UChicagoGRAD manages three Exchange programs, which allow eligible PhD students to take advantage of faculty, classes, and research centers at 25 partner institutions. There are other exchange programs, typically between specific academic units and a partner institution, which are not managed by our office, and students should speak to their Dean of Students office or the coordinator of the exchange at the other institution to learn more. For each of our Exchange programs (listed below), participants must receive institutional approvals from both the home and host institutions.
UChicago students who wish to participate in a UChicagoGRAD Exchange program should first consult with their faculty advisor, and carefully review the eligibility requirements below. We can only facilitate Exchanges that your academic advisor has already approved. Similarly, students at a partner Exchange institution should consult with their faculty advisor, and their home institution’s Exchange coordinator.
Information for University of Chicago students
Requirements
- University of Chicago students who wish to participate in the BTAA, CMEP, or Ivy Plus Exchange programs (explained below) must be enrolled full-time in a PhD program. Students in other degree programs are not eligible to apply.
- You may only apply with the approval of your faculty advisor, and in most cases your program’s DGS or department chair, as well as your Dean of Students office.
- Not all partner institutions allow Exchange students to register for classes, and auditing is not allowed. Please consult the Exchange website of your intended host institution to determine if they allow Exchange students to take classes, particularly for the Ivy Plus Exchange. UChicago students are allowed to take classes at The Graduate School at Northwestern University (via the BTAA) and UIC (via the CMEP).
Other Factors to Consider
- Students may only apply to take classes at host institutions (if that institution allows it) that are not offered at the home institution.
- Eligible students should first consult with their academic adviser who will determine whether the opportunity is likely to enhance the student’s course of study.
- Exchange participation may not exceed two semesters or three quarters. This applies regardless of whether the Exchange participation is for coursework or research: participating in the Exchange during three separate quarters, to take one class each time, uses the same amount of eligibility as spending a year in Exchange status for research purposes. Any extensions or changes to an approved Exchange agreement will require a separate application form.
- Some institutions do charge Exchange students fees, including their equivalent of the UChicago Graduate Student Services Fee or a separate health services fee in some cases. UChicago does not cover these fees on your behalf – you are liable for any charges from your host institution.
Application Process
Once you and your advisor have agreed that an Exchange is appropriate to your academic program, and is available to you through one of the Exchange agreements (detailed below), you must complete the specific application for that institution. The list of universities affiliated with each program can be found below. Detailed information, procedures, and application instructions specific to each program are provided on the respective program website linked below. Students are strongly encouraged to submit a completed application to GRAD Exchange at least six weeks before the start of the academic term at the host institution – most of which are on semesters.
Exchange Programs
Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Traveling Scholars Program: This program is for University of Chicago PhD students who wish to take a class or conduct dissertation research at:
- Northwestern University (excluding Kellogg)
- University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
- Indiana University
- University of Iowa
- University of Maryland
- University of Michigan
- Michigan State University
- University of Minnesota
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Ohio State University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Purdue University
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
Chicago Metropolitan Exchange Program (CMEP): This program is for University of Chicago PhD students who wish to take academic courses at:
- University of Illinois at Chicago
Ivy Plus Exchange Scholars Program: University of Chicago PhD students who wish to take a course (if the institution allows Exchange students to do so – many do not; check their website) or conduct dissertation research at the following participating institutions:
- Brown University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Princeton University
- Stanford University
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of Pennsylvania
- Yale University
Information for Visiting Students
Full-time PhD students at another university which is a member of the BTAA, CMEP, or Ivy Plus Exchange programs may apply to participate in Exchange to the University of Chicago for coursework or for research purposes. Registering for classes (if space is available, with instructor consent) is allowed; auditing is not. Exception: Our office does not process BTAA Exchange applications for Booth/Kellogg course registration.
Requirements
- Please see below for important information about UChicago’s academic calendar and how it affects Exchange applicants, including the application deadlines and key dates for the 2023-24 academic year.
- Students may only take classes at UChicago that are not offered at the home institution, and they should be doctoral-level classes. Undergraduate or master’s level classes, or courses housed outside of UChicago but cross-listed into our course schedule, are not eligible.
- Eligible students should first consult with their academic adviser at the home institution who will determine whether the opportunity is likely to enhance the student’s course of study.
- Exchange students may not exceed two semesters or three quarters regardless of the number of courses taken. Any extensions to an approved Exchange agreement will require a new application form.
- Visiting students should submit applications to their home institution’s Exchange coordinator by their deadline – see below for key dates and deadlines for submission of applications to our office. Your home institution’s coordinator will submit the application to us. For more information about the submission process and deadlines, visit the program website:
Other Factors to Consider
- UChicago’s academic calendar follows the quarter system, rather than semesters. Autumn Quarter is typically very late September to mid-December; Winter Quarter is very early January through mid-March; Spring Quarter is mid- or late-March through early June. Exchange status is only available during Summer Quarter for research purposes, not for coursework.
- Class Schedules for a given quarter are not published until a few weeks prior to the beginning of that quarter – sometimes after your home institution’s deadline to apply for the Exchange. Please see below for UChicago’s key dates and submission deadlines. For Autumn Quarter of 2023, which begins on September 26, the graduate course schedule will be published on August 28. Until the actual Schedule of Classes is available, you are welcome to consult the Catalog, but should know that the Catalog is a general index of all classes that have been taught, not a schedule for a specific year or quarter.
- Registration for Autumn Quarter at UChicago takes place the week before classes start. There is no way for us to guarantee a seat in an Autumn Quarter class, even if your Exchange Application is approved, until the Wednesday or Thursday prior to the start of classes. We allow UChicago graduate students to have access to register for classes for at least two or three days before we begin to request seats for Exchange students. Registration for Winter and Spring Quarters is earlier, starting in or shortly after the 6th week of the previous quarter.
Key Dates and Deadlines for Visiting Students, 2023 – 2024
Autumn Quarter
- August 28 – Schedule of graduate classes for Autumn posted
- August 29 – First day to submit Exchange applications which include course registration requests
- September 6 – Deadline to submit Exchange applications to UChicago for Autumn Quarter
- September 20 – Registration for Exchange students begins (UChicago students: September 18)
- September 26 – First day of Autumn Quarter
- December 9 – Autumn Quarter ends
Winter Quarter
- October 30 – Schedule of classes posted
- October 31 – First day to submit Exchange applications including course registration requests
- November 8 – Deadline for Winter Quarter Exchange applications to UChicago
- November 15 – Exchange student registration begins
- January 3 – Winter Quarter begins
- March 9 – Winter Quarter ends
Spring Quarter
- February 5 – Schedule of classes posted
- February 6 – First day to submit Exchange applications including course registration requests
- February 14 – Deadline for Spring Quarter Exchange applications
- February 21 – Exchange student registration begins
- March 18 – Spring Quarter begins
- June 1 – Spring Quarter ends