Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid
Estimate of Expenses
The following is an estimate of expenses that a domestic (U.S.) student in the Full-time Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration Master's program or doctoral student in scholastic residence will incur during the course of the 2025-26 school year (based on a nine-month budget with a modest standard of living).
| Activity | Fee |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $53,721 |
| Graduate Student Services Fee** | $1,509 |
| One-time Lifetime Transcript Fee | $81 |
| University of Chicago Health Insurance (student only) | $5,145 |
| Room and Board | $21,750* |
| Personal Expenses | $3,750* |
| Books & Supplies | $2,085* |
| Commuting to and from field placement (includes CTA U-Pass*** fee for three quarters) | $3,000* |
| Total for a single student | $91,041 |
| *Estimated amount, subject to change. | |
| **The Graduate Student Services Fee covers many services dedicated to enhancing the quality of student life and campus activities, and is used to provide and promote educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and services for all students throughout the year. | |
| ***The U-Pass program allows cardholders to enjoy unlimited rides on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and buses during the academic year. |
Schedule of Fees
All payments of tuition and fees must be completed by the due date indicated on the bill from the Office of the Bursar. If a student has not paid any account in full that is due to the University by the end of the billing cycle, restriction of further privileges or services may follow. The fees listed here are for the 2025-2026 academic year.
| Activity | Fee |
|---|---|
| Tuition | |
| Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration AM (per course) | $5,919 |
| Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration AM (two courses) | $11,838 |
| Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration AM (three courses) | $17,757 |
| Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration Part Time AM (per year, six courses) | $35,514 |
| Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration Full Time AM (per year, nine courses) | $53,721 |
| Doctoral Program (per quarter) | $17,757 |
| Doctoral Program (per year) | $53,721 |
| Doctoral Pro Forma | $436 |
| Non-degree Visitor | $1530 |
| Quarterly Fees | |
| Graduate Student Services Fee (per year, three quarters)The Graduate Student Services Fee covers many services dedicated to enhancing the quality of student life and campus activities, and is used to provide and promote educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and services for all students throughout the year. | $1,509 |
| One-time Lifetime Transcript Fee (1st quarter of enrollment only) | $81 |
| University Student Health Basic Insurance Plan (U-SHIP)(student only basic plan, per year, three quarters) | $5,145 |
| U-Pass (per year, three quarters)The U-Pass program allows cardholders to enjoy unlimited rides on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and buses during the academic year. | $375 |
| Cost of Attendance Estimates Per Year | |
| Room and Board | $21,750 (estimated) |
| Personal Expenses | $3,750 (estimated) |
| Books & Supplies | $2,085 (estimated) |
| Commuting to and from field placement only (includes quarterly U-Pass fee) | $3,000 (estimated) |
| Other Fees | |
| Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA) Fee | $90 |
| Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment Fee in absentia | $170 |
| Late Registration Fee for Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment | $30 |
| Fee for Cancellation of Application to Graduate (for each cancellation of an application for the same degree) | $65 |
| Late Registration Fee (current quarter) | $100 |
| Late Registration Fee (prior quarter) | $ 250 |
| Late Change of Registration Fee | $50 |
| Late Change of Registration Fee (prior quarter) | $150 |
| Continuous Registration Penalty Fee (for PhD Students) | $250 |
| Late Payment Fee for Past Due Accounts (once per quarter) | $ 150 |
| Returned Payment Fee | $25 |
| U-Pass Replacement Fee | $50 |
Students enrolled in a degree program may audit, without extra charge, Crown Family School classes in addition to those for which they are registered, subject to the approval of the instructor in each case. Under these conditions the students are not registered for the courses, and work is not made a part of their official records.
Students who are required to withdraw for disciplinary reasons shall not be entitled to any refund of tuition or fees. Other charges are subject to change from year to year prior to the beginning of each academic year.
Tuition, fees, and other charges are subject to change.
Financial Aid
Master’s Students
Gifts from alumni and other donors have supported Crown Family School students with vital financial aid across generations, thus enabling Crown Family School to award 95 percent of our master’s students with merit- and need-based tuition scholarships. Partial- to full-tuition scholarships are awarded. To be eligible for Crown Family School scholarships, applicants should complete the scholarship page that is part of the application for admission. Awards are renewed each year of a student's program provided they remain in good standing in their program with at least a 3.0 GPA.
Doctoral Students
Doctoral students receive significant funding to ensure that they can immerse themselves in the program. All students entering the Doctoral Program are offered a financial aid package that includes full tuition, health insurance, fees, and a yearly stipend set at $46,350 for the current 2025-26 academic year. Students are responsible for filing and paying any required state or federal taxes.
Stipend awards are not subject to federal or state income tax withholding, and you may be required to make quarterly estimated income tax payments to the IRS and the State of Illinois. In quarters when students serve as a graduate student lecturer, TA, or RA, their stipend payment will be subject to withholding. We suggest that students consult with a tax advisor who can provide specific advice for individual situations.
The doctoral program involves a full-time commitment. Stipend support is provided to allow students to concentrate their time and energy on fulfilling the requirements of the program, developing their scholarship, and completing their doctoral studies in a timely manner.
Many Crown Family School doctoral students receive additional funding through outside training and fellowship programs. Crown Family School students have been very successful in obtaining competitive fellowships and awards from entities such as the CSWE Fellowships for Minority Students, Fahs-Beck dissertation grants, Doris Duke fellowships for the promotion of child well-being, and NIH Dissertation awards.
As part of their financial aid packages, students are expected in their first two years to work as a research assistant with a Crown Family School faculty member for 10-12 hours each week and participate in at least three mentored teaching experiences (usually during years three through five).
Office of Grants and Contracts
The Crown Family School Office of Grants and Contracts provides support to doctoral students in:
Funding Opportunity Searches
Proposal Planning and Development
Central Administration/Sponsor Liaison
Award Administration
Financial Management/Coordination of Financial Reports to Sponsors
Travel Support
Crown Family School also supports doctoral students for travel related to presentation of papers and job market activities at conferences. Other University resources for graduate students may be found here.
Awards Administered by Organizations and Agencies Outside the School
Students may also supplement their Crown Family School scholarship awards with private loans, grants, and scholarships through state and private agencies, and part-time employment on- or off-campus. For more information about other forms of financial assistance, visit http://crownschool.uchicago.edu/additional-resources and http://www.uchicago.edu/jobs/.
Loan Funds
The majority of our master’s students use federal financial aid in the form of student loans and work-study funds to bridge the gap between their Crown Family School scholarship and the cost of attendance. Crown Family School students work closely with the University’s Graduate Financial Aid to facilitate the awarding of federal aid, including Federal Direct Loans, GradPLUS Loans, and work-study.
The University also has a number of endowed loan funds from which emergency, short-term, or longer-term loans may be granted to active students. Some loans require a co-signer. These loans have interest rates ranging from 3 to 7 percent.
Note: Regulations governing student loan programs have varied significantly in recent years. Current information regarding terms, repayment, and eligibility may be obtained from: Office of Financial Aid, 1101 E. 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 773.702.6061.