Summer and September Aid

What is the Summer term? The Summer term includes any coursework during the summer, including courses taken in September. Policies below pertain to the full summer term.

Financial aid may be available for eligible domestic and international UChicago College students who will be enrolled in courses during the Summer Quarter (including the September Session). Students attending the summer quarter may be eligible for Summer Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Stafford Loans, Summer Federal Work-Study and Funding for Paris Summer Study Abroad Program.

To make it easier for students to access Summer Quarter funding, The College does not require a separate Summer financial aid application to be considered for the Summer Scholarship or Federal Pell Grants. Students who received need-based financial aid during the Autumn, Winter or Spring Quarters and are enrolled in Summer courses (or the September Session) will automatically be reviewed for Summer financial aid eligibility. Eligible students will be notified of their Summer financial aid eligibility via email beginning in late March. There is no deadline for Summer financial aid consideration and our office will continue to monitor for new enrollment and package financial aid accordingly throughout the summer.

Students wishing to utilize Federal Direct Stafford Loans or Federal Work-Study during the summer will need to complete a separate application (see below).

Traditional need-based aid (such as UChicago Grants and Odyssey Scholarships) are not available during the summer term.

Summer Scholarship - Eligible students with demonstrated need will receive $1,000 per 100-unit course (maximum $3,000). Odyssey students will receive $4,635 per 100-unit course (maximum $13,905).* This Scholarship will only count toward tuition costs.
Federal Pell Grant - Eligibility is based on student's federal Expected Family Contribution and Summer enrollment.
Federal Stafford Loans - Federal loan eligibility requires enrollment in at least 200 units of coursework. Funding may be prorated and could impact future academic year availability. Students wishing to utilize Federal Direct Stafford Loans or Federal Work-Study during the summer will need to complete a separate application (see below).
Summer Federal Work-Study - A student can receive Federal Work-Study even if the student is not enrolled in the Summer but will enroll during the Autumn 2024 Quarter. Students wishing to utilize Federal Direct Stafford Loans or Federal Work-Study during the summer will need to complete a separate application (see below).

* In the event that an Odyssey student's tuition charges are less than $4,635 the Odyssey scholarship would be reduced to match the tuition. A student must also be meeting all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements at the end of Spring Quarter.For students who did not attend during Autumn, Winter or Spring quarters, please contact the Office of Financial Aid. Instructions for receiving an initial financial aid decision can be found here.

Applying for Summer Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Work-Study

In order to receive Federal Direct Stafford Loans and/or Federal Work-Study during the Summer Quarter (including September Session), students will be required to complete a separate application. This electronic application will become available in the My.UChicago portal in March. Students will be notified via email when the application is available to complete.

To access the Summer Application for Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Work-Study:

Log in to your My.UChicago Portal
Click on the Finances Tab
Under the Financial Aid menu, select "Institutional Application"
Click on the Apply button

Summer Study Abroad

Odyssey Students (including International Odyssey Students) Participating in a Summer Abroad Program:

Financial aid for Summer Study Abroad differs slightly from programs taken in the Autumn, Winter and Spring terms. Odyssey students with need will receive a need-based award that is equal to the summer study abroad cost of attendance minus the prorated family contribution. Due to this, Odyssey students may incur out-of-pocket costs while taking a Summer Study Abroad program. Please contact the Study Abroad Office for information on fees and withdrawal policies.

Additionally, Odyssey scholars will receive a stipend in the amount of $1,200 to assist with airfare and additional financial aid for the study abroad administrative fee of $675. The stipend will pay out in the Spring term once the Study Abroad Office has identified the students participating in the summer abroad programs.

Note: Flight stipends are handled by the Study Abroad Office and Payroll and are not included in the student's financial aid award or handled by the Office of Financial Aid other than determining the student's need eligibility.

Summer Financial Aid FAQ's

Does UChicago offer financial aid to Visiting Students or Pre-College/Pre-Orientation Students?

No. The UChicago Office of Financial Aid cannot process awards for non-degree students. Visiting undergraduate students may check with their home institution to determine if any aid can be provided to take course here at UChicago. Pre-College/Pre-Orientation may speak with the Summer Office for additional funding options. Various departments may offer these students scholarships, but it will not come from the Financial Aid Office.

Does UChicago offer financial aid for students who are taking UChicago coursework remotely during Summer?

Yes, we do offer financial aid to current undergraduate student regardless of the course modality.

Is the September session part of the Summer term?

Yes. The Summer term includes any coursework during the summer, including courses taken in September.

Can a student receive Federal Work Study (FWS) if not enrolled in courses over the summer?

Yes, a student can receive FWS if not enrolled in the summer but will enroll in the upcoming Autumn term. Students will need to complete the summer application which is accessible via the UChicago portal.

Is there a deadline to apply for financial aid for the Summer term?

No, there is no deadline. Additionally, unless you are applying for Stafford Loans or Federal Work-Study, there is no separate application process to receive financial aid over the Summer term. Students will automatically be awarded any applicable grants and scholarships up to their eligibility.

Where can I find the current cost for Summer 2024?

The cost of the Summer 2024 course can be found on the Summer Office page: https://summer.uchicago.edu/cost-aid .

Is the Summer Language Institute (SLI) covered by summer funding?

Yes. However, these courses are typically less expensive than a traditional UC Summer course. Due to variance, we will adjust our institutional aid downward to cover only the cost of tuition.

Does the summer institutional scholarship cover both tuition and all fees?

No, the summer scholarship pays tuition only. The Office of Financial Aid is unable to cover fees with institutional need-based aid.

Does summer financial aid cover housing?

No, it does not. However, a student may choose to borrow a Federal Stafford Loan to assist with housing expenses. To utilize a Federal Stafford Loan during Summer, the student must complete a separate summer application and be enrolled in at least 200 units of coursework.

Can a student request a waiver of the student service fee during the summer term?

The Bursar’s Office is responsible for all assessments, including tuition and fees over the Summer term. A list of student service fee exemptions can be found here: https://bursar.uchicago.edu/tuition-and-fees/student-services-fee

If a student is enrolled in the summer term, will they still be eligible for 12 quarters of aid?

Yes. Summer is considered a non-standard quarter. Therefore, it does not count against the 12 quarters and will not require a 13^th quarter appeal for enrollment and aid purposes.

Will my institutional aid pay for a course I’ve previously taken over the summer?