Pre-College Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled answers to the most common questions from students and parents to give you a clear understanding of what to expect—from application requirements to academics and campus life to program logistics. Our goal is to help you navigate Summer Programs easily so you can focus on what matters most: making the most of your summer experience at UChicago.
Application & Costs FAQ
Yes, you are advised to apply to multiple courses on your application. If your first choice is full, we will review your application and consider you for placement in other courses you listed. Complete your application as soon as possible for the best chance to take your preferred class!
Students who have attended a previous Summer Session should complete a new application by providing their personal information in the online application along with the application fee and an updated complete high school transcript, though other materials do not need to be resubmitted. Returning applicants should also submit an essay indicating their interest in the current courses they are applying to, but do not need to respond to a second essay, solicit new recommendations, or submit another graded writing sample. Simply enter "Summer 2024" as the first/last names of the recommenders and in the essay fields, unless you wish to have new recommendation letters submitted for the current application.
Exception: Applicants to the Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) program must submit an entirely new application, including essays, recommendations, and transcripts, even if they attended another Summer Session program.
Contact us at summersession@uchicago.edu and we will resend the emails. Some emails have strong blocking systems, so please check your spam filters. Only students in Pre-College programs require the parent/guardian confirmation.
Contact us at summersession@uchicago.edu. Include your name, the recommender's name, and the recommender’s email, and we will resend the request.
No, the letters can be added to your application once they are submitted. You do not need to wait to submit your application, but we will not be able to review your application until we receive at least one letter of recommendation.
For Pre-College students. Transcripts should include the student's entire academic record since the 9th grade, as applicable. Students who have attended more than one school since the beginning of the 9th grade should submit one official transcript for each school they attended. Students who are currently in 9th grade should also submit their grades from the 8th grade.
For Visiting Undergraduate students, please include your full undergraduate transcript.
You can upload test scores and any updated documents to your UChicago Account at any time by clicking “Upload Materials.”
At the University of Chicago, we are committed to creating a diverse campus community. All students who apply, regardless of citizenship are considered for admission and aid. Former President Robert J. Zimmer issued a statement confirming the University’s commitment to our members of the community with undocumented immigration status or who qualify for relief under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. You may read the entire message online and please don’t hesitate to contact us at summersession@uchicago.edu if you have any questions or concerns.
Students applying to a 2 week Career Insight course or a 3 Week Immersion course, and who live in the Chicagoland area, are eligible to commute each day to class rather than live in residence on campus. If you would like to commute, you can indicate this preference on the "Supplement" page of the application. Please make sure you are aware of the cost and policies for commuting to campus.
For Pre-College students, UChicago Summer Session awards need-based financial aid based upon an applicant’s demonstrated financial need. Students applying for such aid must complete a financial aid application as part of their admissions application so that the award determination can be included in the offer of admission. Please note that students who are admitted to a residential program, and then decide to take a remote course or commute will have their financial aid awards reassessed. Please review the prescribed aid students can expect to receive based upon household income on our Costs page.
More information about your bill can be found on the Costs page. Costs will vary by program and whether you are enrolled in a residential program.
For our 1, 2, 3, 4 Week Residential Programs and Summer Online:
Within one week of admittance, we require a deposit of $1,000 on the student’s UChicago Account. This payment holds a student’s place in the program and can be paid using a credit card.
The full balance will be due within four weeks of being admitted to Summer Session.
For Pre-College Summer Language Institute:
The Bursar's Office will issue bills to the student’s my.uchicago account at the end of June and payment will be due in mid-July, after Summer Session classes begin.
Bank account and wire transfer options are available. Please see more information about payment options
here.
Currently, the Bursar's Office is not able offer payment plans to Summer Session students.
For students enrolled in 3 and 4 Week Residential programs, the University of Chicago automatically provides "blanket" accident, injury, and sickness insurance coverage for all Summer Session students. This coverage will be in addition to any primary health insurance students may already have. The cost of this insurance is included in the program fee.
Students who are enrolled in 1 and 2 Week Residential programs will need to provide for their own insurance coverage while they are on campus.
Students who are enrolled in Remote programs will not have access to insurance coverage.
All students who have confirmed their admission will be registered for their course(s); if you decide to withdraw after you have sent in your confirmation form and deposit, you must email summersession@uchicago.edu with an official withdrawal request. Students will be billed for the program fee if they have not officially withdrawn.
Please note: Verbally informing an instructor or not attending classes does not constitute an official withdrawal.
Enrollment deposits will be refunded only if a course or program is cancelled by Summer Session, and the student does not select another course or program to attend in its place. The application fee and the $1,000 enrollment deposit is non-refundable if a student decides to withdraw from a program.
Depending on the program and proximity to the start date, students may be eligible for partial or complete refunds. The refund does not include the $1,000 deposit or the application fee.
The aid you receive from Summer Session may be taxable. Consult with a tax professional for more information on your specific situation.
Residential Programs FAQ
Course Information and Credit
1 Week Programs
Individual schedules for each Enrichment course will vary, but a typical day will begin at 9:00 a.m. with lectures, discussion sections, or workshops. Afternoons typically consist of an on-campus tour, excursion to another part of the city, or hands-on activity related to the subject area of the program. Evenings include activities and events planned by residential and program staff, or open social time.2 Weeks Programs
Students should expect to have a full day (5-6 hours) of course-related activity, Monday through Friday.3-4 Week Programs
Because these Summer Session courses are equivalent to courses that last nine weeks during the rest of the academic year, the courses are intensive and rigorous. Students should expect to have a full day (5-6 hours) of course-related activity, Monday through Friday. For every course, you will have daily homework assignments, such as reading or problem sets, as well as more long-term assignments such as research projects, papers to write, or exams to study for.Some courses will have course considerations such as "reading intensive," "writing intensive," "discussion intensive," "math intensive," and "coding intensive" to help you understand the nature of the work or how the work will be focused in class.
Regular class attendance, timely completion of work, and participation are required. Failure to meet these standards may result in probation or dismissal.
Students in 3 and 4 Week programs are required to take all classes for a quality letter grade and missing more than a day will have a significant impact on your grade for the class. Each Summer Session course is equivalent to 9 weeks of undergraduate coursework. Because Summer courses are condensed, 1-2 days of class is equivalent to an entire week of instruction during the regular academic year, so attendance and timely completion of work is critical. Summer Session courses and grades are recorded on a UChicago transcript; college applications, including the Common App, will require you to submit this transcript when you apply to colleges.
Students in 1 and 2 Week programs are required to be in attendance every day and will be expected to participate fully. Students who fail to be in attendance each day will not be issued a certificate.
As soon as you have accepted your admission to Summer Session, send an email to Disability Services at disabilities@uchicago.edu. They will work with you to determine what accommodations you are eligible for, and coordinate the support you need. The kind of accommodations you need for on-site courses and online courses might differ, and the kind of accommodations that universities and K-12 schools provide may differ as well, so you will want to request a review by Disability Services as far in advance of the start of your course as possible.
Because Summer Session courses are brief and very intensive, we strongly encourage students to consider their choices very carefully before they apply. Course changes in must be made before the second class meeting of the course.
Students in 2 Week Career Insight or 3 Week Immersion will only be allowed to add/drop under very special circumstances once courses have begun. All changes must be approved by the Summer Session program staff at summersession@uchicago.edu.
Students in 1 Week Enrichment or 4 Week Practicum programs are not permitted to change their course or program.
Very occasionally, because of a significant conflict or because an insufficient number of students have enrolled in a class, a course is cancelled. Students who are registered in a cancelled class will be contacted by Summer Session and offered the opportunity to enroll in an alternative course or program. If a student does not wish to take another course in its place, the student's deposit and program fee will be refunded. A course cancellation will be announced at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.
Classes will not be held on either June 19 for Juneteenth or July 4, and University administrative offices will also be closed. Students should expect to be in class on the days surrounding the holiday unless an instructor says otherwise.
In mid-May, students in 3 and 4 Week courses can see if their course requires a textbook by searching the Bookstore's and Seminary Co-op websites. Many courses have readings that are available entirely online via Canvas that requires a cNet ID and password.
Residential students are not expected to have their books before they arrive, unless the course instructor says otherwise. Students will have time during orientation weekend to purchase assigned course books.
Students are strongly advised to bring their own laptops with them. While there are computers and printing facilities available for student use throughout campus, students often find it is best to bring their own. Some courses require students to bring a laptop to class. The main campus computing clusters support both PC and Mac platforms. All areas on campus are configured for wireless internet access. Please note that there is a nominal fee for printing via campus facilities; see https://printing.uchicago.edu for details.
Courses in 3 and 4 Week Programs are graded (A-F), carry at least 100 units of credit, and have undergraduate-level course numbers. It's important to note that, as opposed to many universities that structure their calendars by semesters, the University of Chicago operates on a quarter system. Each University of Chicago 100-unit course is the equivalent of 3.3 semester credit hours.
3 Week Immersion: 100 UChicago units = 5 quarter hours = 3.3 semester hours
4 Week: 200 UChicago units = 10 quarter hours = 6.6 semester hours
The 1 and 2 Week programs do not carry any credit.
For students in 3 and 4 Week programs, to order transcripts, please log in to your myUChicago to view and request a transcript from the Registrar's Office. The Summer Session Office cannot issue transcripts; only the Registrar's Office can act in this capacity.
On your my.uchicago account, you should be able to request an official transcript by following these directions:
Students should select Academics (on the top left of the page) --> Academic Records --> Request Official TranscriptIf you do not have access to your CNET ID, you can request transcript through Parchment here: https://registrar.uchicago.edu/records/transcripts/
Students interested in transferring UChicago credit earned via the 3 and 4 Week Programs should contact the university where you would want the credit to be applied about their requirements for doing so. Transfer of credit is at the discretion of the recipient university. You will be able to request your transcript via your MyUChicago account after the summer quarter ends in late August.
Unfortunately, these courses do not count toward graduation requirements. During the summer immediately prior to matriculation, incoming students are permitted to take University of Chicago courses. These will confer College credit. Incoming students will be notified of their options from Summer Session after their enrollment is complete.
Preparing to Arrive on Campus
1 Week Enrichment
There are two major commercial airports in the Chicago area: O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport. O'Hare International Airport is about 30 miles northwest of campus, and Midway International Airport is approximately eight miles west of the UChicago campus. A staff member will greet students at the airport and lead them to our shuttle service.2-4 Week Programs
There are two major commercial airports in the Chicago area: O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport. O'Hare International Airport is about 30 miles northwest of campus, and Midway International Airport is approximately eight miles west of the UChicago campus. Students flying into O'Hare airport on June 14 or July 7 have the option for shuttle service to campus with other UChicago Summer Session students. A staff member will greet them at the airport and lead them to our shuttle service. An additional fee is associated with this service. Students are also welcome to use another mode of transportation to get to campus, including public transit, shuttle, car, taxi, Uber, or Lyft.
Please take extra precautions to verify an airline's age policy before purchasing tickets as different airlines have different policies regarding the minimum age to fly unaccompanied by a parent or guardian. Summer Session staff cannot pick up students at their gates. Staff meet students at a prearranged airport location.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer additional housing outside of the program dates, as we have several other programs running throughout the summer. If you require accommodations before or after your course, you will need to make independent arrangements. Summer Session students are welcome to move in on the first day of their orientation and remain in housing for the duration of their session. All Summer Session students must follow the same move-in and move-out schedule as outlined for their program.
Summer Session students and families should note that the minimum age necessary rent a hotel room or Airbnb is 18 years of age. Students under 18 cannot rent and stay in a hotel room on their own, and so should not arrive in Chicago before or stay past the check-in and check-out dates stated in their admissions materials unless they will have a parent or guardian with them.
We have several different programs running during the summer. There is no additional capacity prior to the start of a course or afterwards. Students cannot check in to the residence hall before the official check-in date and cannot stay in the residence hall after the official check-out date given in their admissions materials. Unfortunately, there can be no exceptions. This rule applies to all students, regardless of age. Summer Session students and families should make travel plans accordingly.
Housing & Student Life
The residential staff plans and leads daily activities for students to get to know each other, the campus, the neighborhood, and the city of Chicago. Students can pick and choose from a variety of programs to suit a wide range of interests, including low and no-cost programs. Previous events include trips to Major League Baseball games, the Taste of Chicago festival, evening soccer, museum outings, beach trips, Movies on the Midway, and much more. All events are planned and led by residential staff members.
Students enrolled in 3 and 4 Week Programs may access University amenities while they are attending courses. The Student Services Fee provides access to resources like Student Health & Counseling Services, libraries, and more.
Students participating in the 1 Week Enrichment Programs have access to the residence hall and dining hall, but are subject to more limited access of university facilities and will not have independent access to the Student Wellness Center or the Athletic Center. For tours or activities on campus, program staff will secure entry and access for program participants as needed.
Orientation dates are listed below. All high school Summer Session students, residential or commuter, must attend orientation. Residential students must attend the entirety of both days of orientation. Commuter students are required to attend the first day of orientation only.
Orientation dates
Session I: Saturday-Sunday, June 14 - 15 2025
Session II: Monday-Tuesday, July 7 - 8, 2025
1 Week Enrichment students will move in the day before their program begins and move out on the last day of the program. Make sure to review your program page for specific move in and move out dates.
Unfortunately, no. Only students can attend orientation; family members who travel with their student should plan to depart from campus once their student has moved in to the residence hall. Parents and families will be invited to attend a virtual information session before students arrive on campus.
Students will attend required Orientation sessions after drop-off, and will not be available to be exempted from curfew or dine off-campus with families during Orientation.
1 Week Enrichment students will move in the day before their program begins and move out on the last day of the program. Make sure to review your program page for specific move in and move out dates.
Students in 2-4 Week Programs must check out of the residence hall by 9:00 a.m. by the day after their course ends, unless otherwise instructed. Students may check out in the evening on the day their course ends, but must have a Curfew Release Form on file 24 hours in advance and be sure not to miss any required course activities or exams on the last day. Please see Residential and Campus Life for more information.
While most of the students in our in-person pre-college programs stay in on-campus housing, 3 Week Immersion students who live in the Chicagoland area are welcome to commute!
Commuter students eat lunch with their peers each class day in the dining hall. They may also choose to participate in program activities and excursions outside of class, including late afternoon activities, that take place right after class, as well as evenings and weekends.
Only students in the 3 Week Immersion program who live in the Chicago area have the option to commute. Students admitted to 1 Week and 4 Week programs are required to live in on-campus housing, as are students who do not live locally with their parent(s) or guardian(s).
Please note that students who live on-campus gain the full benefit of academic support, building community and making friends with peers, and experiencing the life of a college student.
Our residential team is composed of current undergraduates and recent alumni of the University of Chicago. Our RAs are here to make students feel comfortable in the residence halls, and to assist them with academic, residential, and co-curricular matters. Several RAs reside in each House on the same floor as the students. Our Residential Director and Assistant Residential Directors are available to students and their families 24 hours a day.
No, students must be taking in-person courses to live in the residence hall. Students in remote programs cannot live in the residence hall.
Chicago weather in the summer can fluctuate, so prepare for the possibility of high heat, as high as 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit/33-35 degrees Celsius, and humidity.
The residence halls are air-conditioned, and some students find it chilly. If you think you would like more than one pillow, a heavier weight blanket, or a larger towel, please bring these items with you or plan to purchase them after you arrive. All beds are extra-long single beds (36" x 80"). Please note that laundry facilities, including washing machines and dryers, are available.
We recommend that you pack the following items for your stay:
Light clothing
Warm layer in case of cooler weather
Extra blanket or comforter*
Sheets and pillowcase for extra-long twin bed (36" x 80")*
Towels*
Umbrella or rain jacket
Walking shoes
Laptop**
Swimsuit
Sunscreen
Notebooks
Toiletries
Folders
Clothes hangers
Pens and pencils
Photo ID
Personal spending money
Camera
Iron (if desired)
*The residence hall's linen service provides a summer-weight blanket, sheets, pillows, and towels, but, students are welcome to bring their own. All beds are extra-long single beds (36" x 80").
**Computing facilities (including pay-per-use printers) are available on campus, but you may bring your own if you wish. WiFi is available in all campus buildings.
High school students living in the residence hall must sign in for curfew every night. Following the City of Chicago curfew ordinance, summer residents must be inside the residence hall from 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. Disregard for curfew can be grounds for dismissal from the program. Students who miss curfew sign-in will be subject to disciplinary action, and their parents will be contacted. Please see the Academic, Social, and Residential Policies for more information about the curfew policy.
Parents may give permission for their child to miss curfew if the student is accompanied by an adult. Parents should complete an accurate Curfew Release Form at least 24 hours prior to the requested release time.
When you check in to the residence hall, you will receive a room number. This will be part of your mailing address.
For minor students:
(Student Name)
Attn: Summer Conferences - Summer Session
Woodlawn Residential Commons Room XX
1156 East 61st St.
Chicago, IL 60637For students 18 and older:
(Student Name)
Attn: Summer Conferences - Summer Session
Granville-Grossman Residential Commons Room XX
6031 S. Ellis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637Mail is delivered once a day, Monday through Friday. Mail can be picked up at the front desk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The front desk will sign for all priority packages.
Packages that arrive prior to your arrival date or after your departure date will be returned to the sender.
While guests are welcome to visit, they cannot stay overnight in student rooms. All guests must check-in at the front desk, and must check out by 10:00 p.m. High School Program residents may not have non-program guests in their rooms past curfew, including relatives.
Students in 2-4 Week programs have access to medical facilities, including the Student Health Services and an on-call physician for after business hours care. If a student requires immediate medical attention, the University of Chicago's Medical Center is on campus. Residential staff members will be available 24/7 to help in the case of any emergency and will contact the parent or guardian. All parents of minors are required to submit a release form authorizing necessary medical treatment in the case that the parent/guardian cannot be reached. This release is provided to parents after their student has been accepted to the program.
If a student in 1 Week Enrichment requires immediate medical attention, the University of Chicago's Medical Center is on campus. Residential staff members will be available 24/7 to help in the case of any emergency and will contact the parent or guardian. All parents of minors are required to submit a release form authorizing necessary medical treatment in the case that the parent/guardian cannot be reached. This release is provided to parents after their student has been accepted to the program. 1 Week Enrichment program participants must have their own valid U.S. health insurance.
To ensure the safety and convenience of our students, faculty, staff, and community, UChicago's Department of Safety & Security provides residence security, transportation, and 24/7 support. Residence halls are always fully staffed with security personnel, and all entrances and exits are fully secured. Summer Session residential students verify their identity with their University ID at the front desk upon entry to the residence hall. For transportation, UGo Daytime and NightRide shuttles pick-up and drop-off within one or two blocks of residential and academic buildings around all of campus. Summer Session students may contact the UChicago Police Department at any time, day or night, by dialing 773.702.8181 or 123 from a campus phone.
Campus safety for all is a top priority at the University of Chicago. Support is available 24/7, including health care, mental wellness, and a dean-on-call. For non-threatening situations on campus or in the residence halls, students will be able to utilize either their Resident Assistant, Summer Program staff, or the Campus Residential Hall front desk. If a serious situation arises, students should contact the dean-on-call or the University Police 24/7.
Remote Programs
Course Information and Credit
Online courses combine synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (on your own time) activities. Synchronous activities, like lectures, discussions, and projects, happen via Zoom and resemble traditional classroom experiences. Asynchronous activities include tasks such as readings, problem sets, and writing papers, as well as online-specific tasks like discussion boards, videos, or virtual experiments. Your instructor and TA will ensure active engagement with both the subject and your classmates throughout the course.
Regular class attendance, timely completion of work, and participation are required. Failure to meet these standards may result in probation or dismissal. Students are required to take all classes for a quality letter grade and missing more than a day will have a significant impact on your grade for the class. Each Summer Session course is equivalent to 9 weeks of undergraduate coursework. Because Summer courses are condensed, 1-2 days of class is equivalent to an entire week of instruction during the regular academic year, so attendance and timely completion of work is critical. Summer Session courses and grades are recorded on a UChicago transcript; college applications, including the Common App, will require you to submit this transcript when you apply to colleges.
Because Summer Session courses are equivalent to courses that last nine weeks during the rest of the academic year, the courses are intensive and rigorous. All programs will have daily homework assignments, such as reading or problem sets, as well as more long-term assignments such as research projects, papers to write, or exams to study for.
Please consult the days and times listed under the descriptions of your courses, as your daily schedule will depend on your selected classes. Some courses will have course considerations such as "reading intensive," "writing intensive," "discussion intensive," "math intensive," and "coding intensive" to help you understand the nature of the work or how the work will be focused in class.
As soon as you have accepted your admission to Summer Session, send an email to Disability Services at disabilities@uchicago.edu. They will work with you to determine what accommodations you are eligible for, and coordinate the support you need. The kind of accommodations you need for on-site courses and online courses might differ, and the kind of accommodations that universities and K-12 schools provide may differ as well, so you will want to request a review by Disability Services as far in advance of the start of your course as possible.
The same traits that help you succeed in traditional classes—organization, discipline, and adaptability—will serve you well online. Starting in early June, you'll have access to resources and training on Zoom and Canvas to ease the transition to remote learning. Once classes begin, virtual workshops on library resources, study skills, and academic assignments will be available. Summer Session staff and Teaching Assistants will also offer support to students needing help with time management, academic expectations, or course content.
The University has also launched the Learning Remotely site, which we suggest that you review before classes begin. In particular, the Getting Started page contains information like what internet connection speed you will need to be able to participate in online classes and how to improve your internet connection. Spending time on this website before your class begins will help you start on the right foot.
Participation will be a part of your grade in every remotely taught course, and will be determined by factors such as your contributions to online discussion boards, projects, and other activities, as well as your dedication to engaging the course material and completing your assignments. Instructors and TAs understand that students might encounter connectivity issues or other problems that prevent them from participating in a particular synchronous class session on Zoom, and would not count something beyond your control against you.
Because Summer Session courses are brief and very intensive, we strongly encourage students to consider their choices very carefully before they apply. Course changes must be made before the second class meeting of a three-week course, and before the third class meeting for longer courses.
Students will only be allowed to add/drop under very special circumstances once courses have begun. All changes must be approved by the Summer Session program staff at summersession@uchicago.edu.
Very occasionally, because of a significant conflict or because an insufficient number of students have enrolled in a class, a course is cancelled. Students who are registered in a cancelled class will be contacted by Summer Session and offered the opportunity to enroll in an alternative course or program. If a student does not wish to take another course in its place, the student's deposit will be returned. A course cancellation will be announced at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.
Remote students will need access to a computer and reliable wifi while in class.
Classes will not be held on either June 19 for Juneteenth or July 4, and University administrative offices will also be closed. Students should expect to be in class on the days surrounding the holiday unless an instructor says otherwise.
In mid-May, students can see if their course requires a textbook by searching the Bookstore's and Seminary Co-op websites. Many courses have readings that are available entirely online via Canvas that requires a cNet ID and password.
All remote courses open to high school students are graded (A-F), carry at least 100 units of credit, and have undergraduate-level course numbers. It's important to note that the University of Chicago operates on a quarter system. Each University of Chicago 100-unit course is the equivalent of 3.3 semester credit hours.
Summer Online: 100 UChicago units = 5 quarter hours = 3.3 semester hours
Pre-College Summer Language Institute: 300 UChicago units = 15 quarter hours = 10 semester hours
To order transcripts, please log in to your myUChicago to view and request a transcript from the Registrar's Office. The Summer Session Office cannot issue transcripts; only the Registrar's Office can act in this capacity.
On your my.uchicago account, you should be able to request an official transcript by following these directions:
Students should select Academics (on the top left of the page) --> Academic Records --> Request Official TranscriptIf you do not have access to your CNET ID, you can request transcript through Parchment here: https://registrar.uchicago.edu/records/transcripts/
Students interested in transferring UChicago credit earned during Summer Session should contact the university where you would want the credit to be applied about their requirements for doing so. Transfer of credit is at the discretion of the recipient university. You will be able to request your transcript via your MyUChicago account after the summer quarter ends in late August.
Unfortunately, these courses do not count toward graduation requirements. During the summer immediately prior to matriculation, incoming students are permitted to take University of Chicago courses. These will confer College credit. Interested students should see this page for more information.
Remote Learning
Canvas is the official LMS (learning management system) already in use for instructors across campus to manage individual courses. Canvas provides access to the course syllabus, links to online resources, assignments, discussion boards, and other essential teaching tools.
Zoom (Enterprise) is the official video conferencing platform, which allows for real-time interactions among instructors, teaching assistants, and students. All instructor-led class sessions on Zoom will be recorded, so that a student who misses the session may view it later on their own schedule. Students may also use Zoom to engage with each other on assignments and group projects.
Other online tools such as Microsoft Teams and Google's G-Suite may be used by instructors depending on the course's specific curricular needs, but all will be required to fulfill the privacy requirements articulated at studentprivacypledge.org.
Offices across the University have worked hard to make sure that instructors have training and support related to both the technological and pedagogical elements of translating an in-person course to an online environment. That work includes:
The University launched a Teaching Remotely website with resources for instructors and TAs that is updated almost daily with a variety of useful resources.
Academic Technology Services, the Center for Teaching, and individual academic divisions and departments have created online trainings for instructional staff on the use of Zoom, Canvas, Panopto; transitioning an in-person class to a remote instruction model; subject-area specific trainings on how to reach particular curricular goals effectively, such as teaching writing, running a virtual biology lab, leading online discussions, building online community, and many others. Summer Session staff have attended and contributed to many of these sessions, and will have additional workshops with instructors and TAs for Pre-College courses to address their particular pedagogical needs.
This is not a comprehensive list, but we hope it gives you an idea of the seriousness with which we are approaching our obligation to provide students with an effective learning experience during Summer Session.
You can upload various files—documents, videos, presentations, and more—to Canvas for submission and receive grades and feedback the same way. Quizzes and exams will also be taken on Canvas, and you can even upload handwritten work, like math scratch paper. Your instructor and TA will guide you through the process.
All platforms that support Summer Session remote teaching are web- or cloud-based, and so can be accessed by anyone with a reliable internet connection. We recommend that students use the computer audio, rather than a separate call-in phone number, when joining real-time meetings. Separate call-in local numbers will be made available to individual students as needed on request.
Courses will combine synchronous and asynchronous instruction in order to maximize flexibility and accessibility of course content for students. Students are expected to attend all the synchronous classes. Some real-time sessions will be recorded so that if a student misses the session for any reason, they may watch the recording and catch up right away. Other class meetings such as discussion sections with TAs or office hours with instructors will be scheduled at times that work for students. Group projects may be assigned to students living in the same or close time zones, to help coordinate work with local schedules.
As cited in the Policy Handbook in "Community Standards", UChicago Summer Session works to ensure that all students are supported throughout their academic experience. If an incident occurs where a Summer Session student experiences targeting or harassment, staff will document the incident and can intervene between students in multiple ways. If the behavior continues or the situation is not immediately resolved, the incident will be referred for a disciplinary response. Staff will follow up on any report of concerning or inappropriate online interactions.
Only enrolled students are allowed to participate in class sessions. Parents are not allowed to listen in on or attend Summer Session classes, as this could disrupt the running of a class for the instructor or participants, and would violate the privacy of the students attending the course.
To protect student privacy as well as the intellectual property rules governing course curricula, neither students nor parents are allowed to record class sessions. Students may view recordings of their classes within the course's Canvas site as intended by the instructor, but may not download or share any recordings.
Parents who have questions or concerns about their child's academic experience should contact
Online Community & Support
Parents and students will be able to participate in virtual orientation sessions, to learn more about the support that Summer Session staff provides. Look for more information by email before the start of your class.
In addition to in-class support staff and resources, Summer Session students can connect by email or Zoom with our residential student staff members who provide additional support and mentoring outside the virtual classroom.
Outside of class time, Summer Session students can request to connect with our Summer Session residential staff for informal mentoring. The staff includes UChicago students and recent alumni who can connect over Zoom or email to share their experiences, advice, support and resources.