graduation-rate institution that is a national leader in college access and success for lower-income students. Illinois Tech was distinguished for its high share of Pell Grant recipients and innovative recruitment, enrollment, and retention practices, which create new pathways to a college degree for students from diverse backgrounds.

According to Opportunity Insights, a Harvard University-based research group focused on economic mobility, Illinois Tech was ranked first in Illinois and #32 in the nation for lifting students from families in the bottom 20 percent of income to the top 20 percent. The same group also ranked Illinois Tech third among highly selective private colleges for the "upward mobility" of its graduates, reflecting the likelihood that a student would advance two or more income quintiles after graduation.

The Illinois Tech Purpose scholarship aims to build upon the university's reputation for creating longstanding, rewarding career opportunities for its graduates. Illinois Tech graduates enjoy some of the best career outcomes in the country. The university has been ranked by the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 report as #1 in the state of Illinois for the best salaries of its graduates, as well as #1 in Illinois and #20 in the nation for high earnings and economic mobility in a college rankings tool created by the New York Times in 2023.

Illinois Institute of Technology

Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Tech was born to liberate the power of collective difference to advance technology and innovation for all. It is the only tech-focused university in the city, and it stands at the crossroads of exploration and invention, advancing the future of Chicago and the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, architecture, business, design, science and human sciences, and law. Illinois Tech students are guaranteed access to hands-on experiences, personalized mentorship, and job readiness through the university's one-of-a-kind Elevate program. Its graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity. Its faculty and alumni built the Chicago skyline. And every day in the city's living lab, Illinois Tech fuels breakthroughs that change lives. Visit iit.edu.

Media contacts

Petra Kelly
Communications Director
Illinois Institute of Technology
Cell: 773.771.1064
[email protected]

Kevin Dollear
Communications Manager
Illinois Institute of Technology
Cell: 773.860.5712
[email protected]