Universities & Colleges in Chicago, USA – Rankings, Courses, Fees

Why Study in Chicago?

Chicago is known to be a global hub for areas such as Finance, Information Technology, and Healthcare related courses. Students also have quite a few options to choose from when it comes to colleges and universities, with the likes of UChicago, UIC, and Illinois Institute of Technology all having their main campuses in the city. A few of the entrance exam scores accepted for international admissions in Chicago include TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE, GRE and GMAT. 

Universities and Colleges in Chicago: Highlights

International students can study in Chicago in over 20 universities. Here is a lowdown of the study options in the city:

Best Universities in Chicago

The list of top colleges and universities in Chicago along with their Shiksha Popularity Rankings 2025 are given in the table below:

Top 10 Specialisations in Chicago 

Some of the top specializations offered in Chicago for international students are given as follows:

• Business and Finance 
• Marketing 
• AI
• Business Analytics 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Supply Chain Management 
• Biology and Biomedical Sciences
• Computer Science
• Criminal Law
• Public Policy 

Admission Requirements in Chicago

The general admission requirements for international students in Chicago, Illinois are given as follows:

• Academic Records 
• English Proficiency
• Valid SAT or ACT scores
• Personal Essays
• LOR
• Additional Academic Documents 

Cost of studying in USA

The cost of studying in the USA for international students varies by program from one university to another. To study MS in the USA, the average first-year cost is INR 23.5 L and for studying MBA in USA, the average cost is INR 27.8 L for international students.

Cost of Living in USA 

The cost of living in USA for international students is around INR 8.3 L to INR 15 L depending on the city. Students can check the Cost of Living in USA for the different states below:

(USD 1 = INR 83.09)

Check the list of 8 Most Affordable Cities for Studying in the US

Student Visa Fees in USA 

There are two fees associated with an F1 student visa for the USA

1. The SEVIS fee is currently USD 350, and US student visa fees in Indian rupees are approximately INR 30,242.
2. The Visa Application Fee (MRV Fee), currently USD 185, is equivalent to INR 15,985.

Scholarships in USA

Studying abroad is indisputably costly. This factor stops many aspirants from applying to universities abroad, especially, in a country like the USA, which is a hub for international students.

There are ideally four types of scholarships offered in USA and they are as follows:

1. Government Funded or Publicly Funded Scholarships in USA
2. University-Specific 
3. Merit-Based
4. Need-Based

Apart from these, there are also externally funded scholarships. These can be funded by one's own country or foundations that help students fund their education. Some of the merit based scholarships offered to international students in USA are given as follows: