Who does Chicago consider to be an transfer applicant? You are a transfer applicant if you have completed one term as a full-time student in a degree-seeking program at another college or university.
Chicago is committed to enrolling an outstanding group of 40 transfer students each fall. We seek smart, broadly interested, academically oriented, and intellectually ambitious students from around the world to come to Chicago and join the community of scholars in the liberal arts college of one of America’s premier research universities. This past year, we had over 800 transfer applicants; 88 were offered admission.
Transfer students must attend the College for at least two academic years (six quarters) and complete the Core curriculum and at least half of their major with us. Evaluations of transfer credit are mailed out after the offer of admission. Learn more about transfer credit.
Admission is need-blind for transfer applicants who are US citizens or permanent residents. Financial aid is granted for the number of quarters needed to complete your degree as recommended by your transfer credit evaluation. International students who apply for transfer admission are not eligible for financial aid from the University of Chicago.
Deadline
Transfer applicants may only enter the College in the fall quarter. All of the materials listed below must be postmarked or submitted electronically by March 1. Transfer decisions will be made available in early May. If you are admitted, please respond with a deposit by June 1.
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.
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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 send an SAT or ACT fee waiver.
The Chicago supplement includes additional questions not included on the Common Application, including a one asking why you are leaving your current institution, 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.
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College Transcripts
Request that official college or university transcripts from every post-secondary school you have attended be sent directly to the Office of College Admissions. If you received Pass grades for college or university courses instead of ranking grades, please request that your instructors submit written evaluations of your work.
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Secondary School Report
Send this form to the secondary school from which you graduated. Request that official transcripts from every school you have attended be sent directly to the Office of College Admissions.
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College Official’s Form
Give this form to a dean or academic adviser who has access to your disciplinary and academic records at your current college or university (or the college or university you last attended).
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Two Instructor Evaluations
Give these forms to college instructors who know you well and can write about your strengths as a student and a citizen of your college or university community.
If you have not had satisfactory contact with professors at your college or university, we recommend that you give one of the forms to a teaching assistant or lab instructor who may have had more experience working with you. Older applicants may substitute one recommendation with a recommendation from an employer.
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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.
Test scores are required for all transfer applicants, no matter their age. Test scores are valid for five years; if your scores are more than five years old, you must retake the test.
Non-Required Materials
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Financial Aid Application
If you wish to apply for financial aid, complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, Chicago’s Application for Financial Aid, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the deadlines indicated on the chart below. The Financial Aid PROFILE code number is 1832 and the FAFSA code number is 001774. For details on how to apply for financial aid, please refer to the Costs & Aid section of this website. The University of Chicago’s consideration of applications for admission is need blind for US citizens and permanent residents. Your application for need-based financial aid will have no bearing on your application for admission to the College.
The University of Chicago meets all of a student’s demonstrated need throughout the undergraduate years at Chicago. The number of quarters for which you receive financial aid will depend on your transfer credit evaluation, which you will receive after you are offered admission.
There is no University of Chicago financial aid available for international transfer applicants.
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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 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.
