Orientation

Just prior to the start of the Fall Quarter, the University of Chicago welcomes new students with events designed to acquaint entering cohorts with the university and campus life. Information about the Division's 2022 Orientation schedule will be posted here as it becomes available.

Division-specific programming will introduce students to the communities and resources at the center of their graduate experience. Departments and programs will also host orientation activities, including mandatory sessions that discuss degree requirements and registration procedures, among other topics. That schedule is communicated directly by departments. Questions should be directed to the Director of Graduate Study in each doctoral program or to student affairs staff in each MA program.

More information about UChicagoGRAD's orientation program is available here.

Orientation Resources

Creating Your UChicago ID (CNETID) and UChicago Email Access

A CNetID allows faculty, students, and staff to establish a UChicago email account, maintain personal information in university systems, and access secured university resources. Click here to begin; you will need your 8-digit UCID, Chicago ID, or Social Security Number. Please contact the Dean of Students Office for assistance if needed.

Beginning June 24, 2020, official University and Division communications are sent via email to each student’s CNetID (at) uchicago.edu email.  Students may setup their uchicago.edu address to forward to another address, but students are responsible for reading email sent to the uchicago.edu address. More information about email options is available here.

UChicago ID Card and Library Privileges 

New students can obtain a UChicago ID Card after August 1 in the ID & Privileges office inside Regenstein Library. After obtaining a UChicago ID Card students can use the library and checkout material. Due to licensing agreements, remote access to online electronic resources does not begin until Autumn quarter begins.

Health Insurance

All University of Chicago students are required to have health insurance. The University provides access to health insurance through the University Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP), which is offered through United Healthcare. Students are automatically enrolled in the plan if they do not opt out. The plan period is September 1 – August 31, and enrollment is for the entire plan period. More information can be found at studentinsurance.uchicago.edu.

Immunization Requirements

All University of Chicago students must provide proof of immunity to certain diseases as required by Illinois state law. For more information, visit Wellness@UChicago.

Housing Resources

For graduate student housing resources, visit UChicagoGRAD’s Life at UChicago.

Campus and Area Transportation

The University of Chicago offers UGo campus shuttles and other transportation resources. For further information, including details about public transit lines that serve Hyde Park, visit the Office of Safety and Security website. Additional information about staying safe on campus is available here.

Academic Advising and Class Registration

Academic advising and class registration occur during orientation week, which is the week prior to the beginning of Autumn quarter. In most programs students must meet with advisors before registering for classes.  The Schedule of Classes will be available in my.uchicago.edu the week prior to class registration.

Fees

All students are charged two fees. A one-time Lifetime Transcript fee will be charged on the first bill during the first quarter of enrollment. The Graduate Student Services fee, assessed each quarter of registration at the University of Chicago, supports access to the Student Health and Counseling Services and funds student activities through the Center for Leadership and Involvement and through the Social Sciences Graduate Student Activities Committee. Scholarships/fellowships do not cover fees unless explicitly stated on the Admission Reply Form.

Math Camps (Non-Economics)

The Division offers two math camps for non-economists in the two weeks prior to orientation week in September. 

• SOSC 30100 Mathematics for Social Science is a “math camp” for graduate students. It is the equivalent of a 10-week course taught in 10 days and is especially intended for beginning students in both PhD and MA programs. The course appears on the university transcript as an Autumn Quarter course, graded Pass/Fail. It does not count toward required coursework.
  
  The main focus of the course is calculus (differential and integral) and matrix algebra, although it begins with sets, numbers, and mathematical proofs and ends with an overview of probability theory as it relates to statistics.  The course assumes no preparation beyond algebra. Most students have had an exposure to differential calculus, though few have had much preparation in matrix algebra. Almost all of the students who stay with it beyond the first day finish the course. There is no fee to take this course.
   
• MACS 33000 Computational Math and Statistics is another 10 day course that covers mathematical notation and functions, linear algebra, calculus, probability theory, statistical inference, and linear regression. It assumes previous study in these subjects. The camp is strongly recommended for all graduate students who hope to earn a certificate in Computational Social Science.  It is open to all MA and PhD students with appropriate background.

Doctoral students whose background in mathematics is more distant or limited might take SOSC 30100 upon entry into the program and MACS 33000 between their first and second year. There is no fee to take this course. 

For questions regarding either camp, please contact the Dean of Students Office.

Applying for Loans and Work Study

Inquiries about applying for loans should be directed to the Office of Graduate Financial Aid.

For quick reference, the University of Chicago FAFSA code is E00377.

Work-study funding may be a part of your loan package. If you receive work-study funding, you will be eligible to apply for work-study jobs, and the salary earned in that program does not need to be repaid.

Information about campus job opportunities is available here.