Overview
Students from other institutions may enroll at the University of Chicago as a Non-Degree Visiting Student (NDVS) at the invitation of a faculty member in the Physical Sciences Division. NDVS students do not enroll in classes; instead their time is focused on completing research under the supervision of a faculty member.
All NDVS students must comply with the University’s general policies on non-degree visiting students and are responsible for NDVS tuition and fees. The Dean of Students Office manages the process for NDVS students’ admission to the University and can connect NDVS students to campus resources.
Applications should be submitted at least three months prior to the anticipated start date at the University. The faculty host and visiting student should select a start date that aligns with the University’s academic calendar. Recommended start and end date ranges are available online.
Please see below for more information about undergraduate and graduate non-degree visiting student policies and procedures.
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Arrival and Departure Dates
Absent exceptional circumstances, NDVS students should select a visit start date that aligns with the start of a University of Chicago academic quarter. For international NDVS in particular, mid-quarter arrivals can lead to visa delays, administrative processing or questioning at the border specific to why the student is arriving after the quarter start date.
NDVS students are charged tuition and associated fees on a quarterly basis. One day of residence at the University of Chicago will trigger costs for an entire quarter, and these costs cannot be prorated.
We strongly recommend choosing arrival and departure dates that fall within a quarter to avoid incurring additional expenses.
Note: break periods in between quarters do not count as an additional quarter of enrollment and thus do not generate additional charges. The "Last Day for NDVS" column below shows the final date a student could be in NDVS status without generating tuition and fee charges for the subsequent quarter.
| Quarter Begins | Quarter Ends | Last Day for NDVS | |
| Autumn 2024 | September 30 | December 14 | January 5, 2025 |
| Winter 2025 | January 6 | March 15 | March 23 |
| Spring 2025 | March 24 | June 7 | June 15 |
| Summer 2025 | June 16 | August 23 | September 28 |
| Autumn 2025 | September 29 | December 13 | January 4, 2026 |
Graduate Non-Degree Visiting Students
Students must be enrolled in M.S. or Ph.D programs at another university to be eligible for NDVS status at the University of Chicago. A student may be enrolled in NDVS status for up to four quarters.
Faculty interested in hosting a graduate NDVS student should contact the Dean of Students Office, which will work with the faculty and prospective visiting student to make arrangements.
Undergraduate Non-Degree Visiting Students
Undergraduate students in advanced undergraduate degree-seeking status at their home institution are eligible to enroll as NDVS students at the University of Chicago at the invitation of a faculty member. An undergraduate NDVS may be enrolled in NDVS status for up to four quarters.
As part of the application process through Slate, applicants will be asked to provide the following information:
- Name(s) of the faculty member(s) with whom the applicant will be conducting research
- The start and end dates of the student’s visit
- The quarter(s) during which the student will be in residence
- A statement of research goals
- One letter of recommendation from someone other than the faculty member(s) at the University of Chicago with whom the student will be working
International Students
International students should plan to apply for their visit at least three months in advance of their preferred start date to allow adequate time for visa processing.
International students who obtain the appropriate visa are eligible to enroll as NDVS students at the University of Chicago. International applicants will be asked to provide the following information:
- Proof of financial resources to cover anticipated tuition, fees, and living expenses
- A copy of the passport ID page
- Satisfaction of the English Language Requirements by one of the following methods:
- Waiver of English Language Requirement (if you are able to meet the criteria) or
- TOEFL or IELTS test scores that meet minimum score requirements or
- Obtaining a result of “Basic” or better on the Academic English Proficiency Assessment (AEPA) conducted by the Office of Language Assessment. In cases where it is required, the AEPA will be arranged once an application has been submitted. For more details, please review the AEPA website
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees for 2024-25 consist of $1,492 per quarter in tuition, $484 per quarter in required fees, and $1,666 per quarter for the University Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP). Students may also satisfy the insurance requirement by providing proof of comparable coverage, in which case they are eligible to waive the U-SHIP requirement. Living expenses are not billed directly by the University and are a rough estimate for living in Chicago for one quarter.
Tuition and fees are not prorated for shorter visits, so we recommend choosing start and end dates that adhere to the University’s academic calendar whenever possible.
Students who are covering part or all of their own costs will receive emails notifying them to pay their student bill at their University of Chicago email address. Information for self-payment options is available on the Bursar's website.
Students who require a J-1 visa (international students) must document each source of financial support during the DS-2019 request process. Financial support must equal or exceed the total cost of attendance summarized above. This page provides an overview of acceptable sources of financial documentation (including any awards from your home institution or scholarships, personal funds, etc.).
| Academic Year (per quarter) (2024-2025 rates) | Summer Quarter (2024) | |
| NDVS Tuition | $1492/quarter | $1492 |
| Student Services Fee | $484/quarter | $484 |
| University Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP) | $1666/quarter | $1082 |
| Living Expenses (estimated) | $6760/quarter | $6760 |
| TOTAL Estimated Costs | $10,402 | $9818 |
Housing
NDVS students are responsible for making their own arrangements for housing during their visit. The University does not have dormitories available for non-degree visiting students. Incoming NDVS students should explore the Housing Resources page available online as they plan their visit.