Requirements & Deadlines

The Master of Public Policy (MPP), our flagship program, equips you with the data science and analytical skills needed to impact today’s most complex policy issues.

Deadlines

The above notification dates are subject to change. We typically release both scholarship and admission decisions at the same time. Students who receive a scholarship will see a letter on their account.

Applications are accepted until space is no longer available. Decisions may be released periodically as space becomes available or completed documents are received. If you have questions, please email harrisadmissions@uchicago.edu.

Requirements

The Committee on Admission and Aid evaluates all official transcripts of academic work, personal essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities and community service, performance on standardized tests (for full-time degree programs), and any special factors brought to its attention. The committee considers each application on the basis of all materials submitted and does not automatically eliminate applications based on grade point averages or test scores. 

The following documents are required for admission to full-time master’s degree programs:

• Online Graduate Application: Complete all required fields in the online graduate application.

• Resume: Upload a current resume, reflecting your work experience, education, community service, professional honors, and any other relevant information.

• Motivation Statement: Prepare a brief and well-articulated response to the questions: Why Harris? Why Public Policy? (300 words)

• Optional Short Essay (Choose one):

  • Option 1: Policy— Public policy challenges often persist despite significant attention, resources, and political will. Identify a specific public policy issue — domestic or international — that you find most puzzling and analyze why. (max 500 words)

  • Option 2: Community - Where do you see yourself getting involved in the community during your time at Harris - either at the University of Chicago or in the city of Chicago? (max 300 words)

• Transcripts: Submit transcripts for all prior academic work from any institution of higher education. You may submit unofficial transcripts through the electronic application process. Official transcripts will be required upon admission only for enrolling students.

• Letters of Recommendation: To submit your application, you must provide the names and contact information for three recommenders in the application portal. You can submit your application prior to the actual letters being received, but you must list the names and contact information for three recommenders in order to submit. In order to be reviewed for admission, two of the three letters must be received within a week of the deadline. Applicants cannot designate which letters should be included in admission review. If all three letters are received, all of them will be used in the admission review process. Recommenders should submit letters through the electronic application—hard copy letters will be accepted but are not preferred. For students applying directly from their undergraduate program, we prefer to have at least one reference from a previous professor who can speak to your academic background and preparedness for graduate studies. If applying for the Public Sector Scholarship one letter must come from a supervisor or colleague in your public sector position.

• GRE Score or qualified waiver : You may submit self-reported (unofficial) GRE or GMAT scores for admission review. Official scores must be provided upon accepting an offer of admission. The Harris Public Policy institution code is 1832. Make your reservations with ETS directly: http://www.ets.org/gre. 

GRE Waivers

Applicants to the Master of Public Policy (MPP) must either meet one of the four waiver criteria below or submit a GRE test. Students will attest to the criteria and provide supporting documentation in the application. Please note, this information should not be sent via email, and must be uploaded and submitted as part of your application in order to be considered by the admissions committee.

The GRE waiver attestation is completed as part of your application for admission. Your transcript and resume documents, as well as your work experience section, education information, and additional information provided in your application are the support for your GRE waiver attestation. These elements will be used for verification during the admission review process. You do not need to send GRE waiver documentation separately from your application.

1. Qualifying Professional Experience. At the time of application submission, applicants must indicate in their work history and on their resume that they have completed five or more years of full-time relevant professional work.  

• Relevant may be defined as related to policy, government, business, economics, education, or social services.   
• Applicants in other fields may attest that their work experience is relevant to public policy study.  
• Five or more years are calculated as the time between  completion of bachelor's degree and the date of application submission.

2. Military Service. Completed five years of active duty national military service (in any country).

3. Documented coursework. Completed the equivalent of college-level, credit-bearing, Calculus I and/or beyond with a grade of B or better. Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus may satisfy this requirement if it appears on the undergraduate college transcript as college credits.

• Please see MATH 15100 Calculus I in the UChicago Course Catalog for an example of the concepts to have been covered.  
• Applicants who completed Calculus I in a different grading scale may attest that they earned the equivalent of a B or better. 

4. Qualifying Education. Applicants who are graduates of an undergraduate program at the University of Chicago. 

5. Social Impact Fellowship finalists who earn an 80 or above on the technical assessment.

Approved GRE Test Substitutions  

• Applicants to the JD/MPP may submit the LSAT  
• Applicants to the MPP may submit the GMAT 
• Applicants to the University of Chicago Medicine partner programs for physicians may submit the MCAT 

Please note: only currently enrolled undergraduate students at the University of Chicago are eligible to apply to the Bx/MPP. 

English Language Requirement

Applicants to the Harris School of Public Policy who do not meet the English proficiency waiver criteria must submit proof of English language proficiency, in the form of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Read about test score requirements.

Minimum Score

While we do consider TOEFL/IELTS scores below the minimum requirement, including the total and sub-scores, admitted students with below requirement scores will receive conditional admissions until they achieve the required score(s).

Exam Retake

If you choose to retake the exam to meet the minimum requirement, note that we accept the highest total score and sub-score of each valid exam. In the Test Scores section of the application include the dates of your upcoming retake exam. 

Waiver

Harris Admissions is not authorized to waive the English language requirement and must be granted by the University of Chicago. The Harris application system will automatically grant the waiver if you meet the University of Chicago's English language requirements.

Hardship Requests 

Applicants for whom a recent natural disaster or other major, widespread disruption has affected their ability to complete an application may submit a Hardship Request. For more information and questions about the Hardship Request, please contact gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.   

Gain fundamental skills of policy analysis in this accelerated full-time program, and earn your MA in Public Policy in one academic year.

Deadlines

The above notification dates are subject to change. We typically release both scholarship and admission decisions at the same time. Students who receive a scholarship will see a letter on their account.

Applications are accepted until space is no longer available. Decisions may be released periodically as space becomes available or completed documents are received. If you have questions, please email harrisadmissions@uchicago.edu.

Requirements

The Committee on Admission and Aid evaluates all official transcripts of academic work, personal essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities and community service, performance on standardized tests (for full-time degree programs), and any special factors brought to its attention. The committee considers each application on the basis of all materials submitted and does not automatically eliminate applications based on grade point averages or test scores. 

The following documents are required for admission to full-time master’s degree programs:

• Online Graduate Application: Complete all required fields in the online graduate application.

• Resume: Upload a current resume, reflecting your work experience, education, community service, professional honors, and any other relevant information.

• Motivation Statement: Prepare a brief and well-articulated response to the questions: Why Harris? Why public policy? (300 words)

• Optional Short Essay (Choose one):

  • Option 1: Policy—Public policy challenges often persist despite significant attention, resources, and political will. Identify a specific public policy issue — domestic or international — that you find most puzzling and analyze why. (max 500 words)

  • Option 2: Community—Where do you see yourself getting involved in the community during your time at Harris - either at the University of Chicago or in the city of Chicago? (max 300 words)

• Transcripts: Submit transcripts for all prior academic work from any institution of higher education. You may submit unofficial transcripts through the electronic application process. Official transcripts will be required upon admission only for enrolling students.

• Letters of Recommendation: To submit your application, you must provide the names and contact information for three recommenders in the application portal. You can submit your application prior to the actual letters being received, but you must list the names and contact information for three recommenders in order to submit. In order to be reviewed for admission, two of the three letters must be received within a week of the deadline. Applicants cannot designate which letters should be included in admission review. If all three letters are received, all of them will be used in the admission review process. Recommenders should submit letters through the electronic application—hard copy letters will be accepted but are not preferred. For students applying directly from their undergraduate program, we prefer to have at least one reference from a previous professor who can speak to your academic background and preparedness for graduate studies. If applying for the Public Sector Scholarship one letter must come from a supervisor or colleague in your public sector position. 

• GRE Score or qualified waiver : You may submit self-reported (unofficial) GRE or GMAT scores for admission review. Official scores must be provided upon accepting an offer of admission. The Harris Public Policy institution code is 1832. Make your reservations with ETS directly: http://www.ets.org/gre. Information about GRE waivers is below. 

GRE Waivers

Applicants to the MA in Public Policy (MA) must either meet one of the four waiver criteria below or submit a GRE test. Students will attest to the criteria and provide supporting documentation in the application. 

The GRE waiver attestation is completed as part of your application for admission. Your transcript and resume documents, as well as your work experience section, education information, and additional information provided in your application are the support for your GRE waiver attestation. These elements will be used for verification during the admission review process. You do not need to send GRE waiver documentation separately from your application.

Please note, this information should not be sent via email, and must be uploaded and submitted as part of your application in order to be considered by the admissions committee.

1. Qualifying Professional Experience. At the time of application submission, applicants must indicate in their work history and on their resume that they have completed five or more years of full-time relevant professional work.  

• Relevant may be defined as related to policy, government, business, economics, education, or social services.   
• Applicants in other fields may attest that their work experience is relevant to public policy study.  
• Five or more years are calculated as the time between  completion of bachelor's degree and the date of application submission.

2. Military Service. Completed five years of active duty national military service (in any country).

3. Documented coursework. Completed the equivalent of college-level, credit-bearing, Calculus I and/or beyond with a grade of B or better. Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus may satisfy this requirement if it appears on the undergraduate college transcript as college credits.

• Please see MATH 15100 Calculus I in the UChicago Course Catalog for an example of the concepts to have been covered.  
• Applicants who completed Calculus I in a different grading scale may attest that they earned the equivalent of a B or better. 

4. Qualifying Education. Applicants who are graduates of an undergraduate program at the University of Chicago. 

5. Social Impact Fellowship finalists who earn an 80 or above on the technical assessment.

Approved GRE Test Substitutions  

Applicants to the MA (full-time) may submit the GMAT.

English Language Requirement

Applicants to the Harris School of Public Policy who do not meet the English proficiency waiver criteria must submit proof of English language proficiency, in the form of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Read about test score requirements.

Minimum Score

While we do consider TOEFL/IELTS scores below the minimum requirement, including the total and sub-scores, admitted students with below requirement scores will receive conditional admissions until they achieve the required score(s).

Exam Retake

If you choose to retake the exam to meet the minimum requirement, note that we accept the highest total score and sub-score of each valid exam. In the Test Scores section of the application include the dates of your upcoming retake exam. 

Waiver

Harris Admissions is not authorized to waive the English language requirement and must be granted by the University of Chicago. The Harris application system will automatically grant the waiver if you meet the University of Chicago's English language requirements.

Hardship Requests 

Applicants for whom a recent natural disaster or other major, widespread disruption has affected their ability to complete an application may submit a Hardship Request. For more information and questions about the Hardship Request, please contact gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.   

In the MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) program, students apply big data to big problems and prepare for a career at the intersection of public policy and data science.

Deadlines

The above notification dates are subject to change. We typically release both scholarship and admission decisions at the same time. Students who receive a scholarship will see a letter on their account.

Applications are accepted until space is no longer available. Decisions may be released periodically as space becomes available or completed documents are received. If you have questions, please email harrisadmissions@uchicago.edu.

Requirements

The following documents are required for admission to full-time master’s degree programs. 

The Committee on Admission and Aid evaluates all official transcripts of academic work, personal essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities and community service, performance on standardized tests (for full-time degree programs), and any special factors brought to its attention. The committee considers each application on the basis of all materials submitted and does not automatically eliminate applications based on grade point averages or test scores. 

• Online Graduate Application: Complete all required fields in the online graduate application.

• Resume: Upload a current resume, reflecting your work experience, education, community service, professional honors, and any other relevant information.

• Short answers: Prepare a brief and well-articulated response to the following questions (150 words max):

  • What are your career goals? (required)

  • How is a degree that is at least 1/3 public policy going to help achieve those career goals? (required)

  • How is a degree that is at least 1/3 computer science going to help achieve those career goals? (required)

  • Is there anything else you want to share with use that will help put your application in context? (optional)

• Transcripts: Submit transcripts for all prior academic work from any institution of higher education. You may submit unofficial transcripts through the electronic application process. Official transcripts will be required upon admission only for enrolling students.

• Letters of Recommendation: To submit your application, you must provide the names and contact information for three recommenders in the application portal. You can submit your application prior to the actual letters being received, but you must list the names and contact information for three recommenders in order to submit. In order to be reviewed for admission, two of the three letters must be received within a week of the deadline.
  Applicants cannot designate which letters should be included in admission review. If all three letters are received, all of them will be used in the admission review process. Recommenders should submit letters through the electronic application—hard copy letters will be accepted but are not preferred. For students applying directly from their undergraduate program, we prefer to have at least one reference from a previous professor who can speak to your academic background and preparedness for graduate studies. If applying for the Public Sector Scholarship one letter must come from a supervisor or colleague in your public sector position. 

• GRE Score or qualified waiver : You may submit self-reported (unofficial) GRE or GMAT scores for admission review. Official scores must be provided upon accepting an offer of admission. The Harris Public Policy institution code is 1832. Make your reservations with ETS directly: http://www.ets.org/gre. Information about GRE waivers is below. 

GRE Waivers

Applicants to the MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) program must either meet one of the four waiver criteria below or submit a GRE test. Students will attest to the criteria and provide supporting documentation in the application. 

The GRE waiver attestation is completed as part of your application for admission. Your transcript and resume documents, as well as your work experience section, education information, and additional information provided in your application are the support for your GRE waiver attestation. These elements will be used for verification during the admission review process. You do not need to send GRE waiver documentation separately from your application.

Please note, this information should not be sent via email, and must be uploaded and submitted as part of your application in order to be considered by the admissions committee.

1. Qualifying Professional Experience. At the time of application submission, applicants must indicate in their work history and on their resume that they have completed five or more years of full-time relevant professional work.  

• Relevant may be defined as related to policy, government, business, economics, education, or social services.   
• Applicants in other fields may attest that their work experience is relevant to public policy study.  
• Five or more years are calculated as the time between  completion of bachelor's degree and the date of application submission.

2. Military Service. Completed five years of active duty national military service (in any country).

3. Documented coursework. Completed the equivalent of college-level, credit-bearing, Calculus I and/or beyond with a grade of B or better. Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus may satisfy this requirement if it appears on the undergraduate college transcript as college credits.

• Please see MATH 15100 Calculus I in the UChicago Course Catalog for an example of the concepts to have been covered.  
• Applicants who completed Calculus I in a different grading scale may attest that they earned the equivalent of a B or better. 

4. Qualifying Education. Applicants who are graduates of an undergraduate program at the University of Chicago. 

5. Social Impact Fellowship finalists who earn an 80 or above on the technical assessment.

Approved GRE Test Substitutions  

Applicants to the MSCAPP program may submit the GMAT.

The GRE is not required for the Five Year MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy with the College (Bx/MSCAPP) programs. Please note: only currently enrolled undergraduate students at the University of Chicago are eligible to apply to the Bx/MSCAPP program

English Language Requirement

Applicants to the Harris School of Public Policy who do not meet the English proficiency waiver criteria must submit proof of English language proficiency, in the form of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Read about test score requirements.

Minimum Score

While we do consider TOEFL/IELTS scores below the minimum requirement, including the total and sub-scores, admitted students with below requirement scores will receive conditional admissions until they achieve the required score(s).

Exam Retake

If you choose to retake the exam to meet the minimum requirement, note that we accept the highest total score and sub-score of each valid exam. In the Test Scores section of the application include the dates of your upcoming retake exam. 

Waiver

Harris Admissions is not authorized to waive the English language requirement and must be granted by the University of Chicago. The Harris application system will automatically grant the waiver if you meet the University of Chicago's English language requirements.

Hardship Requests 

Applicants for whom a recent natural disaster or other major, widespread disruption has affected their ability to complete an application may submit a Hardship Request. For more information and questions about the Hardship Request, please contact gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.  

The part-time Evening Master's Program (EMP) is designed for mid-career professionals who want to build the analytical skills needed to lead organizations through complex policy challenges and accelerate social impact.

Application Deadlines

Applications will be reviewed during application deadline periods. Applications received after the application deadline will be reviewed as space is available.

Application Requirements

The following documents are required for admission to the part-time Evening Master’s Program (EMP).

• Online Graduate Application: Complete all required fields in the online graduate application.

• Resume. Upload a current resume, reflecting your work experience, education, community service, professional honors, and any other relevant information.

• Motivation Statement: Prepare a brief and well-articulated response to the questions: Why Harris? Why Public Policy? (300 words)

• Transcripts. You may submit unofficial transcripts through the electronic application process. Official transcripts will be required upon admission only for enrolling students. Please submit transcripts for all prior academic work from any institution of higher education.

• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation. Recommenders should submit letters through the electronic application—hard copy letters will be accepted but are not preferred. To submit your application, you must provide the names and contact information for three recommenders in the application portal. The application will not allow you to submit without the contact information for three designated recommenders listed in the portal. You can submit your application prior to the actual letters being received, but you must list the names and contact information for three recommenders in order to submit. In order to be reviewed for admission, two of the three letters must be received within a week of the deadline.

Applicants cannot designate which letters should be included in admission review. If all three letters are received, all of them will be used in the admission review process

English Language Requirement

Applicants to the Harris School of Public Policy who do not meet the English proficiency waiver criteria must submit proof of English language proficiency, in the form of either Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Read about required minimum scores for each test.

Short Essays (Optional)

Evening Master's Program (EMP) applicants are not required to complete the short essay. However, EMP applicants who wish to be considered for another program if not admitted to their original program choice must submit the required short essay.

Receive one-on-one faculty mentoring and experience in research and quantitative methods with the MA in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM), designed for people who plan to pursue a career in research or a PhD.

Deadlines

The above notification dates are subject to change. We typically release both scholarship and admission decisions at the same time. Students who receive a scholarship will see a letter on their account.

Applications are accepted until space is no longer available. Decisions may be released periodically as space becomes available or completed documents are received. If you have questions, please email harrisadmissions@uchicago.edu.

Requirements

The Committee on Admission and Aid evaluates all official transcripts of academic work, personal essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities and community service, performance on standardized tests (for full-time degree programs), and any special factors brought to its attention. The committee considers each application on the basis of all materials submitted and does not automatically eliminate applications based on grade point averages or test scores.

The following documents are required for admission to full-time master’s degree programs:

• Online Graduate Application: Complete all required fields in the online graduate application.

• Resume: Upload a current resume, reflecting your work experience, education, community service, professional honors, and any other relevant information.

• Motivation Statement: Prepare a brief and well-articulated response to a prompted question regarding your motivation to pursue graduate studies in public policy (300 words).*

• Add Optional Short Essay (Choose one):

  • Option 1: Policy—Public policy challenges often persist despite significant attention, resources, and political will. Identify a specific public policy issue—domestic or international—that you find most puzzling and analyze why. (max 500 words)

  • Option 2: Community—Where do you see yourself getting involved in the community during your time at Harris - either at the University of Chicago or in the city of Chicago? (max 300 words)

• Transcripts: Submit transcripts for all prior academic work from any institution of higher education. You may submit unofficial transcripts through the electronic application process. Official transcripts will be required upon admission only for enrolling students.

• Letters of Recommendation: To submit your application, you must provide the names and contact information for three recommenders in the application portal. You can submit your application prior to the actual letters being received, but you must list the names and contact information for three recommenders in order to submit. In order to be reviewed for admission, two of the three letters must be received within a week of the deadline.
  Applicants cannot designate which letters should be included in admission review. If all three letters are received, all of them will be used in the admission review process. Recommenders should submit letters through the electronic application—hard copy letters will be accepted but are not preferred. For students applying directly from their undergraduate program, we prefer to have at least one reference from a previous professor who can speak to your academic background and preparedness for graduate studies. If applying for the Public Sector Scholarship one letter must come from a supervisor or colleague in your public sector position. 

• GRE Score or qualified waiver : You may submit self-reported (unofficial) GRE or GMAT scores for admission review. Official scores must be provided upon accepting an offer of admission. The Harris Public Policy institution code is 1832. Make your reservations with ETS directly: http://www.ets.org/gre.***

GRE Waivers

Applicants to MA in Public Public Policy with a Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) program must either meet one of the four waiver criteria below or submit a GRE test. Students will attest to the criteria and provide supporting documentation in the application. The GRE waiver attestation is completed as part of your application for admission. Your transcript and resume documents, as well as your work experience section, education information, and additional information provided in your application are the support for your GRE waiver attestation. These elements will be used for verification during the admission review process. You do not need to send GRE waiver documentation separately from your application.

Please note, this information should not be sent via email, and must be uploaded and submitted as part of your application in order to be considered by the admissions committee.

1. Qualifying Professional Experience. At the time of application submission, applicants must indicate in their work history and on their resume that they have completed five or more years of full-time relevant professional work.  

• Relevant may be defined as related to policy, government, business, economics, education, or social services.   
• Applicants in other fields may attest that their work experience is relevant to public policy study.  
• Five or more years are calculated as the time between  completion of bachelor's degree and the date of application submission.

2. Military Service. Completed five years of active duty national military service (in any country).

3. Documented coursework. Completed the equivalent of college-level, credit-bearing, Calculus I and/or beyond with a grade of B or better. Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus may satisfy this requirement if it appears on the undergraduate college transcript as college credits.

• Please see MATH 15100 Calculus I in the UChicago Course Catalog for an example of the concepts to have been covered.  
• Applicants who completed Calculus I in a different grading scale may attest that they earned the equivalent of a B or better. 

4. Qualifying Education. Applicants who are graduates of an undergraduate program at the University of Chicago. 

5. Social Impact Fellowship finalists who earn an 80 or above on the technical assessment.

Approved GRE Test Substitutions  

Applicants to the MACRM program may submit the GMAT 

English Language Requirement

Applicants to the Harris School of Public Policy who do not meet the English proficiency waiver criteria must submit proof of English language proficiency, in the form of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Read about test score requirements.

Minimum Score

While we do consider TOEFL/IELTS scores below the minimum requirement, including the total and sub-scores, admitted students with below requirement scores will receive conditional admissions until they achieve the required score(s).

Exam Retake

If you choose to retake the exam to meet the minimum requirement, note that we accept the highest total score and sub-score of each valid exam. In the Test Scores section of the application include the dates of your upcoming retake exam. 

Waiver

Harris Admissions is not authorized to waive the English language requirement and must be granted by the University of Chicago. The Harris application system will automatically grant the waiver if you meet the University of Chicago's English language requirements.

Hardship Requests 

Applicants for whom a recent natural disaster or other major, widespread disruption has affected their ability to complete an application may submit a Hardship Request. For more information and questions about the Hardship Request, please contact gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.   

Application Deadline

December 3, 2026

Application Requirements

The following documents are required for admission to the PhD program.

• Online Graduate Application: Complete all required fields in the online graduate application.

• Resume: Upload a current resume, reflecting your work experience, education, community service, professional honors, and any other relevant information.

• Research Statement: Prepare a well-articulated response to a prompted question regarding your motivation to pursue graduate studies in public policy, specifically addressing your research interests (800 words).

• Writing Sample: PhD candidates will be required to submit a writing sample or single-authored research paper.

• Transcripts: You may submit unofficial transcripts through the electronic application process. Official transcripts will be required upon admission only for enrolling students. Please submit transcripts for all prior academic work from any institution of higher education.

• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation: We are looking letters of recommendation that speak to your professional or academic ability. Recommenders should submit letters through the electronic application.

• GRE Scores: The Harris Public Policy institution code is 1832. Either code will be accepted. Please make your reservations with ETS directly: http://www.ets.org/gre. Please contact the Harris Admissions Office if you have questions regarding other standardized tests. PhD applicants must submit official GRE scores and cannot request a waiver.

• Language Requirements: TOEFL/IELTS or IELTS scores. See more details in the section below. 

• Application Fee (Submitted with Online Application): Please note, while a $90 nonrefundable application fee is still required for PhD applicants, fee waivers are available. In order to have your application fee waived you must start an application and complete the Fee Waiver Request Form, which is linked to from your online application on the instructions page of the application. If approved, you will be notified directly.

English Language Requirement

Applicants to the Harris School of Public Policy who do not meet the English proficiency waiver criteria must submit proof of English language proficiency, in the form of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Read about test score requirements.

Minimum Score

While we do consider TOEFL/IELTS scores below the minimum requirement, including the total and sub-scores, admitted students with below requirement scores will receive conditional admissions until they achieve the required score(s).

Exam Retake

If you choose to retake the exam to meet the minimum requirement, note that we accept the highest total score and sub-score of each valid exam. In the Test Scores section of the application include the dates of your upcoming retake exam. 

Waiver

Harris Admissions is not authorized to waive the English language requirement and must be granted by the University of Chicago. The Harris application system will automatically grant the waiver if you meet the University of Chicago's English language requirements.

Hardship Requests 

Applicants for whom a recent natural disaster or other major, widespread disruption has affected their ability to complete an application may submit a Hardship Request. For more information and questions about the Hardship Request, please contact gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.