Overview
Chartered as the Illinois Industrial University, the school opened in 1868 and was renamed the University of Illinois in 1885. It established U of I Online in winter of 1997, offering online degrees or courses in fields such as Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, and Sciences, to name just a few. Since then, U of I Online has become a university-wide initiative providing coordination and support to the three campuses of the University of Illinois (Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana-Champaign) in online education and public service. It continues to strive toward the goal of increasing the number of high-quality online education programs available to all prospective students not only in Illinois and the U.S., but all around the world.

Student Appeal
U of I Online brings flexibility and convenience to students with a busy lifestyle or work schedule. Enrollees may work toward a degree in their own time without having to physically attend classes at preset time. Most classes use a Web-based conferencing system or electronic mail as the primary tool for communication between students and the instructor.

Financial
Eligible students may apply for federal financial aid, which includes Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Direct PLUS Loan.