University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois · Private · 7,569 undergraduates · uchicago.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
4.5%
of 45,533 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1500 to 1560
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$108,720Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at University of Chicago
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
4.5% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 4.5% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
57% of freshmen had a weighted high school GPA of 4.0 or higher (average 4.54).
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$108,720
a year in 2027-28, from a $108,720 sticker price
What to do with your 1540
Send your score
About 24% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1490, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- AP exams, predicted IB or A-Level scores may be self-reported optionally (supplementary, not a replacement requirement)
Source: Required Materials (No Harm Testing Policy) | UChicago College Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov2Early Action · November 2, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov2Early Decision · November 2, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan4Early Decision II · January 4, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan4Regular Decision · January 4, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
4.5%
of applicants were admitted: 2,039 of 45,533 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding..
Early Decision
Binding.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 57% of them sent SAT scores and 25% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1500 to 1560
Reading and Writing 740 to 770
Math 760 to 790
ACT composite 34 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160097%
- 1200 to 13993%
- 1000 to 11990.2%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 4.54
- 4.057%
- 3.75 to 3.9927%
- 3.50 to 3.749.9%
- 3.25 to 3.492.8%
- 3.00 to 3.242.9%
- 2.50 to 2.990.7%
- Below 2.500.1%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$108,720
a year
- Tuition$79,000
- Fees$2,820
- Food and housing$22,270
- Books and supplies$1,870
- Transportation and other$2,760
University of Chicago published $104,541 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$394
- $30,001 to $48,000$1,148
- $48,001 to $75,000$2,800
- $75,001 to $110,000$7,744
- Over $110,000$49,769
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$78,651
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
3.2%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $16,333 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 2/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Also asks for
- checked, not specified
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
20 of 31
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,900Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 5 | 100 | |
| 3-D Art and Design | 5 | 100 | |
| African American Studies | 5 | 100 | |
| Art History | 5 | 100 | |
| Biology | 4 | 100 | BIOS 10130 |
| Calculus AB | 5 | MATH 15100 placement | |
| Calculus BC | 4 | MATH 15200 placement | |
| Chemistry | 5 | 100 | CHEM 11100 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | ||
| Drawing | 5 | 100 | |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 100 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 100 | |
| Environmental Science | 5 | 100 | |
| European History | 5 | 100 | |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| German Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| Latin | 5 | ||
| Macroeconomics | 5 | ||
| Microeconomics | 5 | ||
| Music Theory | 5 | 100 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 100 | PHYS 12200 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 100 | PHYS 12100 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | ||
| Statistics | 5 | STAT 22000 | |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | ||
| United States History | 5 | 100 | |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 100 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
95%
Come back for a second year
99%
Typical earnings
$103,872
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Chicago$98,363
- All colleges$55,386
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 14 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of Chicago. The University of Chicago logo is a trademark of the college.