How to get into Illinois Institute of Technology
How to get into Illinois Tech (IIT): a STEM-focused private in Chicago with the Camras Scholars program and the unique interprofessional projects (IPRO) curriculum
54.9%
Acceptance rate
$52,386
In-state cost
What makes Illinois Institute of Technology admissions different
Illinois Institute of Technology is a small-medium (~2,800 undergrad) private STEM-focused research university on Chicago's South Side. IIT is a Carnegie R2 research university and one of the small set of fully tech-focused privates (alongside Stevens, RPI, WPI, Rose-Hulman). The Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) program is the curriculum's distinctive feature — every undergraduate completes a series of team-based, cross-disciplinary projects working on real-world problems for industry sponsors. The Camras Scholars Program is the school's headline merit pipeline (full or substantial merit awards, competitive). IIT's Chicago location provides recruiting and internship access to the city's tech, finance, engineering, and architecture industries. The Mies van der Rohe campus is itself architectural history.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply through the Common App or IIT's institutional application. Submit transcripts, recommendation, and the personal statement.
- 2.
Apply Early Action (Nov 1) for the earliest decision and full merit consideration. IIT's EA is non-binding and provides the strongest merit pipeline.
- 3.
Apply for the Camras Scholars Program by the published deadline — Camras Scholars receive substantial merit aid, dedicated advising, and access to enrichment programming. Selection is competitive from the admit pool with a separate supplement.
- 4.
Pick the right major. IIT admits to a specific major (Computer Science, the engineering disciplines, Architecture, Business, etc.) and the application is read against that choice.
- 5.
Demonstrate STEM signal in the application: research, programming projects, robotics, math acceleration, or other tangible technical work.
- 6.
Write the supplement around the IPRO program, a specific IIT lab or center, the Chicago location pipeline, or the Mies-designed campus and architectural identity. Generic 'why engineering' supplements don't differentiate.
- 7.
Maintain a strong GPA in a STEM-heavy curriculum. IIT has been test-optional and the policy continues; submit SAT 1330+ / ACT 29+ if scores reinforce.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Missing the Camras Scholars deadline. The Camras is the school's headline merit pipeline and runs on a separate application track.
- ✕
Writing a supplement that doesn't reference IPRO. The Interprofessional Projects program is the curricular identity — applicants who don't engage write generic STEM-school essays.
- ✕
Treating IIT as a fallback for the more famous tech-focused schools (MIT, CMU, etc.). IIT has its own admit logic and Chicago location pipeline; applicants who treat it as a backup write supplements that read as such.
- ✕
Underestimating the architecture-school competition. The College of Architecture at IIT admits in a tighter pool than the headline rate and requires portfolio review.
The specifics for Illinois Institute of Technology
Application deadlines
- Early Action2025-11-01Non-binding. First decision wave and full merit consideration.
- Regular Decision2026-02-01
- Camras Scholars supplementVariesSeparate supplement required; selection runs from the EA admit pool.
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) Program ↗
Every IIT undergraduate completes a series of team-based, cross-disciplinary projects working on real-world problems for industry sponsors. IPRO is the curriculum's distinctive feature.
Mies van der Rohe campus
The IIT main campus on Chicago's South Side was designed by Mies van der Rohe and is itself a piece of architectural history — relevant to the College of Architecture and the broader IIT identity.
IIT's headline merit pipeline. Camras Scholars receive substantial merit aid, dedicated advising, and access to enrichment programming. Selection is competitive from the admit pool with a separate supplement.
What graduates actually do
Illinois Tech is Chicago's private engineering and design university with strong pipelines into Midwest engineering, architecture, and the design industry. Graduates feed Boeing (Chicago HQ relocated to Arlington but still strong ties), Motorola Solutions, ComEd, Argonne National Laboratory, and Chicago's architecture firms (SOM, Goettsch Partners). The Mies van der Rohe-designed campus and the Institute of Design (one of the few graduate design schools in the country) anchor distinctive identity.
Notable alumni
- Susan Solomon — Atmospheric chemist who explained the ozone hole
- Helmut Jahn — Architect (Chicago skyline)
- Jack Steinberger — Nobel laureate in Physics
- Leon Lederman — Nobel laureate in Physics
- Marvin Camras — Inventor of magnetic recording
Transfer pathway
Illinois Tech accepts engineering and architecture transfers with a 3.0+ GPA and completed math/science prerequisites. The university has formal articulation with City Colleges of Chicago (Wright, Daley, Olive-Harvey, Truman, Malcolm X, Kennedy-King, Harold Washington) and the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) framework for state CC credits. College of DuPage and Oakton are major feeders.
Articulation partners
City Colleges of Chicago · College of DuPage · Oakton College · Harper College · Triton College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App (supplements re-verified this pass). Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
IIT rewards EA applicants with STEM-specific supplements and Camras applications. Strong-stat applicants with technical body-of-work are competitive for admission and substantial merit. RD applicants with thin technical signal face longer odds.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.