Funding and Financing Options at UChicago's Division of the Social Sciences

The Division of the Social Sciences (SSD) at the University of Chicago organizes funding information around degree level. Doctoral students see references to PhD funding and PhD residence status; master's students see MA funding and an estimated cost of attendance; and applicants generally see an application fee alongside financial aid and financing resources. The division's site also lists workshops and co-curricular opportunities that may carry their own costs or support. What follows maps the categories that appear on the SSD site so you can find the right page for your situation.

PhD Funding and Residence Status

For doctoral students, the SSD site groups funding and enrollment-related items under distinct headings:

• PhD Funding — listed as its own section in the academic development and resources area.
• PhD Residence Status — covers how a student's registration status (for example, in-residence versus later-stage status) relates to their program timeline.
• PhD Candidacy and Defense — tied to progression milestones that often affect funding eligibility windows.

Because funding for doctoral study is typically tied to satisfactory progress and residence status, the practical step is to confirm which status you hold and how it maps to your funding year. The SSD site does not publish specific stipend amounts or guarantee language in the material available here, so treat any dollar figures you see elsewhere as unverified until confirmed by the division or your department.

MA Funding and Estimated Cost of Attendance

Master's-level financing is handled through two main entry points on the SSD site:

If you are applying to or enrolled in a master's program, start with the Estimated Cost of Attendance to understand the total budget, then check MA Funding for the aid types that can offset it. The site does not state here whether specific awards are need-based, merit-based, or both, so verify eligibility with the division before relying on any single source.

Application Costs and Applicant Resources

Applicants encounter financing questions before enrollment. The SSD admissions material lists:

• Application Fee — a cost item in the application materials checklist.
• Funding and Financing — a dedicated section for prospective students.
• Additional Resources — further links for academic development and support.

The application fee is listed as a required item, but the available material does not specify its amount or whether waivers exist. Check the admissions pages directly for current figures and waiver conditions.

Other Cost-Relevant Items to Check

Several SSD listings can carry financial implications even though they are not labeled as funding:

• Workshops — may be free or fee-based depending on the program.
• Co-Curricular Opportunities — activities that could involve travel or materials costs.
• Non-Degree Visiting Students and Exchange Programs — often have separate tuition and fee structures.
• Student at Large — a non-degree enrollment category with its own cost treatment.

For each of these, the division's pages are the authoritative source on whether a fee applies.

How to Decide Where to Look

Use this quick routing:

1. Doctoral applicant or student → PhD Funding, then PhD Residence Status.
2. Master's applicant or student → Estimated Cost of Attendance, then MA Funding.
3. Prospective applicant (any level) → Funding and Financing, plus the Application Fee item.
4. Non-degree or exchange → Non-Degree Visiting Students and Exchange Programs, or Student at Large.

If a page does not state an amount or eligibility rule, that is a signal to contact the division or your department rather than assume. The SSD site provides the structure of what exists; the specific terms come from the office that administers each program.