DanceFinder — Discover Dance Intensives Nationwide
United States

Dance Programs in Illinois

BFA, BA, MFA, Minor & Community College Directory

7 college dance programs in Illinois across 5 institution types. BFA, BA, MFA, minor, and AA transfer pathways. Free to browse. Updated weekly.

Verify before you decide. DanceFinder works to keep this current, but program details change — always confirm dates, costs, and requirements on the school's official website.

7

Programs

3

BFA

5

Cities

1

Conservatory

Featured programs in Illinois

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL

BABFA

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL

BAMinor

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

BAMinor

All Illinois programs by institution type

Private University

2 programs

Research University

2 programs

Religious-Affiliated

1 program

Liberal Arts

1 program

Conservatory

1 program

More dance in Illinois

Continue your search for dance training in Illinois across DanceFinder:

Dance intensives in IllinoisDance competitions in Illinois

Other US states with dance programs

New York34California28Pennsylvania15Texas14North Carolina13Ohio13Florida11Virginia8

Frequently asked questions

How many college dance programs are in Illinois?
We track 7 college and university dance programs in Illinois — 3 offer BFA degrees, 1 offers MFA, across 5 cities.
Which Illinois dance programs are NASD-accredited?
1 Illinois program in our directory is NASD-accredited, including University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. NASD accreditation is the national standard for dance-degree programs.
Does Illinois have any dance conservatories?
Yes — The Ruth Page School of Dance. Conservatories offer intensive pre-professional training with a smaller ratio of academic coursework than a research university.
What's the difference between a BFA and a BA in dance?
A BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is a professional degree with ~75% studio + 25% academic coursework — best for students headed into performance, choreography, or industry careers. A BA (Bachelor of Arts) is closer to 50/50, giving flexibility for double majors, teaching credentials, or dance-adjacent careers.
Can community college dance students transfer to a Illinois BFA program?
Yes — most 4-year BFA and BA dance programs in Illinois accept community college transfers with an AA in dance or a general-education AA plus dance coursework. Individual credit acceptance varies; contact the receiving institution's admissions office. See our AA (transfer path) page for community colleges with dance programs.