Founded in 1940 through the merger of Armour Institute of Technology (established in 1890) and Lewis Institute (established in 1896), the Illinois Institute of Technology is a premier private technology-focused research university located in Chicago, Illinois. Spanning a landmark 120-acre historic campus in Bronzeville designed by iconic modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Illinois Tech sits just minutes south of downtown Chicago. You can review its founding history and architectural legacy through the Illinois Tech Wikipedia page.
When you study at Illinois Tech, you enter an institution focused on technological innovation, practical problem-solving, and career readiness. Through the signature Interprofessional Projects Program (IPRO), you collaborate in multidisciplinary student teams to solve real-world engineering, design, and software challenges presented by industry partners.
Premier Academic Programs
Illinois Tech organizes its academic endeavors across five specialized colleges and institutes holding top national reputations:
- Armour College of Engineering: Delivers instruction in biomedical engineering, mechanical systems, aerospace, electrical engineering, and civil infrastructure.
- College of Computing: Central hub for computer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and information technology. Explore degree options on the College of Computing portal.
- College of Architecture: World-renowned architectural school housed in S.R. Crown Hall, emphasizing sustainable urban design and structural technology.
- Chicago-Kent College of Law: Downtown Chicago legal institution famous for trial advocacy, intellectual property law, and legal technology innovation.
- Stuart School of Business: Focuses on quantitative finance, business analytics, sustainability management, and technology commercialization.
"Transforming Lives. Inventing the Future, serves as Illinois Tech's official institutional mission statement, driving practical technological innovation."
Campus Culture and Mascot
Your daily undergraduate life unfolds on a unique campus recognized as an architectural masterpiece, anchored by S.R. Crown Hall and the modern McCormick Tribune Campus Center. Campus spirit centers around Talon the Scarlet Hawk, the official mascot who leads student cheers during NCAA Division III athletic events in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. You can read about athletic programs and mascot traditions on the Talon the Scarlet Hawk Mascot page. Participating in hackathons, robotics competitions, and over 150 student clubs creates a close-knit engineering community.
Research Infrastructure and Technology Innovation
Illinois Tech operates a multi-million-dollar research enterprise driving commercial advances in energy, medicine, and computing:
- Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Science and Engineering: Interdisciplinary research center advancing tissue engineering, medical imaging, and neural prosthetics. Learn more via Illinois Tech Research Operations.
- Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research (WISER): Focuses on battery storage technology, smart grid power systems, and renewable solar energy conversion.
- Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH): Research consortium partnering with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to advance food safety technologies.
Notable Alumni Legacy
You walk in the footsteps of revolutionary inventors, architects, and corporate leaders, including:
- Martin Cooper: Electrical engineer and pioneer known as the father of the handheld mobile cell phone, who earned his degrees at Illinois Tech.
- Marvin Camras: Pioneer in magnetic recording technology whose inventions laid the foundation for modern tape recorders and data storage.
- Victor Tsao: Entrepreneur and co-founder of Linksys, the global networking hardware corporation.
- Grote Reber: Astronomer and pioneer who built the world's first parabolic radio telescope.
Illinois Tech guarantees significant merit scholarship coverage for admitted undergraduate students through the Discover Tech scholarship program. Review full admission standards and application steps on the official Illinois Tech Admissions portal.