The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was founded in 1867 and describes itself as a public research university with a land-grant mission. It is one of three universities in the University of Illinois System: a board of trustees holds authority, a system president serves as chief executive, and each university is headed by a chancellor. Charles L. Isbell, Jr. is the 11th chancellor; the post also carries the title of Vice President of the University of Illinois System.
Total enrolment in fall 2026 was 61,060 undergraduate, graduate and online students, the first time it passed 61,000, according to a university news release of 9 September 2026. The total included 9,332 freshmen and 20,241 graduate students, with more than 9,400 students in online graduate programmes. The university reports 300 study abroad programmes in more than 50 countries.