Tuition and Financial Aid
We are committed to educating exceptional students from all over the globe. Explore how we support access and opportunity through financial aid and funding options.
The total cost of attending is comprised of tuition, fees, and living expenses. Tuition, fees, and health insurance are billed every quarter a student is enrolled. An estimate of the quarterly and annual costs is below. The Graduate Financial Aid Office provides an Estimated Cost of Attendance on their website.
Student Services Fees
Fees are charged to students each quarter in the Master’s and PhD programs based on the Hyde Park campus. These fees cover many services dedicated to enhancing the quality of student life and campus activities, and are used to provide and promote educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and services for all students throughout the year. More details about various student services fees can be found on the Office of the Bursar website. Please note: Students will also be charged a one-time transcript fee in their first quarter which allows them to request an unlimited number of official transcripts throughout their lifetime. You can review a complete list of one time and occasional fees on the Office of the Bursar website.
All applicants, who indicate on their application as such, are considered for aid as part of the application review process. There is no separate application form for University financial support. An applicant's aid package will not be reconsidered after admission, even if other admitted applicants to the University of Chicago decline their fellowship award offers.
In recognition of academic potential, applicants may be awarded a $12,000 merit-based Division of the Arts & Humanities Scholarship or a $22,500 merit-based Dean’s Scholarship.
Alumni of some liberal arts colleges may be awarded a $10,000 Liberal Arts Alumni Scholarship.
Permanent residents of the State of Illinois may be awarded a $10,000 Illinois Resident Scholarship.
Individuals who have received a Federal Pell Grant from their undergraduate educational institution may be awarded a $10,000 Educational Access Scholarship.
Note that divisional scholarship aid may not exceed more than half of annual tuition expenses.
Example Offer
Your Offer
Division of the Arts and Humanities Scholarship - $12,000.00
Liberal Arts Scholarship - $10,000.00
Illinois Resident Scholarship - $10,000.00
Your Obligations
2025 - 2026 Tuition - $67,200.00
University Student Health Insurance Plan - $4,998.00
Graduate Student Services Fee - $1,452.00
Lifetime Transcript Fee - $78.00
Total Program Tuition and Fees - $73,728.00
Your Estimated Tuition and Fee Obligation - $41,728.00
PhD students who matriculate in Summer 2020 and after will be guaranteed to have funding support from the University of Chicago, external sources, or a combination of the two for the duration of their program to include the following:
- Full tuition coverage
- Primary annualized stipend
- Fully paid individual annual premiums for UChicago's student health insurance (U-SHIP, the University Student Health Insurance Plan)
- Student Services Fee
Some students may also be eligible for other fellowships like the Neubauer Fellowships, which offer additional funding per year over six years. The number of fellowships available is limited and decided on at the time of admission.
The goal of the University’s commitment to ensuring that students are supported is to allow students to prioritize their studies and prepare for rewarding careers. Students are expected to remain in good academic standing and be making progress towards completing degree requirements.
Students must be legally authorized to work in the United States for the University of Chicago in order to meet the degree requirements to earn a PhD in most of the University’s PhD programs. (Note, the F-1/J-1 student visa permits on-campus employment when a student is active in their program; for more information, please visit the Office of International Affairs webpage related to on-campus employment.)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is not required to qualify for University aid because these scholarships are merit based, not need based. However, the FAFSA is required for federal student loans, the federal work-study program, and for many outside scholarships and grants.
Loans and Work-Study
Financial aid eligibility is calculated based on a standardized cost of attendance that includes tuition, room and board, books, transportation, personal/miscellaneous expenses, and any required student health insurance for three academic quarters (nine months). International students must use the 12-month rate.
Please make every effort to submit your full application for financial aid by the University's priority deadlines.
More information about financial aid eligibility and federal loan options can be found on the Graduate Financial Aid website.
External Fellowships
Because aid is limited for students in Master's programs, and because of the prestige inherent in holding an award won in open competition, applicants for admission are encouraged to consider external fellowship opportunities. Application deadlines come throughout the year so we recommend that you investigate these options as early as possible.
You can learn more about outside fellowship opportunities through the UChicagoGRAD website. You may also want to consult other online search platforms for external fellowships, and a good introduction to these platforms is available at Reviews.com. Some Humanities-specific fellowships are listed on the websites of the Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere and the National Endowment for the Humanities.