The academic calendar is divided into semesters. About 90 percent of the full-time faculty hold doctorates. The university offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees in an array of disciplines, including liberal arts and sciences, business, agriculture, natural resource sciences, computer and information sciences, engineering, education, area and ethnic studies, recreation and leisure services, architecture and design, visual and performing arts, vocational and home economics, social services, communications, library sciences, veterinary medicine, theology, and law. Graduate programs in engineering, accounting, music, chemistry, computer science, physics, and psychology have all been ranked among the best in the United States. Students interested in medicine, dentistry, and other health-related careers study at the university's Chicago branch.

The university enrolls roughly 26,000 undergraduates, most of whom are state residents. A selective institution, most students ranked in the top fifth or higher of their high school class. Men slightly outnumber women. Minorities make up about a fourth of the undergraduate student body. Approximately a third of the undergraduates live on campus. At the graduate level, the university enrolls about 10,000 students.

Students have a choice of more than 700 extracurricular activities covering a wide range of interests. The University of Illinois has one of the largest Greek systems in the country, and about a quarter of the students join a fraternity or sorority. Intramural sports also draw many participants. The Fighting Illini compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (except in football, in which they participate in Division I-A). The university belongs to the Big Ten and awards more than 300 athletic scholarships. School colors are orange and blue