This webpage is designed to provide you with important information regarding a full range of topics related to your time as a University student. Most of the information is available with more detail on other University websites; the URLs of those websites are also provided. Paper copies of the information described below are available on the request.
Accreditation, Approval or Licensure
Since 1913, the University of Chicago has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 S. LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604; 800.621.7440. Additional information regarding accreditation, approval, or licensure of the University is available upon request from Ingrid Gould, Associate Provost, 773.702.8846, igould@uchicago.edu.
In addition to the University’s accreditation, various academic programs receive separate accreditations. Information regarding accreditation, approval or licensure from individual academic programs is available upon request as follows:
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Accredited by: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact: Lisa Messaglia, Executive Director, Faculty Services, 773.702.8220
The University of Chicago Divinity School
Accredited by: Association of Theological Schools
Contact: Suzanne Riggle, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, 773.702.8219
The University of Chicago Urban Teacher Education Program
Accredited by: Illinois State Board of Education
Contact: Tinishia Legaux Washington, Interim UTEP Leader and Foundations Year Math Instructor, 773.702.5389
The University of Chicago Law School
Accredited by: Association of American Law Schools
Contact: Marsha Ferziger Nagorsky, Associate Dean for Communications and Lecturer in Law, 773.834.5958
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Accredited by: Liaison Committee on Medical Education
Contact: Halina Brukner, Dean for Medical School Education, 773.702.4054
The University of Chicago Social Service Administration
Accredited by: Council on Social Work Education
Contact: J. Curtis McMillen, David and Mary Winton Green Professor and Deputy Dean for Curriculum; Executive Committee Member, Center for Health Administration Studies, 773. 702.1155
Additionally, some academic units at the University of Chicago offer various postsecondary distance-learning opportunities. In keeping with guidelines of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), distance learners are entitled to consumer protections against fraudulent or dishonest activity. Examples of issues that could lead to complaints include veracity of recruitment and marketing materials; accuracy of information about tuition, fees and financial aid; and complete and accurate admissions requirements for courses and programs. Complaints and/or allegations of fraudulent or dishonest activity related to the University’s distance education programs should be directed to the Office of the Dean of Students in the University at Campus and Student Life (5711 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 or DOS-University@uchicago.edu). This office will investigate the complaint in a timely fashion, resolve the complaint, report the outcome to the complainant, and maintain a record of the complaint. This resolution process does not apply to complaints about grades or student conduct violations. If a complaining party is not satisfied with the resolution of the complaint, the complaint may be appealed to the Illinois SARA Coordinator, Nkechi Onwuameze (217.557.7382, Illinois Board of Higher Education, 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333, Springfield, IL 62701).
Academic Programs at the University
The University catalogs are resources that describe the different degree programs, requirements, and the faculty, as well as a sampling of courses for the different graduate divisions, professional schools and the undergraduate college. In addition, all degree programs provide a description of the course of study and degree requirements at their web pages. For information regarding the University’s facilities related to its academic programs, please see the list of architecture and campus features, the UChicago Maps website, and the Facilities Services website. Additionally, the University’s Annual Report is a source for information regarding the University’s progress on its new academic initiatives.
Attendance Costs and Financial Aid Information
Tuition and Fees
The Office of the Bursar maintains information about the tuition rates for the different academic units as well as fees for books, room and board, commuting and programming cost. The information is available on the Office of the Bursar website.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for qualified students. Learn more information about the University’s financial aid programs by reviewing the information provided by your financial aid office, as listed below:
The College
Financial Aid
1101 E. 58th St.
Walker Room 101
Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.8666
College-aid@uchicago.edu
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
5807 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.3964
financial.aid@chicagobooth.edu
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Office of Medical Education
924 E. 57th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.1938
pritzkerfa@bsd.uchicago.edu
The University of Chicago Law School
Law Financial Aid
1111 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.9484
financialaid@law.uchicago.edu
For All Other Graduate Divisions and Schools
Financial Aid
1101 E. 58th St.
Walker 101
Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.8666
gradfinaid@uchicago.edu
Study Abroad Programs
Students enrolled in certain study abroad programs may qualify for financial aid to cover those costs. More information is available:
Veteran Affairs Pending Payment Compliance
Beginning August 1, 2019, and despite any policy to the contrary, the University of Chicago will not take any of the four following actions toward any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while their payment from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is pending to the educational institution:
- Prevent their enrollment;
- Assess a late penalty fee to;
- Require they secure alternative or additional funding;
- Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.
However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
- Produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;
- Provide written request to be certified;
- Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies (see our VA School Certifying Official for all requirements).
Equity in Athletics
The University of Chicago Department of Athletics & Recreation's report for the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act is available, upon request, from the Department at 5530 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, 773.702.7684.
Information about Students and Alumni
- College graduate placement information
- Completion/graduation/transfer-out rates
- Student body diversity
- Student retention rate
Information About Completion/Graduation, Retention, Transfer-Out Rates, and Student Body Diversity
The Office of the University Registrar maintains statistical information about students including student graduation/completion rates, retention and transfer-out rates as well as the diversity of the student body. This information is provided to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
Information about the retention of first-year students and graduation rates can be found in this report.
Graduates' Employment and Enrollment in Graduate and Professional Education
Information about the plans of College students after graduation is available through Career Advancement.
For information regarding employment and post-graduate enrollment plans of graduate and professional students, please contact UChicagoGRAD at 773.834.2093.
Policies and Regulations
As a student, you will want to familiarize yourself with the many student policies and regulations. Several of these policies are mentioned below, and you are strongly encouraged to review all the University policies and regulations pertaining to students in the Student Manual of University Policies and Regulations. Hard copies of the Student Manual of University Policies and Regulations are also available upon request from the Office of Campus and Student Life, 5711 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637.
Preferred Name Policy
Current students can indicate a “preferred” first and/or middle name, which is a name the student wishes to be commonly known as, if different from his or her legal first and/or middle name. A student may change his or her preferred first and/or middle name using myUChicago. The full policy and procedures are available in the Student Manual.
Privacy and Student Records
All students can expect a certain level of privacy with respect to personal records maintained by the University. The University's policy and procedures concerning privacy and the release of student records are in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Directory Information
Directory information such as a student’s name, address, e-mail address, photograph, and phone number may be released without consent unless the student has requested the information be withheld.
Inspection and Review of Education Records
In accordance with FERPA, the University will comply with the following procedures regarding the inspection and review of education records:
1. All students who are or have been in attendance at the University shall have the right to inspect and review their education records, subject to the limitations provided under FERPA and its applicable regulations.
2. “Education records” include all information maintained by the University that is directly related to a particular student. For this reason, academic calendars, course syllabi, general announcements, and other materials related generally to the germane academic program or course of study are not subject to FERPA review. Additionally, although students will have access to personal electronic data printed in an appropriate format, the University will not create custom documents, summaries, or reports from such systems or databases.
3. To facilitate the gathering and inspection of student records, all requests must be submitted in writing to the Office of Campus and Student Life (5711 South Woodlawn Avenue, 773.702.7770); neither requests to other University offices or verbal requests will be honored.
4. If a student’s request is unclear or insufficiently specific, a representative from the Office of Campus and Student Life may discuss the request with the student to assure that the appropriate records will be gathered for the student's review. The representative from the Office of Campus and Student Life will then coordinate with relevant University offices to gather the requested records; review the records to confirm that they are complete and redact any FERPA-waived recommendations, information about other students subject to FERPA privacy obligations, or any other information protected from disclosure by FERPA or other applicable law; finally, the representative will make arrangements with the student to inspect the records in person.
5. Education records belong to the University and, although students have the right to review and request amendments as set forth below, students are not authorized to photocopy, photograph, or otherwise image or duplicate University records. Students may, however, take personal notes regarding their educational records. Students should be mindful of the risks of sharing personal information from their educational records with those who are not subject to FERPA’s privacy requirements.
6. A student's medical records, maintained separately by UChicago Student Wellness, are subject to strict confidentiality except as authorized by applicable law (e.g., HIPAA and/or the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act). Student medical records are not considered to be part of a student's education records within the meaning of FERPA. A student should continue to consult their physician or mental health professional about how to obtain their medical records.
7. Parental statements of financial resources will remain confidential. Where parents indicate a willingness for the information in such statements to be shared with the student, the statements will be made available to the student upon request.
8. University students who apply for admission to another University professional school or graduate program have no right to access records of that school or program unless the student has been admitted to and begins attending that school or program.
9. Personal notes written by a member of the faculty, an adviser, or other University employee concerning a student that are generated and maintained for the exclusive use of the writer are not considered part of the student's education record under FERPA.
10. Access to a student's education records will be provided within a reasonable period of time, but in no case will an offer to meet and review the records be made more than forty-five days after the request. If, after reviewing their educational records, a student believes that certain records encompassed by the request were not made available for inspection, the student should submit a follow-up request clarifying the additional records the student believes exist.
Transfer Credit Policies
Current students in the College may take courses at other institutions and transfer these credits back to the University of Chicago. The full policy and procedures are available on the College website.
New transfer students are held to the same expectations for transferring credit. They can find more information in the College Catalog and should read the Information for Transfer Students prior to Orientation.
Transfer credit policies for graduate and professional school students are determined by each academic unit and are available from Office of the Dean of Students in the professional schools or the academic departments of the graduate divisions.
Doctoral students may participate in the Academic Exchange Program, which allows students to take advantage of special educational opportunities not available at the home campus. Participants register at the home and host institutions and a record of work done is entered on the transcripts of both institutions. For additional information, please see the UChicagoGRAD website.
Use of Information Technology
Eligibility and Acceptable Use Policy
The University provides information technology for educational, research, and administrative applications by its students, faculty, and staff. As stated in the Eligibility and Acceptable Use Policy, "Use of information technology that violates this Policy and rules based on it may result in disciplinary proceedings and, in some cases, in legal action. The University reserves the right to inspect and to disconnect computers that are attached to the University network. Disciplinary proceedings involving information technology are similar to those for violations of other University policies, and may have serious consequences."
File Sharing Policy
The Eligibility and Acceptable Use Policy for Information Technology, among other things, prohibits illegally sharing copyrighted materials over the University’s network. The unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may subject students to disciplinary action as well as civil and criminal liabilities. The University’s File Sharing Policy and a summary of the penalties for violation of the Federal copyright laws can be found on the IT Services website. A detailed description of the University’s policies concerning disciplinary actions for the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material can be found in the Networking and Information Technology Policies section of the Student Manual.
Vaccination Policy
UChicago Student Wellness notifies all new students of the Illinois State law immunization requirement and provides instructions for compliance. All students are required by this law to present proof of immunity from German measles, measles, mumps, and tetanus/diphtheria. If you are not compliant by the end of the third week of the first quarter, you will not be able to register for a future quarter until you have complied with the immunization requirement.
Student Health Insurance Policy
The University requires all registered students to carry adequate health insurance to cover, among other costs, hospitalization and outpatient diagnostic, testing and surgical procedures. Additionally, the insurance must cover medical care provided in the Chicago area for both emergency and routine, non-emergency medical situations (or, if the student will not be in Chicago, it must provide this coverage wherever the student will be residing and studying during the academic year). The full policy can be found in the Student Manual.
Campus Violence Prevention Policy and Behavioral Intervention Team
The University of Chicago has a long-standing commitment to robust intellectual dialogue and disagreement, and to civil conduct on campus and in its programs. Upon learning about behavior that jeopardizes that environment the University will assess the situation, intervene as appropriate and support those who raised concerns. Details concerning the University's Violence Prevention Policy are available in the Student Manual.
Safety and Emergencies
Chicago is a vibrant and exciting city, and you should take advantage of all it has to offer. As a world-class city, Chicago also presents all of the typical challenges of a modern urban society. While the University takes measures to ensure a safe campus environment, it is important to keep in mind that this responsibility also rests with you. The following safety resources are available to you as you study in and explore Chicago:
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
The University of Chicago makes its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report available to all students, faculty, other academic appointees, postdoctoral researchers, and staff. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is published annually and includes the following:
- Information regarding transportation on and around campus;
- Safety tips and information on security and crime prevention programs;
- Information regarding the University’s emergency response and communications plans;
- University policies and sanctions, and legal sanctions regarding the sale, possession, and use of alcohol and illegal drugs;
- Information regarding drug and alcohol education programs;
- Crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years;
- University programs to prevent sexual violence, the University policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct (which addresses sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking), and procedures to follow when sexual violence occurs;
- University discipline processes;
- University fire safety report;
- University missing student policy;
- Information regarding reporting of criminal activity; and
- Information regarding the location of a list of registered sex offenders residing in Chicago.
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online. Print copies of the publication are also available upon request from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
Safety Notification System
Our safety notification system is designed to provide information to members of the University and surrounding community so they can take preventive action to protect their safety or reduce the likelihood that they will become the victim of a crime. The new system includes three tiers of notification, based upon the seriousness of the particular incident.
All crime reported to UCPD is logged each business day into the online UCPD daily incident reports website.
For serious incidents of crime—those in which a community threat is perceived—an e-mail alert is sent as soon as possible after the reported incident to all University students, staff and faculty, as well as to community members who have registered for the alerts.
In the event of a significant emergency or natural disaster— one which requires you to take immediate action to protect your health and safety—a message will be broadcast within minutes via cAlert to all registered individuals via home phone, cell phone, text message, and e-mail. As incidents at other universities have made clear, it is very important that we be able to reach you quickly in the event of an emergency or serious threat. We strongly encourage you to register for cAlert.
Community Safety Website
The Community Safety website includes extensive information about crimes and other incidents reported to the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD). It also includes links to aggregate crime data and trends as well as safety resources and prevention tips.
Fire Safety Report
For fire safety information for on-campus student housing facilities, please see the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
Services for Students with Disabilities
The University strives to be supportive of the academic, personal and work related needs of each individual and is committed to facilitating the full participation of students with a disability in the life of the University. The University is committed to complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information about the resources and services for students with disabilities please see the Student Disability Services website.
State of Illinois Meningococcal Disease Brochure
The Illinois Department of Public Health issues a brochure with information about meningococcal disease.
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and its implementing regulations, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by recipients of Federal financial assistance. Sexual harassment of students, which includes acts of sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. Read the University's Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct.
Title IX Coordinator for the University and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students
Sexual misconduct may violate the law, does violate the standards of our community, and is unacceptable at the University of Chicago. Sexual misconduct can be devastating to the person who experiences it directly and can adversely impact family, friends, and the larger community. Individuals who believe they have experienced any sexual misconduct are encouraged to report the incident and to seek medical care and support as soon as possible. To raise concerns or to file a complaint under our policy on discrimination and sexual misconduct or Title IX, please contact:
Bridget Collier
Associate Provost for Equal Opportunity Programs
Title IX Coordinator for the University
773.702.5671
Renae DeSautel
Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students
Associate Dean of Students in the University
773.702.0438
Voter Registration
If you are a US citizen and you are planning to vote in Illinois, you must be registered to vote. You can register online, in person, or you can download registration forms and register through the mail. More information can be found on the Cook County Clerk's Office website.
Withdrawal Procedures
Refund Policy
Students allowed to drop all or part of their registrations will be granted a reduction of a portion of the original charges. More information is available on the Office of the Bursar website.
Return of Financial Aid
Students who drop all or part of their registrations will have federal grant and loan assistance returned according to the following schedules:
Requirement for Withdrawal
Students who wish to withdraw from all or part of their registrations will need to follow the instructions provided by their Dean of Students: