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Chicago , IL
The University of Chicago, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, is renowned for its rigorous academic programs and intellectual rigor. Established in 1890, it is a prestigious private research university consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world. The university's distinctive approach to education is characterized by its strong emphasis on critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and intellectual debate.
At the heart of the University of Chicago is its strong commitment to academic excellence. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across various disciplines, including the arts and sciences, business, law, medicine, and social sciences. With a low student-faculty ratio, students have ample opportunities to engage with renowned scholars and experts in their fields. The university is well-known for its rigorous and demanding curriculum, encouraging students to think independently and critically.
Moreover, the University of Chicago is renowned for its vibrant intellectual culture. The university takes pride in fostering an environment of scholarly debate and open discourse, encouraging students to challenge conventional wisdom and explore new ideas. The renowned Core Curriculum is a hallmark of the university's commitment to a well-rounded education, exposing students to a wide range of disciplines like literature, history, social sciences, natural sciences, and arts.
With its vibrant intellectual atmosphere, commitment to academic excellence, and diverse range of programs, the University of Chicago attracts students from around the world who are seeking an intellectually stimulating and transformative educational experience. As an institution, the university champions a culture of intellectual curiosity and innovation, inspiring its students to achieve academic and personal greatness.
University of Chicago is a private university located in Chicago, IL and set in an urban environment. This school follows a quarterly calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 4%. The freshman retention rate at University of Chicago is 99% and the six-year graduation rate is 96%.
Read more about what University of Chicago has to offer based on the most recent data this institution has reported.
Quick Facts
7,519
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$71,325
Tuition
5:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
96%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, your chances of getting accepted will greatly increase. Read on to find out some vital facts about admission at University of Chicago.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,955 in 2025.
Test Scores
Out of the number of those who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 49% and ACT scores 27%. 98.82% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600 and 1.18% between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 99.57 and 0.43 between 24-29.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 4.97. Therefore, the chances are that you'll need a GPA higher than the average for acceptance,.
Retention Rate
The percentage of new students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. That information can tell you if the majority of new students liked their first year enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for University of Chicago was 99% in 2025, which is an excellent retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 96%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the perfect match for you. Having a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at University of Chicago in 2025 was 16,221.
That year, the institution had an out-of-state student body percentage of 85. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 7,519, 1319 of which were international students. The school admitted a total of 231 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 6,882 male and 6,189 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
In order to enhance a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 1,455, while the number of African American students was 514. 1,265 undergraduates at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 526 identified with more than one race. The school also had 2 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 3 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 205 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to think about before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the expenses at University of Chicago that the majority of students face.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for University of Chicago is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
As a full-time domestic student, you were required to pay tuition of $71,325 in 2025. As University of Chicago is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were mandated to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,941.
Books and Supplies
Another important expense to take into consideration is the estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university. The approximate cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $1,800.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
In 2025, room and board cost at University of Chicago amounted to $20,835 a year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $9,522.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 71,325 |
| Room and Board | $ 20,835 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,800 |
| Total Expense | $ 93,960 |
Financial Aid
Be it a grant, loan, scholarship, or work-study program, any type of financial support can be a great deal for many students. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at University of Chicago, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent records show that 570 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students amounted to $78,883.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
There were 2,576 students who acquired need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at University of Chicago is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 2,589. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution came to $11,465,661, and state $1,817,200. The students of University of Chicago received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $171,230,183, and external in the amount of $3,539,393.
$16,290
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 554 students overall (including freshmen) at University of Chicago in 2025. 118 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $15,289,174. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $2,207,244 USD.
Open Applications
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Majors
Faculty
5:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at University of Chicago was 5:1. That means that there were 5 times more students than teachers at this school. The faculty of this school consists of 2,007 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 1,235 men and 772 women.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at University of Chicago is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some details about social life at University of Chicago.
Its campus spans 217 acres.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
According to the most recent information, there are 400 open-membership organizations at University of Chicago. Other popular student organizations at this school are Model United Nations and University Theatre.
For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. For students who have a passion for media and communication, University of Chicago publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
FAQ
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University of Chicago is located in Chicago, IL.
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University of Chicago offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, the tuition for University of Chicago is 71,325 USD a year.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for University of Chicago is 4%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for University of Chicago is 99%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.