University of Chicago

Not to be confused with University of Illinois Chicago.

University of Chicago

Motto	Crescat scientia; vita excolatur (Latin)
Motto in English	"Let knowledge grow from more to more; and so be human life enriched"
Type	Private research university
Established	1890 (1890)
Founder	John D. Rockefeller
Accreditation	HLC
Academic affiliations	AAU NAICU URA
Endowment	$10.9 billion (2026)
President	Paul Alivisatos
Faculty	3,418 (2023)
Administrative staff	23,217 (2023)
Students	18,732 (2025)
Undergraduates	7,496 (2025)
Postgraduates	11,195 (2025)
Other students	408 (non-degree seeking, 2025)
Location	Chicago , Illinois , United States 41°47′23″N 87°35′59″W
Campus	217 acres (87.8 ha) (main campus) Large city
Other campuses	Beijing Delhi Hong Kong London Luxor Paris
Newspaper	The Chicago Maroon
Colors	Maroon
Nickname	Maroons
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III – UAA MWC
Mascot	Phil the Phoenix
Website	uchicago.edu

The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, UChi, or U of C) is a private research university in the Hyde Park community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States.

The university is composed of an undergraduate college and four graduate research divisions: the Arts & Humanities Division, the Biological Sciences Division, the Physical Sciences Division, and the Social Sciences Division, all of which include various organized departments and institutes. In addition, the university operates seven professional schools in the fields of business, social work, theology, public policy, law, medicine, and molecular engineering, along with a school of continuing studies. The university maintains an overseas campus in Hong Kong, as well as academic centers in London, Paris, Beijing, Delhi, Luxor, and downtown Chicago.

University of Chicago scholars have played a role in the development of many academic disciplines, including economics, law, literary criticism, mathematics, physics, religion, sociology, and political science, establishing the Chicago schools of thought in various fields. The university's Metallurgical Laboratory produced the world's first human-made, self-sustaining nuclear reaction in Chicago Pile-1 beneath the viewing stands of the university's Stagg Field. Advances in chemistry led to the "radiocarbon revolution" in the carbon-14 dating of ancient life and objects. The university operates and administers research institutions including Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in North America.

As of 2025, the university's students, faculty, and staff have included 101 Nobel laureates. The university's faculty members and alumni also include 11 Fields Medalists, 4 Turing Award winners, 2 Dan David Prize winners, 58 MacArthur Fellows, 30 Marshall Scholars, 56 Rhodes Scholars, 29 Pulitzer Prize winners, 20 National Humanities Medalists, and 6 Olympic medalists.