Illumination system for a lithographic projection exposure step-and-scan apparatus comprising a light source, a pupil shaping unit, a field defining unit, a first lens array, a first slit array, a second lens array, a third lens array, a second slit array, a fourth lens array, a condenser lens, and a scanning drive unit sequentially arranged along the light beam propagation direction. The illumination system reduces requirements on lens processing, slit scanning speed, and slit scanning precision, therefore may be implemented more easily.