Public universities and community colleges across Illinois are set to see a boost in funding this upcoming academic year thanks to the recently signed state budget — an increase that some schools and education groups say reflects a commitment to higher education advancement.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the fiscal year 2027 state budget package earlier this month, with the year set to start on Wednesday for many of Illinois’ public universities and community colleges. The budget package included a 1% increase in operating funds for public universities and community colleges, totaling around $16 million. For public universities, that means a boost of $13 million, while the state’s community colleges will see $3 million.

Beyond that, the budget package also includes some $29.5 million that was previously set aside amid federal funding uncertainty, equating to an additional 2% bump. The budget also accounts for funding toward scholarships, building maintenance, student success initiatives and more.

The budget continues a trend of rising higher education financial support from the state. The year before, fiscal year 2026, public universities, community colleges, adult education, and career and technical education saw a 3% increase in operating funding that totaled $47 million — a steep increase from 2025’s higher education operating amount of $30.6 million.

While this year’s operating fund boost is smaller compared with last year, it still helps build and maintain programs at the state’s community colleges and universities, education officials say. At the University of Illinois System, which includes the University of Illinois Chicago among other higher education institutions, this year’s bump equates to a $748.7 million operating budget for fiscal year 2027 across the schools, the system said in a statement to the Tribune.

“Their support helps us to continue to provide an accessible, affordable education to students at UIC and the rest of the system, and to fulfill our longstanding commitment to advancing the public good across Illinois,” the statement said.

Scholarship programs have also seen more financial support pledged from the state in recent years. The state’s Monetary Award Program, which provides grants that do not need to be repaid to Illinois residents who demonstrate financial need and attend certain colleges and universities, received $721.6 million in funding this year — the same amount as fiscal year 2026.

While this year’s funding has not increased and instead helps maintain the need-based assistance program, it has seen continued support in the last decade: There has been an 80% increase in funding, or $320 million, for the program since 2019, according to a news release from Pritzker’s office.

The funding for scholarships and grants comes at a time when the price of higher education continues to fluctuate. While the cost of attending college is declining, according to the nonprofit College Board, the average published tuition and fees to attend an institution, known as the sticker price, rose slightly from last year at public four-year in-state, public four-year out-of-state and public two-year in-district schools.

The continued state funding for need-based aid programs like MAP helps make attending college attainable for students, Illinois Community College Board Executive Director Brian Durham said in a statement to the Tribune.

“The FY27 budget passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Pritzker sustained investments in affordability to ensure community college remains accessible, strengthens the talent pipeline, and keeps opportunity within reach for communities across Illinois,” Durham said. “Preserving that commitment allows more students, particularly those with limited financial means, to balance work, family, and school while preparing for in-demand careers.”