Address: 5801 South Ellis Avenue, 60637 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Economics, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences
Established in 1890, UChicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, renowned for its rigorous intellectual atmosphere, influential schools of thought (e.g., Chicago School of Economics), and numerous Nobel laureates.
The University of Chicago opened in 1892, after a gift from John D. Rockefeller and land donated by Marshall Field, with William Rainey Harper as its first president. The campus sits in the Hyde Park neighbourhood on the South Side, about ten kilometres from the Loop, and its Gothic quadrangles are arranged around green courtyards. It has about 18,000 students, a large share of them in graduate and professional programmes, and roughly 8,000 staff. The academic year runs on a quarter system, which keeps courses short and demanding.
The undergraduate college is known for its Core curriculum, a set of required courses in the humanities, sciences and social sciences that students share whatever their major. The reputation for hard questioning is part of the identity. Robert Maynard Hutchins, who led the university in the 1930s and 1940s, pushed the study of great books and general education, and the habit of argument remains strong in seminars.
Research has changed several fields. On 2 December 1942, a team led by Enrico Fermi achieved the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction in a squash court beneath the old football stands, in the Chicago Pile-1 experiment. The Chicago school of economics, associated with Milton Friedman, George Stigler and Gary Becker, shaped modern economic thought, and the Booth School of Business continues that quantitative tradition. The university also manages Argonne National Laboratory for the federal government and has close ties to Fermilab.
The Oriental Institute, now the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, holds major collections from the Near East, and the University of Chicago Press is among the largest university presses in the United States. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House, a landmark of prairie-style architecture, stands on the campus. The Laboratory Schools, founded by John Dewey, serve children from nursery age to high school.
Admission is highly selective, and financial aid is based on need. Check the current tariff for tuition. Teaching is in English, and a Metra suburban train and buses link Hyde Park to downtown Chicago.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Known for its intense academic rigor and influential “Chicago Schools” in economics, sociology, and literary criticism. Manages Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. Member of AAU. Numerous Nobel laureates, especially in economics.
Research:
A world-leading research university with exceptional strengths in economics, physics, mathematics, sociology, law, and public policy. Strong interdisciplinary research culture.
Famous Alumnis:
Milton Friedman, Barack Obama (taught law), Carl Sagan, Susan Sontag, Bernie Sanders, Satya Nadella (MBA)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8000
Current students***:
18000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
180000
Pros
World-renowned for academic rigor and intellectual inquiry, home to influential schools of thought, numerous Nobel laureates, located in a major city.
Cons
Extremely demanding academic environment (“where fun goes to die” is an old moniker, though campus life has evolved), urban campus in Hyde Park with some safety concerns in surrounding areas, very competitive.
Best For
Highly intellectual and academically driven students seeking a rigorous education with a strong emphasis on critical thinking, inquiry, and research, particularly in economics, sciences, or humanities.
Harvard University sits close to this university on statistics, physics and mathematics; it is slightly larger, at about 21,200 students against roughly 18,000 here, and is also a private institution.
Among national alternatives, Northwestern University stands out for its focus on life sciences, data analytics and AI and machine learning, and it is slightly larger, at about 23,500 students against roughly 18,000 here, and is also a private institution.
Think of Princeton University when physics, mathematics and life sciences is the priority: it is smaller, enrolling about 9,100 students against roughly 18,000 here, and is also a private institution.
Among national alternatives, Yale University stands out for its focus on statistics, physics and mathematics, and it is also a private institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
For students who like the physics, life sciences and data analytics focus of this university but want another option nearby, Stanford University fits well: it is also a private institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Masaryk University (the Czech Republic) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly statistics, physics and mathematics; it covers chemistry as well, and is larger, enrolling about 35,115 students against roughly 18,000 here.
Pompeu Fabra University (Spain) works on the same fields as this institution, chiefly statistics, life sciences and data analytics; it is public, whereas this institution is private, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
Tel Aviv University, in Israel, takes a similar route through statistics, physics and mathematics; it is larger, enrolling about 28,500 students against roughly 18,000 here, and is public, whereas this university is private.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on statistics, mathematics and life sciences is Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Italy, and it covers finance and agriculture as well, and is larger, enrolling about 30,263 students against roughly 18,000 here.
Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong shares the statistics, physics and mathematics orientation of this university, and it is public, whereas this university is private, and runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Chicago?
In the Hyde Park neighbourhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, about ten kilometres from the Loop.
When did it open?
In 1892, with a gift from John D. Rockefeller and land from Marshall Field.
How large is it?
About 18,000 students, many of them in graduate and professional programmes, and roughly 8,000 staff.
What is the Core curriculum?
A set of required courses in the humanities, sciences and social sciences shared by all undergraduates.
What happened at Chicago in 1942?
A team led by Enrico Fermi achieved the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, in the Chicago Pile-1 experiment.
What is the Chicago school of economics?
A school of thought associated with Milton Friedman, George Stigler and Gary Becker.
What laboratory does it manage?
Argonne National Laboratory, for the federal government.
What is the Robie House?
A prairie-style house by Frank Lloyd Wright located on the campus.
Does it use semesters?
No. The academic year runs on a quarter system.
How is financial aid decided?
It is based on need. Check the current tariff for tuition.
Innovation, Mathematics, Physics, Quality Management, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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