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International

The College welcomes talented students from all over the world and is dedicated to providing financial support regardless of their home address.

As an international applicant, your need-based financial aid eligibility is determined during the admissions process prior to your first year and is then locked in for all four years. You would not have to re-apply for need-based financial aid in future years. International students who do not apply for need-based financial aid during the admissions process are not able to apply in later years.

Need-based financial aid from the College is intended to cover tuition and fees as much as possible. Expenses beyond tuition and fees (including food and housing, travel to and from Chicago, etc.) will need to be paid out of pocket or with the help of the international stipend.

International student financial aid applications are processed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Please contact them with any questions regarding the process.

International Student Stipends

International student financial aid packages will include an international stipend. This portion of the financial aid package will be paid directly to the student either via a mailed check or direct deposit to a United States bank account. The funds from the stipend can then be used to pay toward the student's remaining charges due to the university.

In order to receive the stipend, international students are required to complete and upload several documents to Workday.

  • UPP 192 Form

  • W-8Ben Form

  • Completed immigration documentation (F1 visa students -I20 form; J1 visa students - DS 2019 form)

  • I-94 documentation (available online after the student arrives in the U.S here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home

  • An affidavit stating that they will apply for an ITIN upon arrival

    • Form will be provided

    • The Office of International Affairs will help students with the ITIN Application and filing taxes (if applicable)

The Office of Financial Aid will contact first-year international students in August via their UChicago Email address with copies of these forms and instructions on how to complete them.

Due to IRS regulations international student stipends are subject to US taxation. The University may withhold up to 14% of your stipend for federal tax purposes, and all stipend recipients will need to file a US tax return. The Office of International Affairs (OIA) has resources to help you with - filing US Federal Taxes with Sprintax.

Some countries participate in a Tax Treaty Benefit with the United States, that allow stipends to be tax free. See the W-8BEN form and instructions for the list of countries that participate in the Tax Treaty Benefit. If your country of residence does not participate, please plan for 14% of your stipend to be withheld for US taxation. If your country of residence does participate in the Tax Treaty Benefit, then taxes will not need to be withheld*.

*Please Note that even if your country of residence does participate in the Tax Treaty Benefit (list of participating countries on W-8BEN form and instructions), until the UChicago payroll office has your ITIN / SSN on file, they will still have to withhold the taxes on your stipend. Once they have the ITIN on file and you complete a new W-8BEN (including Part II) with your ITIN number, they’ll be able to return the amount that was withheld for taxes to you.

When searching for a U.S. bank to open an account, international students should try to find one that does not charge fees for these types of transactions. We recommend looking into the Maroon Credit Union on campus as an option.

International Student Appeals

In rare cases, international students may be able to appeal their financial aid due to a drastic change in family financial circumstances. The only circumstances considered for international student financial aid appeals are (documentation required):

  • Family financial situation impacted by ongoing war or military conflict in their home country

  • Family financial situation impacted by national economic crisis in their home country

  • Family financial situation negatively impacted by the devaluation of the local currency

  • Family financial situation impacted by primary wage-earning parent becoming incapacitated

Any other situation would not be considered for an international student financial aid appeal.

Other resources:

  • International loans

  • International Scholarships

  • Third-party grants and scholarships

  • OIA

  • Payroll

  • Workday