FAQs

How do I submit documents for financial aid review?

Documents should be submitted via upload to your My.UChicago portal. Please note that we cannot accept documents containing Personal Identifiable Information (PII – i.e. social security number, birthdate) via email. This includes documents such as tax returns and W-2 forms.

If you are unable to upload documents to the My.UChicago Portal, please send them via fax, mail, or bring them to our office in person

What is a Priority Deadline?

A priority deadline is the date by which the Office of Financial Aid advises student to submit their financial aid documents in order to have their aid package in place by the release of the first bill. Submitting documents after the priority deadline will not affect your eligibility for financial aid, nor will it reduce the amount of aid you may receive. But you may not have your financial aid package in place when the first bill is released.

How do I view my Financial Aid Notification?

Once you have been notified that your financial aid notification is ready, follow these steps to view it in your My.UChicago Portal:

1. Log into your MyUChicago Portal.

2. Click on the Finances tab.

3. Select Financial Aid from the drop down menu.

4. Click on the Financial Aid Notification menu item.

5. Select the appropriate Academic Year.

6. Click the View FA Notification button.

When will my financial aid disburse?

If all of your outstanding requirements have been met and you have been notified of your financial aid package, your aid will disburse up to 10 days prior to the first day of classes each quarter. It will first apply towards any outstanding balances you may have. If all of your outstanding balances have been met and there is still financial aid left over, you will receive a refund.

What happens if I decide to move off campus? How will this affect my financial aid package?

The Office of Financial Aid uses different food and housing costs for the different housing arrangements. The total cost estimate for an off-campus resident is approximately $2,600 less than that for a University housing resident. This is because the costs for off-campus housing are typically lower than those for on-campus housing. Since UChicago meets student need up to the total cost of attendance. Students who reside off campus will have financial aid that is approximately $2,600 less than those living on campus.

Additionally, your bill will no longer include charges for food & housing. The Office of the Bursar will bill an off-campus resident only for tuition and the student life fee. If the credits to your account (e.g., University of Chicago Grant funds, outside grants and scholarships, student loans, family contribution) exceed charges, you will receive a refund to help pay for rent, food, and other living costs.

Will my financial aid cover if I choose on-campus housing with higher costs?

Financial aid will not increase when a student chooses a housing & food option that has a cost greater than standard/double occupancy (i.e. single room, apartment meal plan, etc.).

What is the difference between Federal Work-Study and Student Employment?

Federal Work-Study is a need-based federal program that is based on the family’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC, as determined by the FAFSA). If a student’s EFC is outside the range of eligibility for Federal Work-Study, their package will include Student Employment. Students are able to work regardless of which is included in their package, however some positions do require Federal Work-Study eligibility.

How will going on Extended Status or No Further Enrollment Status (NFER) affect my financial aid?

Financial aid eligibility is contingent upon full-time enrollment. Since you would not be enrolled in courses during extended status, you would not receive any of your financial aid for that quarter. If you enroll in courses and then go on extended status after they have started, you would be responsible for paying back any balance that is created by this change after all required financial aid recalculations have been completed.

How will I pay for books and personal expenses?

Depending on your package, you may be responsible for books and personal expenses. You can use your biweekly paycheck from your Federal Work-Study or student employment job for these expenses. Even if your financial aid package provides funds for daily expenses, you should be prepared to purchase books before Autumn Quarter begins, see below for additional information.

What is the Book and Supply Charge Program?

The Book and Supply Charge Program allows students to purchase educational books and supplies from our campus bookstores and to charge those items directly to their student account at the University. This allows students the opportunity to pay for books and supplies, along with other tuition and fees, by the standard University billing policies and dates. For more information visit the College’s website.

I understand that financial aid may be available to students who participate in study abroad programs that are sponsored by the University of Chicago. How will my package be affected?

If you are participating in a study abroad program that is offered through the University Study Abroad Office, your tuition will be the same as if you were enrolled in courses on campus. The allowance for books and personal expenses will also be the same. However, there is an additional program fee associated with each study abroad program that will be charged to your account. This fee includes accommodation, instruction, student support, and program excursions. The credits that are earned via enrollment in a study abroad program that is offered through the University Study Abroad Office will count as enrolled units for federal financial aid purposes.

The family contribution is determined in the same manner regardless of whether you study abroad. The components of your self- help expectation (expected income from employment) are adjusted because you will not be able to work while you are abroad. There is a separate budget for each of the study abroad programs, but the budget for an on-campus student is used as the foundation for the packages made to students studying abroad. Additionally, all Odyssey students will receive an airfare stipend in the amount of $1,200 and additional aid to cover the administrative fee of $675 (2024-25 amount, future amounts subject to change) while all institutional need-based aid recipients will receive an airfare stipend in the amount of $1,200. Note that if participation in a study abroad program results in higher expenses, the student and his or her parents are responsible for the difference.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students living off-campus during their study abroad quarter will not receive a financial aid refund due to the study abroad program fee being directly billed. These students will want to plan for alternatives for paying rent and utilities during this time.

Additional aid information for study abroad is available on the study abroad website at study-abroad.uchicago.edu.

I will be enrolling in a joint bachelor’s/master’s program. Can I still receive financial aid?

Students are eligible for institutional aid during the first four years of their undergraduate program regardless of whether they are taking undergraduate or graduate level coursework. After the student has completed four years of their undergraduate program (or graduated from their undergraduate program), they are no longer eligible for institutional financial aid but are able to borrow student loans.

Federal financial aid eligibility is based on the number of courses in which a student is enrolled in a given quarter that apply to their undergraduate program. Students who receive federal aid (Pell Grant, SEOG, Stafford Direct Student Loans or Parent PLUS Loans) must be enrolled in 200 units that are required for completion of their undergraduate program in order for those funds to disburse. If a student is enrolled in less than 200 undergraduate units during a given quarter (for example, two graduate level courses and one undergaduate course), federal financial aid eligibility would be reduced (Pell Grant) or removed (Stafford Direct Student Loans).

Does the University offer a payment plan?

The University offers several methods for remitting payment of your quarterly billing statement. For a complete listing of payment options, please visit the Bursar’s website.

I am thinking about becoming a Resident Assistant (RA). How will this affect my financial aid?

When a student becomes an RA, nothing changes with the way their financial aid is calculated. The same process is used to determine eligibility. However, since students receive a board waiver (they are not charged for food), we remove this the board/food budget item from the student’s Cost of Attendance. Those charges would have otherwise been covered by financial aid, but since they are now covered by the University the need-based financial aid is reduced by the amount of the board cost.