We are committed to making your Chicago Semester experience as affordable as possible. Your costs include:

Tuition

For the CS Semester Program 2023-2024 (fall or spring), tuition is $11,189. In some situations, tuition at Chicago Semester may be the same or less than your home institution tuition. You still pay tuition to your institution, but that tuition is applied to Chicago Semester. Check with the financial aid and off-campus study offices at your campus to see how scholarships could be applied to CS.
Fees

The application fee is $50 for the Semester Program.

The enrollment fee is $325 for the Semester Program. This fee covers program activities, events, and transportation around the city.

Housing

• The cost to live in Chicago Semester’s housing for 2023 – 2024 Semester Programs range from $625- $650 per month per person, all utilities included.
• Food & Living Expenses

Since you will prepare your own meals rather than pay for a meal plan, the total amount you spend depends on your individual budget and personal preferences. You’ll find a detailed look at the anticipated living expenses here. 

You submit your references, resume, transcript and essay responses along with your Chicago Semester application. We will review your materials, create a professional profile to send to potential internship sites and collaborate with you to create a polished resume ready for professional review by potential internship sites. You will then interview with potential internship sites and prioritize which opportunity is the best fit for you.

Visit our Semester page to find your preferred track and details about the specific placement process.  

Explain that Chicago Semester is a safe, supported opportunity for you to learn how to navigate the city while also building your professional resume through an internship in your field of study. The short-term experience can provide valuable direction as you decide where you want to start your life after graduation.

Over and over, students tell us that Chicago Semester was a great way to grow as a professional and experience a big city. They felt challenged and excited to step outside their comfort zone and engage in the community of Chicago, through eye-opening courses and individual exploration. Visit any page of our website to see what our incredible alumni say about their CS experience.

Classes at Chicago Semester are taught from a Christian perspective, and include readings and discussions informed by Christian thinkers both inside and outside the Chicago community. However, a religious background is not required to participate in CS. We welcome students of all backgrounds and faiths to join us in creating a diverse learning environment.

We are committed to making your Chicago Semester experience as affordable as possible. Your costs include:

Tuition

• For the CS Semester Program 2023-2024 (fall or spring), tuition is $11,189. In some situations, tuition at Chicago Semester may be the same or less than your home institution tuition. You still pay tuition to your institution, but that tuition is applied to Chicago Semester. Check with the financial aid and off-campus study offices at your campus to see how scholarships could be applied to CS.
• Fees

• The application fee is $50 for the Semester Program.
• The enrollment fee is $325 for the Semester Program. This fee covers program activities, events and transportation around the city.

Housing

• The cost to live in Chicago Semester’s housing for our 2023 – 2024 Semester Programs range from $625- $650 per month per person, all utilities included.

Food & Living Expenses

Since you will prepare your own meals rather than pay for a meal plan, the total amount you spend depends on your individual budget and personal preferences. You’ll find a detailed look at the anticipated additional living expenses here.

One of our primary goals at Chicago Semester is to help your student grow comfortable and confident living in Chicago. During orientation week, all students participate in a workshop on navigating the city, best practices for staying safe while traveling, how to make the most of their time in Chicago, and even how to budget money during the program. CS staff help your student learn Chicago’s grid system, share the ins and outs of public transportation, and teach how to map a route to their internship. We will escort your student from CS housing to the Chicago Semester office on the first day of orientation. Our staff is also available throughout your student’s Chicago Semester experience to assist with any concerns that may arise.

Your student will gain tangible, resume-building experience within his or her field of study, valuable professional network connections and an understanding of city life. Nearly 80% of 2017-18 CS students were offered references from their supervisor for future positions. Your student will also have the opportunity to cultivate new friendships with other students from faith-based liberal arts colleges participating in CS. Students say that they leave the program with lasting friendships.

Even though participating in Chicago Semester is your student’s decision, your opinion is valuable to them. In a recent CS survey, 84% of students said their parents’ opinions were influential. Encourage your student to try a new experience and step outside of their comfort zone. Discuss how important internships and building professional connections are to future career success and opportunities. Life-changing doors can open from a semester in Chicago. And be sure to point out that not only will CS be an exciting learning opportunity – it will be fun!

Let them know that CS is a great way to work in an internship in their field of study while also experiencing life in a vibrant big city!  Here’s a brief look at how it works:

Semester Program: Students participating in the CS Semester Program are guaranteed an internship through a collaborative interviewing experience. If an internship, field experience, or student teaching placement is needed for their degree, Chicago Semester will fulfill that requirement. Enrolled as full-time students, students receive credit for their internship and professional seminar, and up to two courses taken through Chicago Semester. Our admissions page details how those courses can be applied at your institution.

Internships set them apart when they apply for jobs and graduate school. The ability to include an internship in Chicago on their resume demonstrates that students not only gained valuable professional experience but that they were willing to try something different.

Students typically participate in Chicago Semester during their junior or senior year, although our programs are also open to sophomores and even recent graduates who are still looking for strong internship opportunities. We encourage you to have conversations about Chicago Semester with your students early in their undergraduate careers. That way, they can plan for a semester off campus in Chicago and still ensure they graduate in four years.