Application FAQ

Study abroad programs sponsored by the College of the University of Chicago are open to University of Chicago undergraduate students only. Applications from outside the University are not accepted.

No. College Study Abroad programs are open to undergraduate students only.  

We fully encourage students involved in UChicago athletics to study abroad. We are happy to talk to you about programs that would be a good fit with respect to timing for your particular sport, and available facilities for maintaining a training regimen. In addition to talking with your College adviser, we also suggest you discuss your plans with your coach as early as possible.

You can still apply! Language prerequisites must be satisfied by the time the program begins. If you have not yet met the prerequisites at the time of applying, you may be granted a conditional acceptance, which clears you to participate in the program as long as you satisfy any outstanding prerequisites by the start of the program.

Students are permitted to submit up to three study abroad applications in a given academic year. (For example, the collective applications for the British/Irish University Programs, the Civilization Programs, and September Programs each count as a single application.)

If a student is already committed to a program, they will not be admitted to another program that takes place the same quarter (e.g. from another program's waitlist or a new application).

Each program page specifies whether or not a program has a language prerequisite.

In certain cases. Please see the College Catalog for more information.

Each program page on the Study Abroad website includes information on how to contact and make an appointment with the Program Manager.

No. You may only take classes that are part of your study abroad program. Students are not permitted to supplement study abroad enrollment with any on-campus enrollments and/or take classes virtually. 

It is generally not possible to do an internship while studying abroad given the extensive time commitments required of both types of activities.

Full participation for the duration of the program calendar and in all program activities, including classes and excursions, is required. Personal commitments (family travel or events, internship recruiting, etc.) are not grounds for excused absences, so we strongly encourage you to choose a program quarter that allows you to be fully present and engaged.

Grades for courses in the College's faculty-led programs abroad (Civilizations, thematic, September, intensive language) count toward your GPA. Grades from Direct Enrollment programs generally do not, as they are not home institution enrollments. The quality grades in use at Chicago (A, B, C, D and F with or without pluses and minuses) will be used for all courses, including language courses. Neither Pass/Fail grading nor Incomplete grades are permitted for study abroad courses. 

In the College's faculty-led programs abroad (Civilizations, thematic, September, intensive language), if you withdraw from a course, you must return home from the program immediately and withdraw from all concurrent/subsequent program courses as applicable. Leaving a program early will result in a W on the transcript for these courses. A student cannot withdraw from a course and continue to remain on site, participating in only a portion of the program classes and activities.

Course withdrawal policies in Direct Enrollment programs vary by institution. Students should seek guidance from the designated Direct Enrollment Program Manager and academic counterparts at the partner institution abroad.

Chrome is the recommended browser for ViaTRM. Please log in using Chrome if you are having difficulty accessing parts of the application site. Please contact support@via-trm.com for technical issues. For any questions related to Study Abroad (e.g. program availability, application deadlines, admissions and pre-departure), please contact studyabroad@uchicago.edu.

Several bio-demographic fields in the Traveler Information section of your ViaTRM account are pre-populated from your UChicago student profile and cannot be edited in the Via TRM application. In order to update these fields, please log in to your my.UChicago portal and update your information there, which will soon be reflected in your Via TRM application. You may need to log out and log back in for the changes to take effect. Clearing your cache and/or using private browsing or incognito windows also helps. Please do this before submitting your application.

If you are applying to multiple Civilization programs, you should apply ONLY to your FIRST-CHOICE Civilization abroad program. At the end of the application, you will be given the option to rank up to four alternate Civilization programs of interest before submitting.

No. You have a better chance of being admitted to a Civilization program if you rank alternates.

If you are ranking multiple Civilization programs, we strongly suggest that you devote the majority of your academic and location statements to your first-choice selection, making the strongest possible case for that program. Because competition for the limited places in these programs can be competitive, you should do your best to make these succinct and persuasive.

Each written application statement has a designated character limit (including spaces). Please refer carefully to the instructions on each field on your application for the relevant character maximum.

The Travel Background question provides you with another opportunity to engage with the notion of international travel and does not pre-suppose any certain level of travel experience. For example, you may wish to explain how a previous trip abroad has inspired you to either explore new ground or return to a familiar location in a new context. Or, if you have not yet traveled internationally, you could explain why your selected location would be a meaningful first experience abroad. What we are not seeking is a simple list of destinations you have visited or wish to visit.

The majority of our programs neither require nor accept letters of recommendation. Such letters will not be reviewed as part of an application. Please check each program’s application requirements to determine whether you need a letter of recommendation.

Please note: Only a select few programs require and accept recommendations. To determine whether a recommendation is required for a given program, please check its application. The Study Abroad Office will not accept any recommendations submitted for programs that do not require a recommendation.

Our online recommendation form solicits feedback on your personal and academic attributes as relevant to your participation in a program abroad. If a recommender already has a letter prepared, that text can be entered into the online form. If your recommender cannot access a computer, they should contact UChicago Study Abroad: studyabroad@uchicago.edu, 773.702.9442.

In general, we prefer a recommendation from a resident head, adviser, or instructor (grad students/TAs or faculty) who could comment on your motivation and preparedness to study abroad, as well as your presence within a group. A previous employer, coach, or an instructor who knows you well are also acceptable. If you are applying to a program with a language prerequisite, you are encouraged to ask a language instructor to complete your recommendation.

Each application indicates the number of required recommendations. The online application system cannot accept recommendations beyond this number. Having additional recommendations sent to our office will not increase your chances of being accepted into a program.

If you enter incorrect information for your recommender or need to change recommenders you will need to contact UChicago Study Abroad: studyabroad@uchicago.edu, 773.702.9442.

You can track your recommendation submission status in the Study Abroad Recommendation section of your application. After you enter your recommender’s email address and submit the request, the status will change to: “Sent to (email) on (date request was sent).” Once your recommender submits the recommendation form, the following phrase will be displayed: “Completed on (date the recommendation was submitted).”

It is your responsibility to notify your recommender that an email request to complete your online recommendation form is forthcoming, and to keep that person informed of the deadline.

Prior to submitting your application, you can save your progress and make changes at any time. Please carefully check all sections on the review screen prior to clicking “Submit Application” since you will not be able to make any edits after submitting your application. If you would like to withdraw your application after you have already submitted it, please email studyabroad@uchicago.edu before withdrawing your application in Via TRM.

Civilization program admission decisions will be communicated by the beginning of spring quarter.

September program decisions are typically communicated by the middle of spring quarter.

Quarter-long Thematic and Language program decisions are typically communicated by the end of the deadline’s respective quarter.

Students applying to Direct Enrollment programs are subject to the acceptance timeline of the host institution. UChicago Study Abroad does not determine and cannot control the timeframe for these admission decisions. You should consult the specific manager for each of those programs for more information regarding the decision timeline.

Once admission decisions are made, you will receive two emails from the Via TRM application website: one will notify you that your application status has changed and another one will include a copy of the decision letter that has been sent to your Via TRM account.

No. It is not possible defer your application to another program, quarter, or year. Students are welcome to re-apply for programs of interest in future cycles.

No. Admissions are non-transferrable across programs and quarters.

Your Program Manager will be in touch to share information about the program, including the pre-departure process (generally at least one quarter before departure).

If you are a first-time applicant, please visit the Department of State website for instructions on how to apply for a U.S. passport.

View instructions on how to renew your U.S. passport.

View information on U.S. passport processing times.

Whether you will need a visa depends on the passport(s) you hold and the length of time that you will spend in a given country. Please consult with your Program Manager regarding visa requirements.  

Comprehensive medical insurance is required. If you have U-SHIP through the University, this automatically includes international medical coverage. If you have separate insurance, it is likely that international coverage is not included. We recommend you look at our suggestions and identify the best fit for you and the duration you’ll be abroad. You should see your primary care provider and your dentist prior to studying abroad, but we expect students to prepare for routine care for anything that may arise (i.e., not only emergencies).

International SOS (ISOS) is the University’s global assistance provider. They provide comprehensive assistance in the event of a medical emergency, natural disaster, or political unrest, including evacuation, if deemed necessary. They also provide travel health information, virtual counseling and therapy, pre-trip security advice and analysis, routine medical advice via nurse consults, legal referrals, emergency translation and interpreter services, lost document advice and assistance, etc. 

International SOS is not primary medical insurance and will not pay the costs of routine medical care while traveling abroad. Students studying abroad are automatically enrolled at no additional cost. You will be provided with more information about International SOS during the pre-departure process. You can find more information on our Health and Safety page.  

Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing to the Office of Study Abroad: Email your Program Manager and/or studyabroad@uchicago.edu  

Students will be required to submit a Study Abroad Withdrawal Form on the ViaTRM website. 

Withdrawals are final and cannot be reversed. Participants who cancel or withdraw from a University of Chicago Study Abroad program for any reason will not be reimbursed for any expenses, including the nonrefundable administrative fee. 

Late withdrawals will be assessed the remaining balance of the administrative fee as well as a portion of the Study Abroad Program Fee as outlined in the Study Abroad withdrawal policy. Please note that these fees generally represent only a portion of costs that the College has already incurred on a student’s behalf for program logistics. 

Unpaid Study Abroad fees, including withdrawal fees, may result in a registration hold. Students who have been placed on hold will not be able to register for courses nor access University services and facilities until their financial obligations or compliance with rules and regulations have been fulfilled.