The University of Chicago: Graduate Studies

Harris School of Public Policy Scholarship Terms and Conditions

Please review the following terms and conditions regarding Harris scholarship awards. By enrolling at the University of Chicago, you are agreeing to the terms of this scholarship award.

1. To accept an offer of admission, students must complete the online response form, found in your admission letter. Notification by phone, email, or in writing does not constitute official acceptance of an offer.

2. Awards are applied to tuition and disbursed evenly across four quarters. Scholarship awards and stipends are applied directly to tuition bills.

3. Offers of admission are contingent upon satisfactory completion of the applicant’s undergraduate program and receipt of the bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and if applicable, any master’s degree in progress at the time of application.

4. For students enrolled in the Evening Master's program (EMP), all scholarship and stipend awards are awarded based on enrollment in 225 units of coursework, per quarter, for four quarters. Scholarship awards are only applied to the 900 units of coursework required to complete the Evening Master’s Program. Scholarship funds do not cover additional courses outside of the Evening Master’s Program curriculum. Should you need to reduce your enrollment level below 225 units in any given quarter, your scholarship will be adjusted to match the new level of enrollment.

5. To remain eligible for scholarship funding, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 and make good academic progress and be in good standing with the University. Students who face disciplinary sanctions for academic dishonesty or other violations of University policy may have their Harris scholarship revoked. Students are expected to adhere to all policies outlined in the University’s student manual, including the student employment policy: https://studentmanual.uchicago.edu/.

6. As a scholarship recipient, you may be asked to engage with scholarship fund donors and/or acknowledgement correspondence as coordinated by Alumni Relations and Development.

7. Should you transfer academic programs, from EMP to MPP for example, your scholarship may not be transferred. Scholarship awards are tied specifically to the program of enrollment and may only be transferable should funds in the new academic program be available.

8. A student who receives a funding award from a non-University of Chicago source is normally expected to accept it, and to notify the Harris School of Public Policy. The Harris School of Public Policy reserves the right to make adjustments to your award, including a reduction of your scholarship offer, if appropriate, if you receive a substantial award from outside the University. Prior to enrollment, you must notify the Office of Admissions of any scholarship, fellowship, or funding you receive from an outside source. After matriculation, you must notify the Dean of Students Office. 

9. Students receiving a Segal, Truman, or other award match are receiving that as part of their overall merit award, which is the amount reflected in this letter.

10. Unless otherwise noted in your offer letter, your funding does not include the cost of the one-time Lifetime Transcript Fee (currently $75).

11. Students are responsible for fulfilling their personal tax obligations. If your award includes income that is not subject to federal or state income tax withholding at the time you receive it (for example, non-qualified scholarships, stipends, University-paid student health insurance premiums, and fellowship payments), students may be required to make quarterly estimated income tax payments to the IRS and State of Illinois.

12. In accordance with the Council of Graduate Schools’ (CGS) “April 15th Resolution,” we will honor this offer until the April 15 deadline, after which point it will be rescinded unless you are informed in writing that the deadline for a decision has been extended. Although you are under no obligation to accept this offer prior to April 15, please let us know as soon as you have made a decision so that we may extend offers to other prospective students if possible. You may consider other offers of financial support; if you choose to accept another offer of financial support, you must first resign from your acceptance of our offer, either before or after April 15.