Pathways to Economic Mobility
Pathways to Economic Mobility
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is an engine for economic opportunity in the Chicago metropolitan area. UIC serves a student body that is rooted in the region, either by choice or circumstance. While just 10 percent of students live on campus, many more live within walking distance in surrounding neighborhoods and others commute to campus from more distant Chicago neighborhoods or surrounding suburbs.
UIC’s mission is to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research, and clinical excellence. The university has maintained R1 status since 1987, indicating the highest level of research activity. In 2012, UIC leaders initiated new approaches to recruitment and community outreach, and a campus-wide process to strengthen student success efforts.
This commitment has proven transformational to the institution’s culture, practices, and outcomes. In 2025, half of UIC’s undergraduates received Pell Grants and UIC became one of only 21 R1 institutions nationwide classified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, a new distinction within the Carnegie Classifications that recognizes institutions excelling at opening their doors to students from low-income families and laying a foundation for strong early career earnings.