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How to Write the University of Illinois at Chicago Essays 2024-2025

UIC has one required supplemental essay for all students, and two required essays for students applying to the Honors College. The supplemental essay for all applicants asks about your interest in your intended major. The Honors College prompts ask about your academic challenges and successes in high school, and how the honors college will help you grow personally and professionally.

There is one last prompt for applicants to one of UIC’s guaranteed admission professional programs, which asks about why you are drawn to this pathway instead of a more traditional undergraduate experience.

To be competitive for admission at UIC, you should have strong essays that will stand out and convince admissions officers that you are a good fit for the university. If you’re applying for a program that’s more competitive than the school as a whole, like the Honors College or GPPA, the essays become even more important. In this post, we’ll discuss exactly how to write winning essays for UIC.

University of Illinois at Chicago Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt: Please provide an essay that explains why you chose your intended program of study. What interests you the most about this major? Please be specific – those evaluating these essays are highly interested in your response. If Undecided, what areas of study do you look forward to studying in college? (50-500 words)

Honors College Applicants

Prompt 1: Please describe in detail ways that you have sought out academic challenges and personal growth opportunities while in high school. Examples can include activities both inside or outside of your school. (400-500 words)

Prompt 2: How will your engagement with the Honors College foster your academic, personal, and professional growth? (400-500 words)

Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) Applicants

Prompt: By applying to the GPPA programs, you are applying for a guaranteed seat in one of UIC’s graduate or professional programs earlier than students who apply in a traditional manner. The GPPA program seeks to understand why you have chosen your intended profession and a guaranteed path into it. What makes you an ideal candidate for guaranteed admission rather than following a traditional path to your intended profession? How would a guaranteed seat contribute to your goals as an undergraduate? (400-500 words)

Please provide an essay that explains why you chose your intended program of study. What interests you the most about this major? Please be specific – those evaluating these essays are highly interested in your response. If Undecided, what areas of study do you look forward to studying in college? (50-500 words)

This is a traditional “ Why this Major? ” prompt that invites you to share what about your background and experiences has drawn you to want to study a given subject. A key element that will differentiate a strong response from a weaker one is the ability to draw specific connections between your experiences and specific characteristics of the major in which you are interested. 

For example, a weak response would merely say that you are interested in UIC’s B.S. in Computer Science because you grew up playing retro computer games. But a strong response would draw a specific connection between noticing glitches in the gameplay of those retro games, constantly wondering how the game programmers’ logic inadvertently created those glitches, and wanting to pursue a career in software quality assurance. As you write your essay, keep in mind the importance of drawing the linkage between experience and interest.

If you’re undecided about your major, don’t worry. You can still produce a high-quality essay by highlighting 2-3 areas of study or intellectual interest that you are drawn to, even if there isn’t a clear favorite. It would be a mistake to say that you have no idea what you may want to study. Even if you are genuinely indifferent among many areas of study, consider reflecting on which high school classes you have had the most success or interest in; those will potentially be areas on which you can write convincingly.

We recommend beginning this essay with the anecdote that you will use to demonstrate how your interest in your major developed. This anecdote might be a personal, non-academic experience , or it may be related to coursework . Of course, a strong essay likely combines these two types of experience: perhaps your interest in computer science logic was strengthened by writing your own proofs for the first time in a geometry class.

Here are some tips on building this “Why this Major” essay around such an anecdote:

Personal experience: Consider choosing a story in which you initially are unfamiliar with the intellectual or technical foundations of something that impacts or influences you, and you realize that you want to develop related expertise.

For example, perhaps one day your aunt told you about how she relies on a pacemaker to regulate her heart rhythm, and your first-hand insight into how medical technology can save people’s lives has drawn you to UIC’s bioengineering major.

A mistake in writing that essay would be to not elaborate on specific problems or dynamics in the field of bioengineering that you are drawn to solving. For example, perhaps there are materials-science-related barriers to advanced implants that you want to help overcome. It is critical that you demonstrate that you have spent time thinking about not just the impact a given area of study has had on you, but also the impact that you want to make on that area of study.

Coursework: Stories based on coursework lend themselves to more straightforward connections to a given area of study. A strong essay based on an anecdote about an assignment you’ve completed or a discussion you’ve had in class should not just be about your having a natural talent for the subject. Instead, you should emphasize the growth you’ve undergone over the course of the class or classes.

For example, if you’re interested in the English major within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you might talk about how the critical feedback you got on a creative writing assignment pushed you to be more deliberate about your writing technique and you eventually decided to participate in the National Novel Writing Month. By showing a growth mindset, you can more easily lead into your interest in advanced, college-level study in a topic.

Regardless of the type of anecdote you choose, be conscientious about the details that you choose to include. Mention parts of the story that show your reasoning and process of developing interest, but don’t linger on elements that don’t contribute to your narrative, since you only have 500 words.

Finally, make sure that you demonstrate your specific interest in the major at UIC and not just the major generally. For example, you might talk about how you envision yourself presenting at UIC’s new annual bioengineering research symposium or how being in the vibrant Chicago arts and writing scene provides a natural platform for you to hone your craft and learn from others.

Honors College Applicants, Prompt 1 

Please describe in detail ways that you have sought out academic challenges and personal growth opportunities while in high school. examples can include activities both inside or outside of your school. (400-500 words).

For this prompt, you’ll have to think about the ways in which high school has formed your personal and academic development. Since this essay is for the Honors College, you’ll also want to make sure that your essay adequately discusses your academic history and success. 

Brainstorming Essay Topics 

Before you begin writing, you’ll want to spend some time thinking about moments throughout your life that have impacted your personal and academic growth. This might be the hardest part of this essay, as finding a topic that is both meaningful and significant can be tricky. Below are some mistakes you’ll want to avoid when picking an essay topic.

Picking a Topic That Is Cliché

There are many essay topics that have become cliché in the college process because admissions officers have seen them so many times before. They include sports injuries, personal tragedies, or getting a bad grade. While it’s practically impossible to choose a topic that admissions officers have never seen before, there are certainly some that are simply overdone.

Picking a Topic that Isn’t Significant Enough

Topics that aren’t meaningful enough may include group project failures or interpersonal conflict unrelated to your academic history. While these experiences are certainly important in your life, you should try to pick an experience that shaped your identity. Remember, you’ll want to pick an example that highlights both academic and personal growth–not just one or the other.

Picking an Extremely Personal Topic

Topics such as pet deaths and breakups should be avoided as they are too personal and do not highlight any types of academic engagement which should be included in this essay.

How to Approach the Essay

Now that you’ve had a chance to think about potential topics, it is important to understand how to actually write the essay. You can do this in three steps: 

1. Describe The Situation

Set the scene for the reader by discussing the academic or personal growth challenge that you’ve faced. You’ll want to be sure to add vivid details here so that the reader fully understands and can imagine the situation.

2. The Steps You Took to Overcome the Situation

What happened next in the story, and what role did you play in your own growth or challenges? 

3. Reflect on What You Learned

Last, you’ll want to reflect on what this experience taught you, and how you changed because of it. This part of the essay is especially important as admissions officers want to know how students have positively changed through their previous life experiences. 

Do you still need help flushing out the details of the essay? Below is a list of questions that can help you brainstorm the details within your essay.

• When you think of challenges that you’ve faced, which one has been important to you and why?
• Was there a situation that changed your perspective on a long-standing belief that you had?
• What was your immediate reaction to this situation, and how has that reaction changed over time?
• What steps did you take to manage the situation, and how did you do it?
• Were you surprised by your own growth? Did your growth impact people close to you as well?
• If you could’ve changed anything about your reaction to the situation, what would it be and why?

Although this has already been mentioned, you’ll want to make sure that you describe a challenge that is related to both your academic and personal life. While you could describe two separate situations, it may be best to just describe one that affected both your academic and personal life since you are limited by the word count.

A hypothetical example may be a student who writes about how she always strictly followed her parents religious beliefs, but was questioned by a classmate during a seminar about her religion. In turn, this made her question her own beliefs, and led her to creating a school club which explored various religious philosophies. If the student did significant reflecting on their experience and discussed how this has changed their viewpoints, this example would be perfect as it discusses religion as an academic discipline and also a personal belief system.

A not-so-strong example for this essay would be a student who writes about how they struggled to finish a group project at school and asked their teacher for extra help. This would not show how the student went above-and-beyond, or how this changed their learning experience or perspective. 

Mistakes to Avoid

Focusing Too Much on the Challenges/Growth and Not Enough on Personal Development

At the beginning of the essay you’ll want to “set the scene” and describe the academic and personal challenges and growth you faced in high school. However, the point of this essay is to discuss how you’ve overcome those challenges and how you’ve developed into the person you are today. Your focus should be on you, not on your circumstances. 

Telling Instead of Showing

Stories are always more engaging when a reader can imagine themselves in the narrator’s shoes. Instead of simply listing the lessons you’ve learned, instead use vivid examples to describe your challenges and growth.

Honors College Applicants, Prompt 2 

How will your engagement with the honors college foster your academic, personal, and professional growth (400-500 words).

The UIC Honors College is a prestigious program in which members of the college have special access to honors courses, additional research opportunities, and faculty mentorship, along with access to Honors College-only facilities in Burnham Hall. Honors College students spend their last year at UIC developing a capstone research project. Given all the advantages of being in the Honors College, admission is competitive, so a compelling essay is a key to being invited.

Before writing this essay, look through the Honors College website and identify a few programs or opportunities that you find the most attractive. Specificity is key in this essay : you need to show why access to the additional privileges of Honors College students can make a difference for you. Here are a few approaches you can take to answering this question:

Connect UIC Honors programs to past relevant experiences.

One way to illustrate why you think the Honors College is right for you is to draw connections with previous experiences that align with some of the Honors College opportunities. For example, if you have worked closely with a professor in the past on a research project or in another capacity, you can explain how you’ve become better at distilling insights from experts in a field and making meaningful contributions. As a result, you might be more confident that you would have very productive relationships with faculty mentors as a member of the Honors College.

If you go down this path, make sure that this essay is still ultimately about how you’ll take advantage of the given opportunities in the future . The value of discussing past experiences is to demonstrate that you have a solid foundation to take full advantage of UIC’s opportunities—not merely to show what you’ve done in the past.

Emphasize the closeness among students in the program

One of the big advantages of honors colleges is that it creates a natural, smaller community at a university. This perk is especially important at UIC, given the immense size of the undergraduate body. UIC Honors College students are able to live on-campus in special living-learning communities, such as Commons West. Students also participate in special student organizations.

You could discuss how you learn best through the exchange of ideas with your peers, and how being in a close-knit community can facilitate that process. By showing that you recognize that learning happens not just between teachers and students, but also among students, you can demonstrate your personal maturity and openness to diverse viewpoints.

Discuss how a specific research project will help you grow academically and professionally

Given that the Honors College places a large emphasis on additional research opportunities and the capstone project, you can use this essay to discuss how those opportunities will help you pursue one or two projects about which you are very passionate.

For example, you might need sustained engagement with a bioengineering professor to advance your ideas on improving pacemakers. Or maybe you see the Red Shoes Review literary magazine as a great opportunity to share your writing and receive critical feedback from your peers who are also skilled writers. These projects might also help you demonstrate your capabilities to employers after school.

The advantage of taking this approach to the Honors College essay is that it gives a lot of color to what exactly you hope to do as a member. By giving your essay reader a more vivid picture of the student you will be, you make it easier for them to give you the nod.

By applying to the GPPA programs, you are applying for a guaranteed seat in one of UIC’s graduate or professional programs earlier than students who apply in a traditional manner. The GPPA program seeks to understand why you have chosen your intended profession and a guaranteed path into it. What makes you an ideal candidate for guaranteed admission rather than following a traditional path to your intended profession? How would a guaranteed seat contribute to your goals as an undergraduate? (400-500 words)

The GPPA initiative is an invaluable opportunity to lock in your admission to one of UIC’s professional or graduate schools. If you’re admitted, you might feel more freedom to explore various academic interests as an undergraduate at UIC.

GPPA is ideal for applicants who know that they have a very strong interest in attending graduate school in one of the available areas of study . Do be aware that while in undergrad, you will need to meet the conditions of acceptance for the relevant graduate school, which may include taking certain courses and examinations.

Note that for many of these programs, you are required to be a member of the Honors College as well, so you will also have to fill out the Honors College essay and submit the required letters of recommendation.

Explain why you prefer the guarantee to a traditional path to graduate school.

UIC is interested in knowing why you are eager to have the safety of admission to a master’s or professional program as you are starting out your undergraduate education. There are a number of good reasons this may be the case, including your ability to gain early exposure to the professional school.

A key advantage of knowing which graduate school you will be attending four years before matriculating is that you can engage with professors, research centers, and other opportunities at that graduate school over a longer timeframe. This can be a big plus if, for example, you are a potential public health student interested in longitudinal research that takes years to complete.

Instead of only being in the MPH program for two years, you’ll be able to connect with researchers for up to six years, including your time as an undergraduate. Additionally, you’ll be able to meet more professors and professionals affiliated with the graduate program.

Think carefully about your reasons, and make sure they still convey your intellectual curiosity and academic seriousness. For example, don’t convey that you just want to slack off for four years before attending a master’s program.

Demonstrate fit with the profession.

A strong GPPA essay will discuss your interest in the dynamics of the profession that you would be entering after graduate school.

For example, if you want to apply to UIC’s Doctor of Dental Medicine program, you can tell a story that shows how you thrive in environments where you have to decide between snap judgments and more diligent research. Or you can discuss how helping one person at a time with their health needs is the most tangible way you can imagine making an impact on the world.

Demonstrate your readiness by making it evident that you’ve thought deeply about, and are comfortable with, the tensions and complexities of the profession. Make sure to also communicate that the traits and experiences driving you toward the given area of study and profession are integral to who you are. For example, you can offer an anecdote about how your strong judgment under high pressure or your relentless drive to find the right answer shows up in the rest of your life. 

Discuss a pivotal moment in your academic, personal, or extracurricular experience.

Maybe you’ve known for a long time now that you are interested in the profession for which you’re applying to GPPA. You can talk about an experience in which you realized that your interests require an unconventional path in which guaranteed admission is valuable.

For example, say you are applying for pre-admission to the UIC law school because you eventually want to be a public defender. You can tell a story about how when you were volunteering for your local legal clinic, you were always taken aback by the hostile appearance and construction of the courthouse, and so now, before practicing law, you want to get a B.S. in Architecture and help design more humane civic buildings.

Bring the reader into that moment, and explain how the connections between different areas of study compel you to apply for GPPA.

Where to Get Your UIC Essay Edited for Free

Are you looking for guidance and feedback on how to make your UIC essays better? It’s always a good idea to get another set of eyes — or two or three — on your essays to ensure you’re representing yourself and your interest in the school to the best of your abilities. That’s why CollegeVine offers a free essay peer-review service , where you can get a critique of your essay and feedback to help you improve.

Need feedback faster? Get a  free, nearly-instantaneous essay review  from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

The University of Chicago The Law School

Program info, faqs: personal statement, what is the admissions committee looking for in the personal statement.

The Admissions Committee is primarily looking for two things in the personal statement:

• Who are you: Will this applicant be a likeable and interesting addition to our community? Are you thoughtful and reflective? Will our professors and your classmates enjoy working with you and learning from your perspective?
• Writing and communication ability: Can you communicate your thoughts effectively? Are you able to present information in a clear, organized, and concise manner (much like you will be required to do in law school and as an attorney)?

What should I write about in my personal statement?

Our application does not provide a specific topic or question for the personal statement because you are the best judge of what you should write. Write about something personal, relevant, and completely individual to you. This may include writing about a significant aspect of your background, a quality or trait you believe defines you, a transformative experience, or the things that interest and motivate you. Don’t worry so much about selecting a unique or novel topic. Just be yourself. Your personal statement will be unique if you are honest and authentic. See these examples of personal statements .

How does the personal statement fit into the rest of my application?

Think about the personal statement as the fun and interesting part of your application. This is where we get to learn more about who are you as a person and go beyond the transcripts, test scores, and resume. Let each part of your application speak for itself and do what it is intended to do - you don't need to worry about selling us on your credentials in the personal statement.  

Do I need to tell the Admissions Committee why I want to go to law school?

Not necessarily. We request a personal statement; it is not a statement of purpose. You are welcome to discuss your reasons for applying to law school, but please make sure we will still get to know you as an individual. Law schools have different views on this topic, so please consult each school to which you are applying. 

What are some tips for a successful personal statement?

There are few rules that apply to every applicant because of the individual nature of the personal statement, but here are some tips based on our experiences that all applicants should follow:

• Be straightforward. Do not make it more complex than it is. We simply want a candid, well-written essay that helps us learn about you, your story, and your background.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread. Your personal statement should not have errors - this is a sample of your writing and it should be a strong reflection of your written communication skills. Edit extensively and make sure to remove tracked changes.
• Be concise and organize your thoughts. Remember basic writing skills and essay structure. You want to present your ideas in a logical, clear manner.
• Make sure your personal statement is about you . Keep the focus on you with any topic you choose. Focusing too much on a family member or family history, a social or legal issue, or stories about others is a very common mistake. Even if you tell a moving and interesting story, it will not be a successful personal statement if it does not allow us to get to know you.
• Be yourself. We are confident every one of our applicants is unique. Be honest. Do not write about something you think you are supposed to write about or rely too heavily on sample topics or model statements. A topic will not be effective unless it is appropriate for your specific application and background. Don’t try to fit your personal statement into a defined category or box.
• Write in your own voice. This makes your personal statement believable and authentic. Don’t use phrases and vocabulary that you wouldn’t normally use in writing and conversation. It is usually not a good idea to lead with a quote. We are looking for clarity and honesty.
• Make it personal. If someone else could write your personal statement, it probably is not personal enough. We often see this happen when applicants discuss a social issue or area of the law. Remember you are not trying to educate the Admissions Committee about the law or any particular issue.  Your goal should be to educate the Admissions Committee about you.

What are some of the common mistakes I should avoid?

While what works for one individual will not work for another because the personal statement is so individualized, here are some common mistakes we see from applicants: 

• Restating your resume. Resume restatements are one of the most common errors. We will read your resume in detail. We want the personal statement to tell us something new about you.
• Listing your qualifications.  Don't try to overtly sell yourself to the Admissions Committee. This isn't the place to convince us how qualified you are. Your qualifications will shine through in other parts of your application. Remember, this is the part where we get to know you as an individual.
• Typos and “tracked changes”. Make sure to upload the correct version of your personal statement into CAS. If you plan to reference law schools by name, please reference the correct school for each application. 
• Legalese or Latin phrases.   Avoid using legal terms or Latin phrases if you can. The risk you are incorrectly using them is just too high.
• Extensive discussions of the law and attorneys. It is not necessary to discuss the law, tell us what type of law you want to practice, or convey the extent of your legal experience. Legal experience is not a factor in admission.  It is not the place to demonstrate your knowledge of the law or the role of attorneys. These personal statements do not tell us much about the applicant as an individual.
• Telling us you'll be a good lawyer because you like to argue.
• Name-dropping. It is not necessary to cite the names of our faculty and programs from our website in your personal statement unless you are placing the reference in a meaningful context. It detracts from your authenticity. However, if one of our faculty members or something about our community has genuinely inspired you, you are more than welcome to tell us about it.
• Covering too much information. You don't have to cover your entire life story. Use your discretion - we know you have to make a choice and have limited space. Attempting to cover too much material can result in an unfocused and scattered personal statement. 

Is there a page limit on my personal statement? 

There is no page limit, but we generally find 2-4 pages to be sufficient. If it is longer, make sure it is absolutely necessary and really interesting. We do not have any formatting rules with respect to spacing, font type, font size, or margins. 

May I submit additional essays?

You may submit additional essays to highlight particular topics you wish to bring to our attention. Please remember you want to be concise and genuine.

Examples of types of additional essays include Diversity Statements and explanations of undergraduate and/or standardized test performance. 

• UChicago aims to train well-rounded, critical, and socially conscious thinkers and doers. Describe how your background or experiences will contribute to the UChicago Law and Chicago Booth communities. Example topics include: lessons you have learned; skillsets you have developed; obstacles you have overcome based on your background or upbringing; or topics you have become passionate about studying in law school based on your lived or educational experiences.
• Undergraduate and/or Standardized Test Performance: If you do not think that your academic record or standardized test scores accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, please tell us why.

The Admissions Committee typically finds one page or less is a sufficient length for most additional essays. 

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LAS Pre-Law

College of liberal arts and sciences, personal statement/resume review, personal statement/resume review heading link copy link.

The pre-law advisor is available to help you write a strong personal statement and answer questions about whether optional essays and/or an addendum is a good choice for you.

Should you wish to receive feedback on your personal statement from the pre-law advisor; please forward your personal statement/optional essays as an email attachment to:  [email protected] . The draft students send to the pre-law advisor should be the culmination of many rewrites and review by others. Please allow 5 business days for the pre-law advisor to review and return the draft with comments. Students are welcome to schedule an appointment should they wish to discuss their personal statement in detail. Same process for resumes.

UIC Pre-Law Advising conducts periodic Personal Statement Workshops. Check the Pre-Law calendar of events for upcoming sessions.

Click for More Info About Personal Statements

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February 23, 2018

Tips from LAS Pre-Health Advising workshops

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Undergraduate Admissions

Deadline Update: We want to ensure anyone applying for federal financial aid has enough time to make an informed decision regarding their college choice! For this reason, we're extending our enrollment decision deadline to May 15.

Essay Questions for Transfer Applicants

You'll answer one to two essays as part of your application, depending on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Essays should be 300 to 400 words each.

If You're Applying to a Major :

Explain your interest in the major you selected. Describe how you have recently developed this interest, inside and/or outside of the classroom, and how this major relates to your professional goals.

If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program :

Explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you are currently considering.

If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared ):

You have selected a second-choice major. Please explain your interest in this major.

Tips for Writing Your Essay

Be memorable..

The essay portion of the application is important because it gives us further insight into who you are and who you want to be. Make us remember you!

Be prepared.

Take time to think about and brainstorm your message. Create an outline, write a good first draft, and edit multiple times.

Be yourself.

We want to know more about you, so be honest and let us into your world. Instead of making broad statements about what you want to do, provide specific examples from your current institution or extracurricular activities. And don’t be afraid to add your personal style and voice to your writing!

You only have a couple of paragraphs to tell us that you’re not only qualified to attend Illinois, but you're also ready for the challenge and will make the most of your experience. Choose your words wisely.

Be focused.

It's not necessary for you to repeat information that’s already elsewhere in your application. Stay focused on explaining how those credentials and qualifications will lead to a successful future here.

Be professional.

Submitting a sloppy-looking essay with spelling errors and glaring mistakes sends us the message that you’re not serious about Illinois. Proofread your essays and ask your counselor, a friend, or a parent to take a second look.

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LAS Pre-Health

College of liberal arts and sciences, personal statement review.

A personal statement is a requirement for most professional schools. Professional schools are often looking for students to discuss their personal motivation to enter the desired field of study. It is never too early to think about your personal statement. Workshops are offered during the spring semester to assist students with the process of idea formulation and writing. We also have the Personal Statement workshop online  in webinar format.

We are currently experiencing higher than usual demand for personal statement reviews. This is great and pre-health advisors are excited to review your personal statement! Between April 15 - August 15, please expect it to take a minimum of two weeks and up to three weeks to receive a response to your personal statement.

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LAS Pre-Health advisors will review a final draft one time. To have your personal statement reviewed, submit the  Personal Statement Feedback and Review form .

The form will request a document be uploaded, it must:

• Be MS/Mac WORD format
• Include your name, UIN, and professional program aspiration on the document
• Be spelling and grammar checked
• Be proof-read by at least two other individuals
• Follow the word count limit for the professional program to which you are applying

Students can expect feedback in two weeks regarding content and a general assessment of the quality of writing. During peak application season (spring and summer), the response time for comments may be longer than two weeks. Feedback will come via email unless otherwise notified.

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Latin@s Gaining Access to Networks for Advancement in Science

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* Note, this subreddit usually offers prompt and concise responses. If you want a more in depth and personalized answer, then schedule an appointment with a  Pre-Med adviser.

**  The premed and mcat subreddits are online communities that allow peers to share valuable information and experiences. There are many students in different stages of their careers (Undergraduates, Medical Students, Residents, etc) that benefited from this community and like to give back. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is still an online community, and it is subject to pitfalls like any other online community. Thus, be sure you’re being critical of the information that is provided.

*** This should be used in conjunction with the MSAR from the AAMC.

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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Are you interested in earning a degree in Psychology? Well, you’ve come to the right place! The Department of Psychology at UIC integrates study of the brain, mind, person, group, and community in downtown Chicago – at one of the U.S.’s most diverse campuses! We are a nationally recognized academic department for excellence in research and teaching.

Learn more about our the application process for undergraduate and graduate study, funding, and admissions FAQ.

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Discover more information about the Admissions process below.

Undergraduate Admission

As a department within a large diverse urban research institution, UIC Psychology reflects excellence in education, research, and practice. Our department offers two undergraduate psychology degrees, BS in Psychology and a BA in Applied Psychology. We invite students from other disciplines to add psychology as a minor in their educational pursuits. Our department partakes in cross-campus departmental collaborations with Educational Psychology , Neuroscience , Public Health , and Psychiatry to name a few.

Undergraduate courses are available in a number of psychology disciplines including clinical, cognitive, community, developmental, social, personality, and neuroscience. Several of our courses are cross-listed with African-American and Gender and Women’s studies. In addition, practice opportunities are available through courses in crisis counseling, interviewing, and an internship class. Psychology leads the campus in the number of undergraduate students involved in research. Small laboratory classes are offered providing students with hands-on research experience, along with ample opportunities to get involved in ongoing research projects conducted by UIC Psychology faculty. Lastly, undergraduate students can conduct directed research under faculty supervision.

Admission Deadlines: Early Action – Nov. 1, 2024 Regular Decision – Feb. 3, 2025 Transfer – Apr. 1, 2025 Spring 2025   ( January Start ): Transfer – October 15, 2024

*It is critical to submit your application in advance of these dates to avoid technical issues*

• Apply for Undergrad
• Tuition and Financial Aid
• UIC Scholarships and Awards Program (SnAP)
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Graduate Admission

There are many paths to graduate school and we recognize that qualified applicants excel in different ways. Different program areas in Psychology emphasize different methodologies as appropriate to the nature of the essential questions they seek to address. We use a holistic review to consider applicants’ academic history and look for relevant experiences and interests that fit the scholarship of the intended program. Our PhD program is a full-time, day, research-oriented program that begins once a year in the Fall.

Please Note:   We do NOT require the GRE for admission nor do we offer a terminal or standalone Master’s degree.  Students who are admitted into a PhD program will complete a research apprenticeship during their first-year and along with one year of coursework in statistics. After completion of the first-year, students work towards and submit a Master’s thesis by the end of their second year to prepare them for further research and the required qualifying examinations to advance to PhD candidacy by the end of the third year.

Program Code: 20FS0338PHD | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) PhD Application Deadline: December 1 st

*It is critical to submit your application in advance of the above date to avoid technical issues*

• List of Faculty Reviewing Applications (Fall 2025)
• Apply for Grad
• Domestic Requirements
• International Requirements
• Graduate Course Offerings

Graduate Application Process

In the UIC Psychology PhD program, students will

• develop expertise as research scientists using a variety of approaches in one of our four major research areas: Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Clinical, Community and Applied Developmental Psychology, and Social & Personality
• develop quantitative skills in our core statistics curriculum
• complete coursework in their major area of study, and can add breadth of expertise in a minor area study in Psychology, Statistics, Methods & Measurement, Diversity Science, or a self-designed curriculum
• publish their work in selective peer-reviewed journals
• present their research at local, national, and international conferences
• are competitive for a variety of research, teaching, and travel awards as well as external funding mechanisms for research
• gain experience teaching and mentoring one of the most diverse undergraduate populations in the country

Please Note:   We do NOT require the GRE for admission nor do we offer a terminal or standalone Master’s degree. We only admit students into our PhD program in Psychology. In the course of the program, students complete:

• a Master of Arts (MA) thesis to demonstrate research and writing competence, and
• a Preliminary Exam to demonstrate scholarship and mastery of the skills necessary to complete the PhD.

Please prepare the following required documents to apply.  All required materials are to be submitted electronically through the online application.  Hard copy materials of transcripts, exam scores, personal statements, or letters of recommendation are not accepted. Only applicants receiving offers of admission will need to submit official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records – AFTER receiving an offer.

Required Materials

• Personal statement:  This should include information about how you have prepared for graduate school in psychology, research questions and methodologies that you have experience with, research interests for graduate training, long-term goals, and faculty you would like as a research mentor.  There is no formatting requirement or page limit to your personal statement.
• Curriculum Vitae:  This should include such sections as Education, Employment, Awards & Honors, Skills, Research Experience, Presentations/Publications, Memberships, Extracurricular/Volunteer Activities.
• Transcripts : Upload electronic, unofficial copies for all undergraduate and graduate coursework through the online application system.  While a 3.0 and above GPA is ​favorable, it is not required to apply.  View previous applicant  data .
• Evidence of quantitative training:  The PhD in Psychology is a research-focused program, with a core curriculum in graduate-level statistics for all students. Please upload a document listing evidence of previous quantitative training. Examples include: Undergraduate  courses taken grades earned  (math, statistics, research design),  independent research projects with statistical analyses  (e.g. Capstone, honors thesis, publication), and/or  GRE quantitative scores . Students are placed in the appropriate level of coursework based on their incoming quantitative competence. See  this sample  for examples.
• Letter writers should be familiar with the applicant’s training and academic achievements and should be in position to comment on the applicant’s suitability for a graduate career involving research.
• Program:  Please indicate to which of our four programs you are applying. Only one program choice is permitted.
• Faculty mentors:  Please indicate up to three faculty mentors that you would like to work under.   Write their last name only. At least one faculty mentor is required to be listed in order for your application to be given full consideration. You can find out more information about our  ​ faculty members and their research interests . The list of faculty who will be reviewing applicants for fall 2024 can be found here .

Optional Materials

• Standardized Tests: We do NOT require the GRE for admission into our PhD program. If the applying student chooses to submit a test score, it will be evaluated as supporting evidence of academic preparation, but the absence of such test results will not be weighed against your application.
• Miscellaneous Academic Documents:  If you would like to share any publications, writing samples, additional transcripts, or other documents they can be uploaded here. Please note that this an optional area and  no documents are required to be uploaded here . Please disregard any emails you may receive about your application being incomplete due to missing Miscellaneous Academic Documents.

Additional Information

• Undocumented Students:  All of our faculty members are highly encouraged to disregard documented status as a criterion for admission. All students with DACA status are eligible for the same funding opportunities as the rest of our admitted students, and those students without DACA status are still eligible for funding, just a more limited range of funding. Please see our  Frequently Asked Questions  for more information.
• Applicants whose native language is not English must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the exam of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Click  here to know about the required scores.

Intercollege Transfer and Dual Degree Options

The psychology major is very popular and annually confers the most undergraduate degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students may choose to major in general or applied psychology. A wide range of career paths is available to our graduates both within psychology (clinical, counseling, industrial organizational, etc) and in related fields such as occupational therapy, police work, speech and language pathology, and many others. In addition, a psychology major can be excellent preparation for further professional training in law, medicine, and other fields.

• Intercollege Transfer Process
• Dual Degree

Admissions FAQ

Common queries about applying to uic psychology as a graduate student.

Below you will find answers to many common questions about applying for  graduate study in Psychology.

Not a graduate student? Check out UIC’s  undergraduate admissions FAQ . For questions regarding touring campus, click here .

Can I apply for a Master’s degree in Psychology at UIC? UIC Psychology does not offer a terminal Master’s program. Students admitted to the program and complete an MA Thesis as part of the PhD curriculum requirements.

Is there a part-time or online graduate program in Psychology? Our PhD program is focused on research, with coursework to provide a foundation of knowledge. The curriculum is designed as a full-time, in-person program, which typically takes 5-6 years to complete.

When do students select a dissertation lab? In our department,  students are admitted directly into their graduate advisor’s lab  and begin conducting research in that lab as soon they arrive.   Thus, admissions depend not only on the qualifications of a prospective student, but the fit with a lab that matches their research interests.  A strong personal statement will communicate how our PhD program will build on a student’s prior training to prepare them for their longer-term goals.

What happens after I submit my application?

• Review.  Faculty in each research area (Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive, Community and Applied Developmental Psychology, Social & Personality) will review the applications to their program to select prospective students to interview. It is important for prospective students to apply to the appropriate program with faculty that match their research interests. Due to the large number of applicants for a limited number of spaces in an incoming class (~12-17 students), we cannot provide feedback on individual applications.
• Interviews . We typically conduct interviews with selected prospective students in late January through mid-February. Interviews may be done remotely and/or in person. For in-person interviews, we try to bring applicants to visit in groups so they can also meet their potential cohort. Some students are nominated for fellowships at this time.
• Decisions . Decisions are typically made within a few weeks of interviews. Students are admitted directly into their advisor’s lab to begin research during their first semester. The offer letter will indicate the advisor accepting the student as well as provide information about stipend level (as a research- or teaching-assistant) for the first year. Interviews and admissions may continue through March, and once made, students have until April 15 to accept or decline their offer.
• Finances . Stipend levels and other benefits are determined by the contract negotiated by the UIC GEO. Our students are typically supported as a teaching- or research-assistant with a tuition waiver.
• Beginning grad school . Appointments for the school year begin on August 16. Incoming first-year students have a week of mandatory orientation before classes begin in the fall.

UIC Social & Personality PhD FAQs

Read the frequently asked questions for the Social & Personality PhD program here .

Next Steps for Newly Admitted Students Heading link Copy link

• Orientation (First-Year & Transfer) As a newly admitted student, you will be invited to a mandatory orientation where you will meet with an LAS Advisor and register for courses.
• Undergraduate Course Offerings Lean more the courses offered for students in our undergraduate degree programs.

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Application Process

• Graduate & Professional
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Did you know?

Before you apply

It's never too early to start planning..

Early preparation is the key to a smooth application and admission process.

Do your research.

You probably already know which program you intend to apply for, but we encourage you to take some time to look through the program’s website. Look into the college's achievements, their research, and any other resources they provide prospective students. Note the key contacts, such as the program coordinator, and contact information for your intended program. 

Keep track of all  deadlines  that apply to you.

• Don’t wait until the last minute to apply!
• Many programs have earlier deadlines , such as for PhD applications.
• In many cases materials may still be accepted after published application deadlines, but some programs have strict materials submission deadlines. Refer to the  program's website  to see if they have published materials submission deadlines.

Check your requirements.

Familiarize yourself with the Admissions requirements (application fee or waiver, academic credentials, English proficiency requirements).

And refer to the program’s website for Program-specific requirements (which may include items such as the GRE test, Personal Statements, Letters of Recommendation, etc.).

Prepare your documents for online submission.

• Our office will request official credentials from admitted students only. Hard-copy application materials received by our office will be discarded.
• Documents may be in PDF or Word (.doc, .docx.) format.
• "Portfolio" PDFs and secured PDFs which require a password to open are not compatible with our system. PDFs should not be set with an expiration date.
• Refer to the credential requirements for Domestic and International applicants for notes on acceptable transcripts and other necessary documentation.

Have your official test scores sent in advance.

Our ETS Institutional Code for TOEFL and GRE is 1851.

Think about funding.

See what funding options are available to you. The Graduate College has compiled a wide range of great information about funding opportunities and financial resources on  their website . Your intended program's website may also provide a list of funding opportunities specific to the program. Here are a few other resources:

• College of Education
• College of Nursing
• Social Work - MSW

Applying & Submitting Requirements

Ready to apply complete these steps., some programs have special application procedures or supplemental applications..

The Apply page will direct you to the program's website when there's a special application process in place for the program outside of the general graduate process.

Complete and submit the  application .

• Within the application you will be required to submit academic credentials as applicable for your applicant type .
• You will also be prompted to submit any materials required by the program (which could include personal statements, writing samples, etc.) and initiate online requests for letters of recommendation (if required).

After submitting the application itself, submit the application fee.

Applications with a fee due will remain in an incomplete status. If an application fee waiver was selected, Admissions will verify that the waiver applies.

Application Review Period

You've already applied and submitted requested materials. what's next how are applications reviewed, check your application status regularly..

You can  check your status online.  This is where you’ll find your checklist noting items that have been received and those that are still being requested.

Additional items may be added to your checklist if received items are incorrect or additional documentation is needed. Note that applications will switch from a complete to incomplete status if submitted documents are found to be insufficient and additional items are added.

Departmental Review

After all Admissions requirements are satisfied, application records are referred to the program for their review, though programs may have already begun their review by that time. Admissions and program staff are able to access application materials after they are submitted. Applications are typically reviewed in the order they are received.

The time that it takes for an application to go through the review process varies by program. After the program has completed their review of an application, they communicate their admission recommendations and denials to Admissions and we update the official record after a final quick review. Some programs communicate their decisions to Admissions continually throughout the cycle while others do so in bursts. Ultimately, it depends on the timeline and approach each program takes for their review.

Graduate College Review

In certain cases where minimum requirements are not met or additional approval is needed, applications recommended for admission by Graduate College programs may need to undergo an additional review by the Graduate College. The Graduate College may decide to uphold the program's admission recommendation or, in certain cases, deny the application.

This would not apply to professional level programs and graduate level programs that do not fall under the Graduate College.

After a Decision has been Made

What should you do next.

Once a final decision is entered by the Office of Admissions, the application portal will be updated to note the decision and an official decision letter will be mailed out.

If you've been admitted...

Congratulations! Access our  Admitted Student page  to follow up with next steps, including submission of official credentials, if needed.

International students who will need a student visa should submit OIS-requested documents for the Office of International Services.

If you need to defer admission…

Admission can be deferred once for up to one academic year (e.g., Fall admission can be deferred to the following Spring, Summer, or Fall terms).

Start by notifying the program that you’d like to defer admission. They must first approve deferrals. Program-approved deferrals are then forwarded to us for final approval and official updates to the student record.

If you’ve been denied…

Our office unfortunately does not often know the exact reasons why a program may have denied an applicant.

You may contact the program directly to inquire about the decision they made. In some cases, programs may be able to advise you on what you can do to improve your applicant profile or successfully apply for a future term.

Related Resources

• Catalog Listing of Graduate and Professional Programs