Application Requirements

In the Division of the Social Sciences, admissions for the doctoral programs in Anthropology, Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, Political Economy, and Social Thought are paused for the 2026-27 academic year. All other PhD programs and the MA programs will admit students to matriculate in 2026-27.

If you are a prospective applicant, we encourage you to stay connected with us and to explore other SSD degree programs that may match your graduate education interests. Questions and requests for additional information should be sent to ssd-admissions@uchicago.edu.

All existing commitments and support for current and incoming students remain in place.

As part of the application, each applicant must provide:

Completed online application
Unofficial transcripts from all prior post-secondary institutions attended
Candidate statement
Writing sample that best displays their talents (from 10 to 40 pages; more is not necessarily better)
Three letters of recommendation
Official TOEFL/IELTS scores, if needed to meet the University's English proficiency requirement

A complete overview of required application materials can be found on the Division of the Social Sciences website.

Inquiries about the program should be addressed to the CHSS office:
Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science
Social Sciences 205
The University of Chicago
1126 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
Tel: (773) 702-8261
Fax: (773) 834-1299
E-mail: ssd-admissions@UChicago.edu