Best Online Real Estate Schools in Illinois: 2026 Guide

Illinois requires 75 hours of IDFPR-approved pre-licensing education split across two courses – and one of them must be taken live. That live requirement catches a lot of people off guard and limits which schools you can use. With a state exam pass rate around 67-75%, Illinois is more forgiving than some states, but the coursework itself demands real attention. This guide covers the best online schools, the live class requirement, and what everything costs.

What Illinois Requires

You need two courses from an IDFPR-approved school:

• Broker Pre-License Topics (60 hours) – Real estate law, contracts, property ownership, finance, agency, fair housing, and Illinois-specific regulations. This course can be taken entirely online and self-paced.
• Broker Pre-License Applied Real Estate Principles (15 hours) – Hands-on application of concepts from the 60-hour course. Case studies, contract exercises, and practical scenarios. This course must be taken in a live interactive format – either in-person or live-streamed with a real instructor.

Top Online Real Estate Schools in Illinois

Prices fluctuate – most schools run discounts of 20-40% regularly. Check for coupon codes before enrolling. Make sure the quoted price includes both the 60-hour and 15-hour courses, as some schools price them separately.

How to Choose the Right School

Check IDFPR Approval First

Every school must be approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Verify the school’s approval on the IDFPR real estate licensing page before spending any money.

The Live Class Scheduling Matters

Since the 15-hour Applied Principles course must be live, check the school’s class schedule before enrolling. Some schools offer it as two full weekend days, others spread it across several weekday evenings, and some offer live-streamed options so you don’t have to travel. Pick a format that works with your life – you can’t skip or reschedule individual sessions easily.

Exam Prep Is Worth the Investment

Illinois has a higher pass rate (67-75%) than states like Florida or Texas, but that still means roughly 1 in 4 students fail on the first try. A package with exam prep, practice tests, and simulated exams gives you a meaningful advantage. Retaking the state exam costs $58 each time.

Format and Flexibility

• Self-paced online (60-hr course) – All schools above offer this. Study on your own schedule, 24/7 access.
• Live online (15-hr course) – Most schools now offer the required live course via live stream. Colibri and Kaplan both have regular live online schedules.
• In-person classroom – Kaplan and Illinois REALTORS offer in-person options in the Chicago area. Good if you prefer face-to-face instruction.

What It Actually Costs

Education is just one piece of the total cost. You’ll also need to budget for the state exam ($58), license application ($125), fingerprinting ($60-$80), and E&O insurance. See our complete Illinois licensing guide for the full cost breakdown.

How Long Will It Take?

The 60-hour course can be completed at whatever pace you want. The bottleneck is usually the 15-hour live class – you have to wait for a scheduled session that works for you. Check class availability before you start the 60-hour course so you can time it right and avoid a gap between finishing the self-paced work and the live class.

Free Exam Prep Resources

Whether or not your school includes exam prep, these free resources are worth using for extra practice:

• PrepAgent – Free practice questions with Illinois-specific content
• Real Estate License Wizard – Free Illinois practice exam questions
• Real Estate Exam Ninja – 550+ free questions
• Quizlet – Illinois real estate exam flashcards

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Course

• Don’t sleep on the 15-hour live class. It’s only 15 hours, but it covers applied scenarios you’ll see on the exam. Participate actively – the interactive exercises are designed to reinforce the 60-hour course material in ways self-study can’t.
• Focus on Illinois-specific law. The state exam has a dedicated Illinois portion covering state statutes, license law, and IDFPR rules. General real estate knowledge won’t be enough for these questions.
• Take practice exams under test conditions. Time yourself, don’t look anything up, and simulate the actual exam experience. Students who only do casual review tend to freeze up under real test pressure.
• Review the 60-hour course before the live class. The 15-hour Applied Principles course assumes you remember the Broker Topics material. A quick review before the live session helps you get more out of it.