How to Get Started with Illinois Tech Admissions

Updated

Illinois Tech's homepage gives prospective students three direct starting points: Request Info, Visit, and Apply. Which one you should use depends on where you are in the process — exploring, comparing, or ready to submit. The official site (iit.edu) is the source for all next steps, and the path you take also depends on whether you're an undergraduate, graduate, or non-traditional learner.

Start With the Right Entry Point

The homepage presents three calls to action. Use them in this order if you're early in your search:

  • Request Info — for getting program details and admissions communications before you've decided.
  • Visit — for seeing the campus and evaluating fit in person.
  • Apply — for when you're ready to submit an application.

If you already know your level of study, skip straight to the relevant program section instead.

Find Your Program Level First

Illinois Tech organizes its offerings by academic level, and the numbers differ significantly:

Level What the site states Where to start
Undergraduate 50-plus majors and special degree programs in STEM-focused disciplines Undergraduate Programs section
Graduate 100-plus industry-aligned graduate degrees Graduate Programs section
Pre-college / adult learners Paths for young learners and adults switching careers "Education for All" section

The site explicitly frames this as "Education for All" — learning without age, experience, or skill restrictions. So if you're an adult career changer or a pre-college student, you're not limited to the standard undergraduate or graduate funnels.

What to Expect From the Experience

The homepage emphasizes guaranteed access to hands-on experiences as part of the education. It also cites outcome data that may factor into your decision:

  • #1 in Illinois for highest eight-year median graduate earnings (Carnegie Foundation/American Council on Education 2025)
  • #1 in Illinois and #22 in the U.S. for best salaries of graduates (Wall Street Journal, Best Colleges in the U.S. 2026)
  • #30 Best Value School (U.S. News & World Report 2026)

These are the university's own cited rankings. Treat them as claims to verify against the linked sources if salary outcomes matter to your decision.

A Concrete Example of the Path

Say you're a working professional considering a master's in a tech field. Your sequence would be:

  1. Go to the Graduate Programs section to confirm a relevant degree exists.
  2. Use Request Info to get program-specific details.
  3. Schedule a Visit if you want to assess the campus and format.
  4. Move to Apply once you've confirmed fit.

For an undergraduate prospect, the same four steps apply but start from the Undergraduate Programs section instead.

Common Sticking Points

  • Don't assume one application fits all levels. Undergraduate and graduate admissions are separate tracks with different program lists.
  • "Request Info" is not an application. It's an inquiry step — useful for gathering details before committing.
  • The homepage is a hub, not the full catalog. Program-specific requirements, deadlines, and materials live on the individual program pages, not the landing page.

Where to Go Next

Start at iit.edu and choose your entry point based on where you are: Request Info if exploring, Visit if comparing, Apply if decided. Then navigate to your program level — undergraduate, graduate, or the "Education for All" paths — to see the specific degrees and next steps.