University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a private research university in the Hyde Park area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It offers programs for undergraduate and graduate students. The university has four main graduate divisions in arts and humanities, biological sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences. It also has professional schools for business, social work, theology, public policy, law, medicine, molecular engineering, and continuing studies.

The University of Chicago has helped shape many academic fields, such as economics, law, and physics. One of its big achievements was creating the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction in Chicago Pile-1 under Stagg Field. The university also runs important research centers like the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory.

People connected with the university—including students, teachers, and staff—have won many top awards. This includes Nobel Prizes, Fields Medals, and Olympic medals, showing the university's contributions to learning and discovery.

History

Main article: History of the University of Chicago

Old University of Chicago

Further information: Old University of Chicago

The first University of Chicago began with a group of Baptist teachers. It opened in 1857 with land from Senator Stephen A. Douglas and money from its first leader, John C. Burroughs. The school closed in 1886 because it ran out of money, after events like the Great Chicago Fire and a big economic crash called the Panic of 1873. In 1890, the old school's leaders called it the "Old University of Chicago" so a new school could use the name. The new school later agreed to accept graduates from the old school.

Early years

In 1890, a group called the American Baptist Education Society started a new University of Chicago. It was planned for both men and women. They used money they had and a large gift from John D. Rockefeller, a co-founder of Standard Oil, plus land from Marshall Field. Rich people in Chicago also helped pay, like Silas B. Cobb, who gave money for the first building.

William Rainey Harper became the school's leader in 1891, and classes began in 1892. He paid teachers well and split students into two groups: the first two years were to prepare for harder studies, and the last two years were more advanced. The school used a special calendar with four parts instead of semesters. Harper also brought a religious school to join the university, which became the Divinity School in 1891.

Rockefeller kept giving money even after the school started. Harper’s plans to grow the school and pay for research caused money problems, which Rockefeller helped cover. After Harper died in 1906, Harry Pratt Judson took over. He made the school save money, which led Rockefeller to give even more money.

1906–1929

Judson led the school until 1923, when Ernest D. Burton became leader. Burton started a big fundraising effort and tried to improve student housing. He died suddenly in 1925. Max Mason took over and focused fundraising on local business people instead of citywide efforts.

1929–1950

In 1929, Robert Maynard Hutchins, a young dean from Yale, became leader. He reorganized the school’s departments and created new basic courses for all students. The hard times of the Great Depression caused money problems, but Hutchins tried to keep teacher salaries stable. The school had to stop its football team in 1939 because of money issues.

During World War II, the school helped with important science work.

1951–1977

In 1951, Lawrence Kimpton became the new leader. He had to cut costs to balance the budget, which he managed to do by 1954. Later, he shortened the basic courses from four years to two to attract more students. The school also worked with the city to improve safety in the neighborhood.

In 1961, George Beadle took over. He used money from a big grant to hire more teachers and build new buildings. Students sometimes protested.

In 1967, Edward Levi became leader. During his time, students protested many times. In 1967, teachers made rules to protect free speech and academic freedom.

1978–present

In 1978, Hanna Holborn Gray became the first woman to lead a major research university in the United States. She improved the school’s money systems and added new courses for all students. She also brought back school sports and improved student life.

In 1992, Hugo F. Sonnenschein took over during tough money times. A big fundraising effort helped. In 1996, he suggested letting in more students and changing the basic courses.

In 2006, Robert J. Zimmer became leader. He borrowed money to build new buildings. The school also opened centers in other countries.

In 2021, Paul Alivisatos became leader.

Campus

The main campus of the University of Chicago is in the Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods of Chicago, about eight miles south of downtown. It covers 217 acres and has beautiful buildings designed in Gothic styles, inspired by universities in Oxford, England. The campus has six main open spaces surrounded by historic buildings.

Over time, the campus has grown with modern buildings, including a large library, a sports center, and new student homes. Notable places on campus include a sculpture marking the site where an important scientific discovery was made, and a house designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Nearby, the future home of the Obama Presidential Center is being built in Jackson Park.

The campus is easy to reach using public transportation, including bus and train lines, and the university offers shuttle services to help students get around. The university also has smaller campuses and centers in cities around the world, such as Hong Kong, London, and Paris, offering students chances to study abroad.

Academics

The University of Chicago has a college for students starting their studies and four groups for more advanced research. It also has seven special schools for areas like business, law, and medicine, plus a school for ongoing learning.

The university uses a quarter system with four terms each year: Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring. Students usually take three to four classes each term. The main college offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in many subjects. It includes five areas of study: Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and a New Collegiate Division that mixes subjects together. The university is known for special programs, like studying important books together and learning a foreign language.

The groups for advanced research are Arts & Humanities, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. The university spends a lot on research and has many research centers and labs. The university also has seven special schools, including schools for business, law, and medicine, each offering advanced degrees. There are also many other programs and institutions connected to the university, like schools for younger students and special libraries. The university's arts programs include studying music, art, and theater, with many students taking part in creative classes each year. The university is very well known around the world for how good it is at research and teaching.

Administration and finance

See also: List of presidents of the University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is led by a group called the board of trustees. This group helps plan the university's future and raise money. It has 55 members, including the university president. Under the president are important leaders like the provost, vice presidents, and deans. As of May 2022, the chair of the board is David Rubenstein. The provost is Katherine Baicker, appointed in March 2023. The current president is chemist Paul Alivisatos, who began in September 2021.

The university had a lot of money saved, about $10.1 billion, in 2024. In 2023, it employed many teachers and support staff. In 2024, the university’s budget was large, but it still faced money problems. The university plans to make changes to manage its money better.

Student body and admissions

In fall 2025, the university had 7,496 undergraduate students, 11,195 graduate students, and 408 students not working toward a degree. The class of 2025 is 53% male and 47% female. Twenty-seven percent of students identify as Asian, 19% as Hispanic, and 10% as Black. Eighteen percent of the class comes from outside the country. The university treats all domestic applicants the same, no matter their financial situation.

Getting into the University of Chicago is now very hard. Over the past twenty years, the number of students who get in has dropped a lot. In 1996, 71 out of every 100 students were accepted. By 2023, only about 5 out of every 100 were accepted. This change happened because the way students apply, how popular the school is, and its marketing have all changed. In 2018, the University of Chicago decided not to require SAT or ACT test scores from students applying to college.

Athletics

Main article: Chicago Maroons

The University of Chicago has 19 sports teams, called the Maroons. About 500 students play for these teams. They compete in the NCAA Division III and belong to the University Athletic Association. Their mascot is named Phil the Phoenix.

The university used to be part of the Big Ten Conference. In 1935, a football player from the school, Jay Berwanger, was the first to win the Heisman Trophy. Later, the university stopped playing football in 1946, but it returned in 1969 as a smaller team.

The school also has a rugby team and a sailing club that has won many prizes. There is also an ultimate frisbee team called UChicago Fission.

Student life

Student organizations

Students at the University of Chicago run over 400 clubs and groups called Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs). These include cultural and religious groups, academic clubs and teams, and groups with shared interests. Some well-known groups are the nation's oldest continuously running student film society Doc Films, the team that organizes the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt, and the student newspaper The Chicago Maroon.

Student government

All recognized student organizations get their money from the University of Chicago Undergraduate Student Government. This group is made up of undergraduate students who are elected to represent their fellow students. It has a president and several vice presidents who help lead it.

There is also a separate group called the Graduate Council that looks after the needs of graduate students.

Fraternities and sororities

As of 2019^[update], there were more than 20 Greek organizations on campus.

Student housing

Main article: Housing at the University of Chicago

Undergraduate students at the University of Chicago live in one of seven residence hall buildings. Each student is also part of a smaller group within their building called a "house," and there are 48 houses in total. Students must live in university housing for the first six quarters of their studies.

The university also has housing for graduate students near campus.

Traditions

Every May since 1987, the university holds the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt, where student teams try to find unusual items from a list. In January, there is a week-long winter festival called Kuviasungnerk/Kangeiko (Kuvia) with early morning exercises and fitness workshops. The university also holds a carnival and concert named Summer Breeze with outside musicians. Ida Noyes Hall is where Doc Films shows movies every night. Since 1946, the university has held the Latke-Hamantash Debate, a fun discussion about latkes and hamantashen. Since 2002, the Ida Noyes Pub has hosted Trivia Nights for students and staff every Tuesday.

People

For a more comprehensive list, see List of University of Chicago people.

Since the university started in 1890, many smart people have been linked to the University of Chicago. Some of them even won big prizes called Nobel laureates while they worked or studied there. These prizes are for different things like Physics, Chemistry, and Economics.

The university has also had other top achievers, like winners of the Fields Medal and the Turing Award.

Some famous people who graduated here include Milton Friedman, Bernie Sanders, and Carl Sagan. Many alumni now lead big companies like Microsoft and Goldman Sachs, or work in important jobs in governments around the world. The university has also taught well-known people, such as former U.S. president Barack Obama.

In pop culture

The University of Chicago is where some famous characters from stories went to school, like Harry Burns and Sally Albright from When Harry Met Sally, Indiana Jones, and Mark Watney from The Martian. The university was also used to film parts of Divergent, The Fugitive, and Sense8.

A book character named Abe Ravelstein, from the novel Ravelstein, was based on a real teacher who worked at the University of Chicago.