Who does Chicago consider to be an international student? You are an international applicant to the College if you are neither a U.S. citizen nor a U.S. permanent resident, regardless of where in the world you live.
International students account for 15 percent of Chicago’s undergraduate applicant pool. The University seeks academically talented, intellectually ambitious candidates from around the globe who possess awareness of and curiosity about the world around them. This past year, Chicago received 1,863 international applications, out of which 262 were admitted to join the community of scholars in the liberal arts college at one of America’s premier research universities. Students in the College come from 68 different countries; the university as a whole has students from 110 countries outside the US.
Our director of international admissions, Isabel Gomez, is here to answer your questions and provide assistance. We have also enlisted a group of international student ambassadors to give their perspectives on searching for a university in the US and adjusting to a new culture. If you want to take a look at what kinds of international students come to the University of Chicago, check out the international student profiles.
Because we do not send every publication abroad, you’re welcome to download and read our viewbook, The Life of the Mind, and course catalog on the web.
As an international applicant, you will apply in the same manner as any other first-year applicant. There are two extra application requirements: your secondary school must turn in the International School Supplement to the Secondary School Report, and you may be required to take a test of English as a foreign language. There are additional financial aid guidelines for international applicants as well.
Deadlines
The University of Chicago offers first-year applicants two application plans.
The early action deadline is November 1. Early Action is for candidates who would like an admission decision in mid-December and a provisional financial aid assessment by early January. Candidates must complete and submit or postmark their applications by November 1 and may apply to other schools if they wish. In other words, Chicago’s early action program is non-binding; admitted students need not reply to the offer of admission until May 1. International students may only choose Early Action if they are not applying for financial aid.
Regular Notification is for candidates who would like an admission and financial aid decision by early April. Candidates must complete and submit or postmark their applications by January 2 and must reply to the offer of admission by May 1.
| Early Action | Regular Notification | |
|---|---|---|
| Application Due Date | November 1 | January 2 |
| Admission Decision by | Mid-December | Early April |
| Student-Reply Due Date | May 1 | May 1 |
Applicants can apply for entrance in the autumn quarter only; there is no admission for other quarters.
Required Materials
All of the following materials can be found on the Common Application website; some can be submitted online. You can print paper copies of the Common Application from the Common Application website. You are welcome to send your materials together in one package, or separately. Please include your full name on every sheet you submit, and do not staple or paper clip any materials. Please do not obscure the required application materials with non-essential items.
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Application for Admission: Common Application, $65 Application Fee, and Chicago Supplement with Essays
Complete the Common Application and the University of Chicago Supplement. Both may be completed online on the Common Application’s website. If you choose to apply on paper, mail the Common Application and the Chicago Supplement, including your essays, along with your application fee.
To request an application fee waiver, please click the appropriate box on the Common Application and have your secondary school counselor submit the appropriate form or letter requesting a fee waiver on your behalf.
The Chicago supplement includes additional questions not included on the Common Application, along with our essay questions. One short essay on why you want to attend the University of Chicago is required, one on your favorite art and media is optional, and the extended essay from our student-generated essay questions is required.
We do not require certificates proving participation in activities; the Common Application provides space to list all extracurricular and work experiences and if this isn’t sufficient, a resume a summarize activities is preferred to multiple certificates.
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Secondary School Report and International School Supplement to the Secondary School Report
Ask your secondary school counselor to complete the Secondary School Report and the International School Supplement to the Secondary School Report and to submit them along with an official transcript. The International School Supplement is a place for your counselor to easily inform us of your results or predicted results for any external examinations, such as the GCE O levels or the IB. We do not require complete syllabi; instead a school profile should be a succinct summary of academic options. All secondary school counselors and teachers have the option of submitting letters of recommendation and school forms online via the Common Application. High school counselors and teachers should follow the instructions on the Common Application for submitting these forms.
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Teachers’ Evaluations
Give these forms to teachers who know you well and can write about your strengths as a student. We require one recommendation from an English or social studies teacher and one from a science or mathematics teacher. Please follow these guidelines as closely as you can, but feel free to contact us if you have a question about what kind of teacher can write each recommendation. Foreign language teachers may not write either recommendation. All high school counselors and teachers have the option of submitting letters of recommendation and school forms online via the Common Application. High school counselors and teachers should follow the instructions on the Common Application for submitting these forms.
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Test Scores
Have official SAT Reasoning or ACT scores sent to the University of Chicago from the testing agency, even if your scores appear on your transcript. We do not require any SAT Subject Tests. Our SAT code is 1832; the ACT code is 1152. All testing must be completed prior to the application deadline. There is no need to arrange for rush delivery of your scores.
If you choose to submit ACT scores, we do not require the optional essay component. We do not use the writing section of the SAT in our admission process. We will use the sections of the SAT Reasoning test with the highest scores when evaluating applications, along with the highest ACT composite score.
Applicants who live in countries that do not offer the SAT or ACT, including China, do not have to submit these test scores to complete their application.
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An English Language Proficiency Test
Competence in English must be demonstrated in order to qualify for admission. All international applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Our TOEFL and College Board code is 1832. If you are taking the IELTS, request the scores to be sent to the admissions office. Reports of other tests are usually not accepted. Please visit the TOEFL and IELTS Web sites for more information.
The University of Chicago only admits students who have demonstrated a superior level of English language competence: 600 or higher on the old Paper Based TOEFL, 250 or higher on Computer Based TOEFL, or 104 or higher on the new Internet Based TOEFL. Minimum required scores in the IELTS are an overall score of 7, with sub scores of 7 each.
The only exceptions are for applicants who for two or more years have attended a high school in the U.S., or who for two or more years have attended a high school in which the primary language of instruction is English in a country in which English is one of the official languages (England, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, or Pakistan, for example). Though we allow these exceptions, the College Admissions Office encourages all students who speak English as a second language to submit a TOEFL or an IELTS scores. Chicago does not offer an ESL program for admitted students.
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Midyear Report
Please have your high school counselor submit your midyear grades for your first semester or first trimester by February 1, 2009, or as soon as possible thereafter, using the Midyear Grade Report from the Common Application, or you may use your own school’s midyear report. You are also welcome to make update to your application by logging into this website and clicking “Update Your Application.”
Non-Required Materials
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Financial Aid Application
If you wish to apply for financial aid, complete the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA), and Chicago’s Application for Financial Aid by January 1. No other forms are required. The ISFAA will be available on October 1 to download from this website. You can complete Chicago’s Application for Financial Aid by logging into this website after you submit the Common Application. International admission is not need-blind, and applying for financial aid will place you into an extremely competitive applicant pool; click here for more information on international financial aid.
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Interview
Interviews are not required for admission into the College. However, we encourage you to have one so that you can learn more about the University of Chicago and we can get to know you better. We offer alumni interviews in a few regions around the world and we interview on our campus—each of the two options is treated equally in the selection process. To schedule an interview on campus, please call 773-702-8650. To request an alumni interview, log into this website (only after you have submitted the Common Application and created an account.)
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Supplemental Materials
To submit supporting materials for music, theater and dance, or visual arts and film, use the Arts Supplement form from the Common Application. You may also submit an additional recommendation from anyone who knows you well (e.g., coach, music or foreign language teacher, member of your community). Please use the Teacher Evaluation form in the Common Application for this purpose.
You may also submit creative writing (a short sample of your best work) or scientific research (an abstract or research report).
If you choose to mail your submission, please be certain to include your full name on all documents.
Visa Information
Unless you are a citizen of Canada, you will need to obtain a student visa before beginning your studies. A visa eligibility certificate (For I-20 or DS-2019) can be issued by the University after a student has met each of the following qualifications:
- admission to the University of Chicago;
- submission of complete official academic records;
- satisfaction of the University’s English proficiency requirement; and
- verification of financial support.
You will find out more about applying for a student visa after you are admitted. It is not necessary to submit bank statements or other verification of financial support when you apply.
