The roar of the crowd, the regional rivalries, the pride of wearing your school’s colors on a national stage — few things match the energy of college athletics. For student-athletes and fans alike, the Division I schools in Illinois pair top-tier competition with strong academics.
Whether you’re a recruit hoping to catch a coach’s eye, a parent sorting through scholarship questions, or a fan planning weekend tailgates, it helps to understand how the state’s programs are organized. Illinois is home to a deep roster of universities that compete at the highest collegiate level, on the field and in the classroom.
A note on timing: College conferences have been shifting fast over the past few years, and Illinois is part of that. The biggest local change: starting in the 2026–27 school year, Northern Illinois University leaves the Mid-American Conference — its football team joins the Mountain West, and most of its other sports join the Horizon League (a few that the Horizon doesn’t sponsor, like wrestling and gymnastics, land in other leagues). The groupings below reflect that move. Always confirm a program’s current conference on its official athletics site before you rely on it, since alignments keep changing.
How Many D1 Schools Are in Illinois?
Illinois has 13 NCAA Division I universities. The easiest way to make sense of them is by conference.
Quick note: NCAA divisions apply to colleges and universities, not high schools. If you’ve searched “division 1 high schools in Illinois,” that’s a different system — high school athletics are governed by the IHSA, not the NCAA.
Big Ten
The Big Ten means big stadiums, historic rivalries, and national TV. Two Illinois schools compete here:
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) — The Fighting Illini are a cornerstone of Illinois sports, with deep resources and a loyal fan base.
- Northwestern University — Based in Evanston, the Wildcats combine elite academics with Big Ten competition.
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
The Valley is well respected, especially in basketball. Its Illinois members are:
- Bradley University (Peoria)
- Illinois State University (Normal)
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Carbondale)
- University of Illinois Chicago / UIC (Chicago)
Big East
- DePaul University (Chicago)
Atlantic 10
- Loyola University Chicago (Chicago) — Loyola moved to the A-10 in 2022 after years in the Missouri Valley.
Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)
- Eastern Illinois University (Charleston)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville / SIUE (Edwardsville)
- Western Illinois University (Macomb)
Northeast Conference (NEC)
- Chicago State University (Chicago) — Chicago State is also adding a football program, expected to start play in 2026.
Mountain West + Horizon League
- Northern Illinois University (NIU) (DeKalb) — A unique case. Beginning July 1, 2026, NIU football joins the Mountain West as a football-only member, while most of its other programs — 14 sports — move to the Horizon League for 2026–27. A couple of sports the Horizon League doesn’t sponsor go elsewhere (women’s gymnastics to the Mountain West, wrestling to the Pac-12). This split-conference setup is similar to how the service academies have long operated.
Which Illinois Colleges Have the Best Sports Teams?
The honest answer: it depends on the sport.
Basketball. Loyola Chicago and UIUC stand out. Loyola’s run to the Final Four in 2018 put the program on the national map, and the Fighting Illini regularly recruit top high school talent and contend in the Big Ten.
Football. UIUC and Northwestern headline the gridiron. UIUC plays at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign (capacity around 60,670), which delivers a classic Big Ten game-day experience. Northwestern, meanwhile, is replacing its historic Ryan Field with a new stadium. NIU is the state’s other top FBS program and enters a new era in the Mountain West in 2026.
Baseball. Illinois State, Southern Illinois, and Northwestern field competitive teams most years.
Soccer. Northwestern, UIC, SIUE, and Loyola each carry strong traditions and regional recruiting ties.
A quick word on Illinois college football
The state has seven Division I football programs across two tiers:
- FBS (bowl level): UIUC (Big Ten), Northwestern (Big Ten), and NIU (Mountain West as of 2026).
- FCS (playoff level): Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, and Western Illinois. Illinois State and Southern Illinois play football in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Public vs. Private Illinois Universities
As you narrow your list, the public-vs-private question shapes a lot of the experience.
Public universities (UIUC, Illinois State, SIU, NIU, and others) tend to offer lower in-state tuition, large alumni networks, and sprawling campuses where sports often anchor the local culture. The trade-off is bigger class sizes, so building close relationships with professors can take more effort.
Private universities (Northwestern, Loyola, DePaul) usually mean smaller classes, more personalized advising, and — for the Chicago schools — access to a major city. Tuition runs higher, which makes athletic and academic aid more important to the math.
There’s no universally “right” answer. A big public school might give you unmatched game-day energy; a private school might offer the exact academic niche you’re after.
Navigating Recruitment and Scholarships
Earning a Division I roster spot is competitive. It takes planning, talent, and a working knowledge of NCAA rules.
How to get noticed by Illinois college coaches
- Build a highlight reel. Keep it under three minutes, with your best plays in the first 30 seconds.
- Attend summer camps. Many Illinois programs host their own camps, which puts you directly in front of the staff.
- Reach out first. Fill out the recruiting questionnaire on each team’s athletics site, and send short, personalized emails to position coaches.
- Keep your grades up. Strong academics make you easier to recruit — and, under the current rules, they can stretch a program’s aid further.
How athletic scholarships work now
This is the part of the recruiting world that changed most recently, so be careful with older advice you find online.
Following the House v. NCAA settlement, which took effect July 1, 2025, the NCAA eliminated sport-specific scholarship limits for schools that opt into the settlement. The old “head-count vs. equivalency” system — where football and basketball handed out full rides and most other sports split a fixed pool — is gone for those schools. In its place:
- Roster limits now cap how many athletes a team can carry.
- Schools can offer a scholarship — full, partial, or none — to any or every athlete on the roster, up to that limit.
- Opt-in schools can also share revenue directly with athletes (up to roughly $20.5 million per school in the first year, rising over time).
What this means for you in practice: ask each program directly whether it has opted into the settlement, how many players it carries at your position, and how it funds those roster spots. Walk-on opportunities have tightened at some programs, and academic merit aid matters more than ever, since it frees up athletic dollars.
Applying for NCAA eligibility
To compete at the D1 level, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center — the recommended window is around your sophomore year of high school so your coursework stays on track. Make sure your counselor sends official transcripts and that your core courses meet Division I requirements. Starting early avoids last-minute surprises.
Beyond the Field: Academics and Student-Athlete Life
Being a D1 athlete is close to a full-time job. Between lifts, film, practice, travel, and games, athletes often spend 30 to 40 hours a week on their sport.
That’s the main difference between Division I and Division II in Illinois. D1 demands a year-round commitment with little slack. D2 programs — McKendree and Quincy among them — offer a somewhat more balanced schedule while still providing athletic scholarships and real competition.
Even with the demands, Illinois D1 athletes graduate at strong rates. Northwestern and Loyola, in particular, regularly post Graduation Success Rates in the high 90s, a sign that those departments lean hard on tutoring, study halls, and life-skills support.
Tips for prospective student-athletes
- Study the roster. If a school is graduating seniors at your position, that can signal a recruiting need.
- Take unofficial visits. If you live nearby, walk the campus and catch a game to feel out the atmosphere.
- Clean up your social media. Coaches do check, and they’re looking for a team-first attitude.
- Loop in your high school coach. A current coach is often your best advocate with college staffs.
Conclusion
The Division I schools in Illinois cover an enormous range — from Big Ten powerhouses to fierce mid-major basketball programs to FCS football traditions. Whether your goal is a roster spot, the best possible scholarship package, or simply a campus with real school spirit, the state has a fit somewhere across its 13 programs.
Understand the academics, the recruiting timeline, and the distinct culture of each school, and you can take your next step with confidence.
Q&A
What are the 13 NCAA Division I schools in Illinois, and how are they grouped by conference?
Illinois has 13 Division I universities:
- Big Ten: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University
- Missouri Valley: Bradley University, Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
- Big East: DePaul University
- Atlantic 10: Loyola University Chicago
- Ohio Valley: Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Western Illinois University
- Northeast: Chicago State University
- Mountain West (football) / Horizon League (other sports), beginning 2026–27: Northern Illinois University
Note: NCAA divisions apply to colleges and universities, not high schools.
Why isn’t Northern Illinois in the MAC anymore?
NIU spent decades in the Mid-American Conference, but starting in 2026 its football team joins the Mountain West as a football-only member, and most of its remaining sports move to the Horizon League for 2026–27 (with a few, such as wrestling and women’s gymnastics, going to other conferences). With NIU’s departure, no Illinois school currently competes in the MAC.
Which Illinois D1 programs stand out by sport?
It depends on the sport. In basketball, Loyola Chicago (2018 Final Four) and UIUC draw the most attention. In football, UIUC and Northwestern headline at the FBS level, with NIU joining the Mountain West in 2026. Illinois State, Southern Illinois, and Northwestern field competitive baseball teams, while Northwestern, UIC, SIUE, and Loyola carry strong soccer traditions.
How do athletic scholarships work now?
For schools that opted into the House v. NCAA settlement (effective July 1, 2025), the old head-count vs. equivalency model no longer applies. Those schools follow per-sport roster limits and can offer a full, partial, or no scholarship to any athlete on the roster, and may share revenue with athletes directly. Ask each program whether it has opted in, how many athletes it carries at your position, and how it funds those spots.
What’s required for NCAA eligibility, and when should I start?
Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center — generally around your sophomore year of high school — send official transcripts, and confirm your core courses meet Division I standards. Starting early keeps your coursework on track.
What should I expect from D1 life, and how do public and private options differ?
Expect a year-round, 30-to-40-hour-a-week commitment for training, film, practice, travel, and games. Academics still hold up well, with schools like Northwestern and Loyola posting Graduation Success Rates in the high 90s. Public schools (UIUC, Illinois State, NIU) tend to offer lower in-state tuition and big-campus sports culture; private schools (Northwestern, Loyola, DePaul) offer smaller classes and city access at a higher sticker price. If you want a more balanced athletic-academic cadence, some Illinois D2 programs (McKendree, Quincy) offer competitive play with a bit more flexibility.
