International Students

International Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can international students apply to the UChicago Summer Session?

Yes, international high school and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply to the UChicago Summer Session. Summer 2024 will offer both remote and residential courses. Students who apply for a residential course (e.g. Immersion, RIBS, or Stones & Bones) must apply by the March 5 deadline in order to be eligible for a student visa.

Visiting undergraduate international students who live outside of the US are only eligible for remote courses. UChicago Summer Session is unable to offer student visas to undergraduate students. Visiting undergraduates who already have a student visa are eligible for in-person or residential course offerings. Financial aid is not available for visiting undergraduate students.

Do you require English proficiency scores for international students?

Proficiency in English must be demonstrated in order to qualify for admission.
Multi-week applicants:
All multi-week courses are college-level courses taught in English. There is no ESL support, and from the first day of class, students are expected to dive into discussion and participate fully in small group work with peers from all around the world. Due to the demands of the courses we offer, fluency in academic English is required and must be demonstrated. 

Applicants who attend high school outside the U.S. must submit results from the Duolingo English Test (DET), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). We strongly recommend a score of 104 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL, with subscores of 26 each. Minimum required scores on the IELTS (students must take the Academic test, not the General Training test) are an overall score of 7, with subscores of 7 each. The minimum acceptable score on the DET is 125.

Exemptions to the proficiency test requirement: 

1) Applicants who are natives of the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries where English is one of the official languages and the primary language of instruction in their schools has been English do not need to submit English proficiency test results; OR

2) The only other exemption to the English language proficiency requirement is for applicants who have studied full-time, for at least two full academic years, within the last five years at a high school or college in a country where English is one of the official languages. Students must submit transcripts that demonstrate that they meet the conditions for a waiver of the English language proficiency requirement. Students who have studied in English in other countries are not exempt from the English language proficiency requirement.

If students meet the above conditions for eligibility, they should submit a written request for a waiver of the requirement to summersession@uchicago.edu. They will receive a confirmation of their waiver eligibility and application instructions via email.

Enrichment applicants:
Applicants are invited to submit scores from any English proficiency examination they believe represents their English language ability. Applicants who choose to submit English proficiency scores may share either official or self-reported scores. Any applicant who provides self-reported scores may be required to submit official score reports if they are admitted and choose to enroll in the program. If an applicant feels as though mastery of the English language is already represented throughout the application, then they are not required to submit formal exam scores for this particular program. For the application, if you do not have any test scores to report, then please enter 555 for the section that requests Duolingo test scores and today’s date under "Test Scores" in order to submit the application.

Do you accept international transcripts as part of the application process?

Yes. If a student’s transcripts are not in English, they will need to provide an officially prepared English translation and submit that in addition to the original documentation. For Pre-College students, we require complete transcripts providing grades from Grade 9 up to the the student’s most recently completed academic quarter or semester. If a student is currently in 9th grade, a transcript with grades from 8th grade should also be included.

Do I need to convert my grade point average (GPA) to a 4.0 scale?

No, grades and grade point average should be kept in their original grading scale and format. 

Are there scholarships available for international students?

Aid varies based on need and program cost. Please see the Costs page for more information on financial aid and scholarships. 

Can I substitute SAT, AP or A-Level results for the English proficiency exam requirement?

No, students who do not qualify for an English proficiency waiver must submit the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET to be considered for admission.