New Student Advising

Incoming Students for Autumn 2026

Students enrolling in the College for Autumn 2026 will receive an email on July 13, 2026 with their assigned Academic Adviser's contact information and instructions for scheduling their first required advising appointment. This summer appointment will be held virtually. Along with many other opportunities and resources you will encounter this summer, your Academic Adviser will help you navigate the process of understanding the curriculum and registering for your Autumn Quarter courses. During your first year and beyond, your Academic Adviser can help you with course planning, exploring majors and co-curricular activities, learning about campus resources, understanding policies and procedures and more. 

We look forward to building a lasting relationship with you as you embark on your college journey and we are excited to meet with you soon! Until then, you can best prepare for your initial appointment by exploring the information and resources available to you below.

Before you register for your Autumn Quarter courses, it is important that you understand what the requirements are to receive a degree. The UChicago undergraduate degree has three main components: the Core Curriculum (UChicago’s general education requirements), a major academic program of study, and general electives (which can be used in pursuit of additional majors or minors if desired). Read more about the degree requirements here.

We also strongly recommend that you attend our Introduction to the College Core Curriculum webinar June 25, 2026 from 12PM-1:30PM CST. You can register for upcoming webinars here.

Placement exams tell you which course is the best starting point for subjects offered at multiple levels (i.e. Mathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science, and languages beyond the first-quarter level). You may only register for courses that match your placement. Every incoming student must take the Mathematics placement exam. Students interested in pursuing further study in language, Chemistry, or Computer Science must take placement exams in these areas. Physics placements are determined by mathematics placement results.

You will receive an email invitation to take placement exams in early May (provided your UChicago email has been set up). All placement exams should be completed and AP/IB exam results ordered by Saturday, June 20th. Completing your exams on time will ensure you receive your placement results by July 20, before your academic advising appointment and Autumn Quarter pre-registration. Learn more about online placement exams and submitting AP/IB exam scores here.

In preparation for your first advising appointment over the summer, identify Autumn Quarter courses that align with your placement results, personal interests, and goals by reviewing the first quarter schedule information and the Autumn 2026 Schedule of Classes available on the Class Search webpage linked in your my.UChicago portal when it is released on July 6, 2026.

All incoming students will participate in a process called "pre-registration" during which you will indicate your preferences for your Autumn Quarter courses. Pre-Registration for your Autumn Quarter courses will take place Monday, August 17-Friday, August 21. Step-by step guidance on registering for your courses will be made available to you via webinar and email as we approach mid-August. Read more about registering for your Autumn courses here.

Note: Pre-registration is an online process that requires internet access, so please plan accordingly. If you will not have internet access during the pre-registration period, you will be assigned to a Humanities sequence after pre-registration closes based on remaining course availability. Please notify your academic adviser during your summer meeting so that you can discuss other scheduling needs and preferences. 

Each year, we are excited to welcome a new cohort of transfer students. As new students to UChicago, incoming transfer students follow the same procedures related to placement and pre-registration as all other incoming students. As students who are transferring from another institution, we also recognize that you will have specific needs and questions, such as questions related to transfer credit. For more information, please review the transfer information page here.