First Year Career Cohorts

Your Journey to Success Starts Today!

Ready to start your UChicago adventure? Take advantage of Career Advancement's First Year Career Cohorts!

These yearlong programs help first year students get on the fast track to success. Participants will:

  • Meet regularly with their Cohort Advisor

  • Participate in professional development workshops, employer sessions, and networking events

  • Receive funding for a summer internship

Students apply during the summer before they arrive at UChicago and begin the program during their first year.

All incoming students are eligible to apply, including transfer students.

Incoming students can apply for all of these programs using this form. Apply by June 20 to guarantee your spot!

If you are a transfer student interested in business who has already completed at least one year of college, we encourage you to consider the Trott Business Program and the Financial Markets Program. Applications for these programs are due June 27.

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Arts and Humanities

Arts and Humanities helps you discover career paths that share storytelling, artistic production and communication at their core, as well as explore the dynamic changes that these industries are undergoing. This one-year program brings together early-career students focused on combining the robust UChicago Arts and Humanities curriculum with cutting-edge skill development to prepare to make an impact on film, literature, visual arts, music, gaming, theatre, animation, academia and more.

Aspiring Attorneys Program

The Aspiring Attorneys Program helps first-year students kickstart their career discernment journey in the legal field by introducing them to resources and activities they can utilize to plan their journey to law school and a legal career. Cohort members enjoy professional development, workshops, mentoring, and invaluable networking opportunities with practicing lawyers.

Civic Career Corps

The Civic Career Corps provides career resources, leadership development, and funded internship opportunities for students pursuing public interest careers, including government, policy, think tanks, nonprofits, and social service.

Computational Life Sciences

Computational Life Sciences helps students use the tools of computer science and data analytics to answer big questions in the life sciences. Cohort members receive comprehensive support to help them begin careers in biotech, bioinformatics, neuroscience, pharmacology, and more.

Healthcare Explorers

The Healthcare Explorers program helps first-year students kickstart their career discernment journey in healthcare and other clinical careers such as social work. This one-year program will introduce students to professional development resources and activities they can utilize to pursue careers as successful, compassionate, and dedicated care providers.

OakNorth Young Entrepreneurs

The program prepares students who are passionate about entrepreneurship with the skills, frameworks, and connections needed to fast track their potential ventures into concrete ideas. Students will engage in a year-long startup development project, culminating in a pitch competition. The cohort will also participate in regular workshops and events to learn the foundations of entrepreneurship and develop their founder’s toolkit.

Quantum Business, Innovation, and Technology (QUBIT)

Quantum Business, Innovation, and Technology (QUBIT), is a one-year preprofessional program that provides professional development programming, community engagement, and funded research and internship opportunities to help students launch successful careers in quantum computing, engineering, R&D, and more.

Trott Emerging Business Leaders Program

The Trott Emerging Business Leaders Program offers a series of career exploration events and internships to help students get on the fast track to success in business. The program is funded by generous gifts from Trott Family Philanthropies and BDT & MSD Partners.