Transferring To University Of Chicago: What You Need To Know

does university of chicago accept transfer students

The University of Chicago does accept transfer students, but the acceptance rate is highly competitive. For the 2022-2023 application cycle, only 6.5% of applicants were accepted, with 1,256 applicants and only 82 offers made. The University of Chicago has a Transfer Early Decision (TED) program, which allows students to make a binding commitment to the college. Transfer applicants are required to submit three essays, including a personal statement and a Why UChicago? essay. The University of Chicago does not disclose an average GPA for admitted transfer students, but a 3.9 or higher is recommended for the best chance of admission.

Characteristics Values
University University of Chicago
Accepts transfer students Yes
Transfer application deadline March 1 (priority deadline), June 1 (final deadline)
Transfer application requirements Two essays, one extended and one short; SAT or ACT scores; letters of recommendation; transcripts
Transfer acceptance rate (2022-2023) 6.5%
Transfer credit evaluation Two stages: initial evaluation for admitted students and final evaluation for enrolling students
Transfer credit eligibility Courses from accredited institutions, with a minimum grade of C (sometimes B) and at least three semester hours or four quarter hours of credit
Housing requirements for transfer students Required to live in college housing for the first academic year

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Transfer application requirements

The University of Chicago offers a choice of two application plans for transfer students: Transfer Early Decision (TED) and Transfer Rolling Decision (TRD). TED is a binding commitment, meaning that applicants are expected to withdraw all other transfer applications upon acceptance. The deadline for TED fall applicants is March 1 (or the first business day of March). TRD applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by the March 1 priority deadline, but the university will continue to review applications until June 1. TRD applicants will not be bound to attend if admitted and will have until June 5 to reply to their offer.

The University of Chicago Supplement requires three essays: a personal statement, a "Why UChicago" essay, and an extended essay. The "Why UChicago" essay should explain why you are planning to leave (or have already left) your current college or university, and how the University of Chicago will satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future. The extended essay can be chosen from a list of several prompts, including:

  • "We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being 'caught purple-handed'? Or 'tickled orange'? Give an old colour-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents."
  • "'Ah, but I was so much older then / I’m younger than that now' – Bob Dylan."

Supplemental materials can be submitted by applicants with extraordinary talent or experience in creative writing, art, dance, research, etc.

Transfer applicants are required to submit both a final high school transcript and college transcripts for every post-secondary school attended. Applicants can submit either official or unofficial copies, but official copies are required for admitted students who choose to enrol. SAT or ACT scores can be submitted, and while official scores are only required for admitted students who choose to enrol, they can be sent earlier by a school official or listed on a transcript. Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) test scores are encouraged, particularly if they may count towards credit that satisfies your program's prerequisites.

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Transfer application deadlines

The University of Chicago offers transfer applicants a choice of two application plans, each with different deadlines.

Transfer Early Decision (TED)

TED is a binding commitment, meaning that applicants are expected to withdraw all other transfer applications upon acceptance. The transfer deadline for TED fall applicants is 11:59 p.m. applicant's local time on March 1 or the first business day of March.

Transfer Rolling Decision (TR)

TR does not constitute a binding commitment to attend if admitted. The priority deadline for TR is March 1, but applications are accepted until June 1. Decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in early May.

The University of Chicago is highly selective, accepting only 6.5% of transfer applicants in the fall of 2022. For entry in the fall of 2023, 144 out of 1,821 transfer applicants were accepted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 7.9%.

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Transfer acceptance rate

The University of Chicago does accept transfer students. However, the transfer acceptance rate is highly competitive. For the 2022-2023 application year, out of 1,256 transfer applicants, only 82 were accepted, resulting in a transfer acceptance rate of 6.5%. In 2021, the acceptance rate was slightly higher at 13.6%, with 1,065 applicants and 145 accepted students. For entry in the fall of 2023, there were 1,821 transfer applicants and 144 individuals were accepted, which equates to an acceptance rate of around 8%.

The University of Chicago offers transfer applicants two application plans: Transfer Early Decision (TED) and Transfer Rolling Decision. TED is a binding commitment, meaning that applicants are expected to withdraw all other transfer applications upon acceptance. TED applicants have until March 1 to submit their applications for priority consideration. Transfer Rolling Decision applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application by the March 1 priority deadline, but the university will continue to review applications until June 1. Decisions for both application plans will start being released in early May.

The University of Chicago Supplement requires one extended essay of the applicant's choice from a list of several prompts and one short essay explaining why the applicant wants to attend the University of Chicago as a transfer student. The short essay should address why the applicant is planning to leave their current college or university and how the University of Chicago will satisfy their desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future.

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Transfer credit evaluation

The University of Chicago does accept transfer students, though it is a highly competitive process. In 2021, 1,065 students applied for a transfer, and only 145 were accepted, resulting in a transfer acceptance rate of 13.6%.

The University of Chicago grants transfer credits for eligible courses completed at accredited institutions. The transfer credit evaluation process consists of two stages. The first stage involves an initial evaluation to determine general eligibility for transfer credit, which is conducted only for admitted students. The Dean of Students office completes this evaluation before the student's reply deadline. The second stage involves a final evaluation for enrolling students, which requires an official final college transcript.

To be eligible for transfer credit, courses must meet the following criteria:

  • Be from an accredited institution that grants bachelor's degrees in liberal arts subjects similar to those offered by the University of Chicago.
  • Have been passed with a grade of C or better (some courses may require a grade of B or better).
  • Carry at least three semester hours or four quarter hours of credit.

The University of Chicago does not grant transfer credit for courses in pre-calculus or calculus, with some exceptions. Credit for calculus may be granted based on College accreditation, AP exam scores, or completion of a higher-level math course at the University of Chicago.

Students should submit the Transfer of Credit form in their UChicago account to indicate the courses for which they would like to receive a credit evaluation. The University encourages students to make curriculum choices based on their educational goals, as transfer credit evaluations can vary across institutions.

Application process:

The University of Chicago offers two application plans for transfer applicants: Transfer Early Decision (TED) and Transfer Rolling Decision (TR). TED is a binding commitment, requiring students to withdraw all other transfer applications upon acceptance. The application deadline for TED is March 1. TR does not require a binding commitment, and applications are accepted until June 1, with admissions decisions released on a rolling basis starting in early May.

The supplement requirements for both plans include one extended essay chosen from a list of prompts and one short essay explaining the reasons for transferring and how the University of Chicago can satisfy the applicant's academic and community goals.

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Transfer student housing

The University of Chicago does accept transfer students, and transfer applicants are reviewed under the same policy as all other applicants, including domestic, international, and first-year students. The University of Chicago Supplement requires two essays: an extended essay from a list of prompts, and a short essay (of approximately 500 words) on why you would like to attend the University of Chicago as a transfer student.

Transfer students at the University of Chicago can make use of the myHousing Portal, which acts as a hub for many housing-related administrative processes. The University of Chicago also provides comprehensive support services for students facing difficulties.

Transfer students are required to submit both a final high school transcript and college transcripts for every post-secondary school attended. Official copies of transcripts are only required for admitted students who choose to enroll, but each unofficial transcript must show the student's full name and school name.

The University of Chicago offers transfer applicants two application plans: Transfer Early Decision (TED) and Transfer Rolling Decision (TR). TED is a binding commitment, and applicants are expected to withdraw all other transfer applications upon acceptance. TR applicants do not need to make any binding commitment to attend if admitted and will have until June 5 to reply to their offer.

The University of Chicago does not disclose an average GPA for admitted transfer students, but a GPA of 3.9 or higher is advised to give applicants the best chance. The University is need-aware for domestic transfer students, meaning that applicants' financial situations are considered during admissions. International transfer applicants are not eligible to apply for need-based financial aid.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, the University of Chicago accepts transfer students.

The acceptance rate for transfer students is highly competitive. For the 2022-2023 application cycle, out of 1,256 transfer applicants, only 82 were accepted, resulting in a 6.5% acceptance rate.

The priority deadline for transfer applications is March 1. The university will continue to review applications until June 1 and release decisions on a rolling basis starting in early May.

The University of Chicago requires transfer applicants to submit two essays: an extended essay chosen from a list of prompts and a short essay explaining why you want to transfer to the university. Transfer students can also submit additional supplemental materials to showcase their talents or experiences in areas like creative writing, art, or research.

The University of Chicago offers merit-based scholarships to students based on academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership, and community commitment. All admitted students are automatically considered for merit scholarships, and no separate application is required.

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