Study in Chicago

Great public transport

Chicago has some of the best public transport in the US, which is great news for students who don't have a car. The city has great bus and rail links, plus a bike sharing system, as well as pedestrian walkways ('pedways') which make walking around the city even easier.

Music scene 

Chicago is synonymous with many important music scenes, such as jazz, blues, gospel, and soul. It's also often cited as the city where house music was born, as well as being important in the world of hip-hop (and is the birthplace of rapper Kanye West). 

Sports teams

A number of important American sports teams are based in Chicago, including two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams: the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. It's also home to the former team of basketball legend Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls. 

Chicago has a low score in the ranking for affordability, which is common for US cities as the average tuition fees are among the highest in the world. The overall cost of living in Chicago is also a bit larger than the US as a whole.

According to Numbeo, a single person living in Chicago can expect to spend around US$1,025, excluding rent. However, there are many scholarships available to both domestic and international students hoping to study in the city. 

Chicago is the third most populous city in the US, so students here can experience all the benefits of big-city living. It's a cultural melting-pot with a diverse population, and in the past was the destination of a huge number of immigrants from countries like Ireland, Italy, Greece, and many more. Suffice to say, this cultural diversity also means that the city is home to some fantastic food!

Chicago scores extremely well in the employer activity rank, indicating that Chicago’s graduates are highly sought after by employers. Chicago is a major financial centre, with the second-largest central business district in the United States. Popular graduate employers include Boeing, JP Morgan Chase and Walgreens Boots Alliance.