Estimated Cost of Attendance

The total cost of attending a Social Science Division program is comprised of tuition, fees, and living expenses. Tuition, fees, and health insurance are billed every quarter a student is enrolled. An overview of how to calculate costs is below.

A graduate program is an investment. At the University of Chicago, we are committed to helping you finance your education. Please see our funding and financing page for more information.

Tuition

Tuition rates and student fees for the current academic year are detailed on the Office of the Bursar website. For master’s students, the tuition rate is based on the number of classes taken each quarter. Full-time students take three courses per quarter, for a total of nine courses in the academic year.

Fees

Student life fees are charged to students each quarter of enrollment. 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 life fees can be found on the Office of the Bursar website. PhD student life fees are included in University fellowships (see PhD funding for more information).

Newly enrolled students are also charged a one-time lifetime transcript fee in their first quarter, which will allow them to request an unlimited number of official transcripts throughout their lifetime. The fee is currently set at $78. You can review a complete list of one time and occasional fees on the Office of the Bursar website.

Health Insurance

All students are required to have health insurance. PhD students are required to enroll in the University’s health insurance (USHIP); premiums for the student only are covered by the student’s fellowship (see PhD funding for more information). Master’s students can opt to purchase health insurance through the University, or opt out and purchase other coverage.

Full-time students will need to opt out of coverage if they wish to use other insurance. 

Payment

Tuition, student life fees, and insurance are paid once per quarter. UChicago expects tuition and fees to be paid in full before the start of classes each quarter. Most master’s students are enrolled during the Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. PhD students are enrolled year-round.

Living Expenses

The actual cost of living (housing, food, and other expenses) will vary student-to-student. The University of Chicago uses one standard cost of living estimate for all graduate students. This rate is also the rate used for federal student loans and by Office of International Affairs for visa purposes.