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University of Chicago
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 institution follows a quarterly calendar. Admissions is extremely competitive, with an acceptance rate of merely 4%. The freshman retention rate at University of Chicago is 99% and the six-year graduation rate is 95%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is January 6. Find out more about what you can expect if you get into University of Chicago.
Quick Facts
7,489
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
4%
Acceptance Rate
$67,446
Tuition
5:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
95%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most important facts you need to know about admission at University of Chicago.
According to the most recent information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,849 in 2024. University of Chicago has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores if the applicant chooses to submit them. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is one of the most difficult schools to get into. Having a long tradition of academic success and a dedication to encouraging intellectual curiosity, University of Chicago offers a superior educational experience.
Test Scores
46% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 30% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 99.07% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600 and 0.93% between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 99.17, 0.83 between 24-29 and 0.37 in the range between 18-23.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 4.32. This implies that you'll probably need a GPA above the average to secure admission.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by January 6.
4%
Acceptance Rate
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. That information can tell you if the majority of freshmen liked their first year enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for University of Chicago was 99% in 2024, which is an amazing 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. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 95%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Making the choice of which school is the right place for you is not easy. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2024, the school enrolled 15,763 students.
That year, the institution had an out-of-state student body percentage of 85. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 7,489, 1195 of which were foreign students. 124 students were accepted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 6,647 male and 6,076 female full-time students in 2024. 2,528 full-time graduate men and 2,469 full-time graduate women attended this school.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A diverse student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 1,475 Asian students and 520 Afro-American students in 2024. 1,278 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 529 identified with more than one race. The school also had 1 student who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 2 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 165 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before submitting an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into consideration. The most recent data reported regarding the expenses for attending this school are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about University of Chicago estimated tuition fees.
As a full-time domestic student, you were required to pay tuition of $67,446 in 2024. Since this is a private institution, there is no difference in tuition for out-of-state or international students. Full-time students in 2024 needed to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,878.
Books and Supplies
Another important financial factor to take into consideration is the estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university. The approximate expense of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $1,800.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
At University of Chicago, the 2024 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $20,109. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2024 was $11,073 for one academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $9,522.
| Tuition | $ 67,446 |
| Room and Board | $ 20,109 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,800 |
| Total Expense | $ 89,355 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial support: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the information about need-based and non-need-based aid at University of Chicago.
The most recent records show that 601 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $71,632.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
There were 2,538 students who attained 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 ended up being 2,562. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution was $10,148,184, and state $1,808,800. The students of University of Chicago received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $149,692,042, and external in the amount of $2,778,613.
$26,468
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements 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 768 students overall (including freshmen) at University of Chicago in 2024. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 189 full-time freshmen. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $35,522,570. 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 $3,574,506 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
5:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at University of Chicago was 5:1: that means 5 students per one teacher, which is considered an excellent ratio. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 1,805. This number included 1,198 male and 693 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some information about students' life at University of Chicago.
Its campus is 217 acres in size.
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 recently gathered data, there are 403 open-membership organizations at University of Chicago. That includes sororities and fraternities. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is Splash, followed by South Asian Students Association and Council on University Programming. 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. You have a talent for media and communication? University of Chicago publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At University of Chicago, there are many amenities that make life on campus comfortable and safe.
There are 24-hour emergency phone and alarm devices. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates 24 hours a day. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of University of Chicago.
All in all, campus life at University of Chicago is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at University of Chicago.
Career Counselling
At University of Chicago, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
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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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for University of Chicago is 67,446 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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According to the latest information, 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.