Student Resources
Campus Resources
The Northwestern University campus has a wide range of resources available to you as a student. These include fitness and recreation resources, health and wellness resources, arts and athletic events, and dining options.
Interactive campus map
The interactive campus map allows you to search for buildings on the Evanston or Chicago campus by name or address. Once you’ve located a building you can scroll down on the pop-up window and get driving or walking directions from any address.
Campus Tours The NU Office of Undergraduate Admission offers tours of the campus every day (and twice a day in the summers). The tours are preceded by a 45 minute information session, which is focused on information for prospective undergraduates. You can sign up for tours and see the times that tours are offered here. If you plan to attend the tour but not the information session you should arrive at the admission office 40 minutes after the time of the information session.
Virtual Tours of Campus Virtual tours and snapshots of campus are an easy alternative.
Fitness and Recreation
There are several fitness and recreation services available to students, many of them free.
Evanston Campus Sports and Aquatics Fitness Center (SPAC)
Free to full-time students, reduced prices for part-time students, faculty and staff.
Includes group exercise classes, pool, cardio equipment, racquetball courts etc.
A note about SPAC access during the summer months: According to SPAC’s website students taking 2 courses during the summer get automatic free access to the center. However, some students who started in the summer quarter and were taking only 2 courses were not able to access SPAC, so we called to clarify the situation. SPAC informed us that their website is out of date and that the policy on summer enrollment is in flux. Currently any student who was enrolled full-time in the SPRING automatically gets free access through the summer, but students who start in the summer and are only taking 2 classes don’t automatically get free access and would have to wait until the fall quarter starts.
Chicago Campus facilities - River East Club
This fitness center is not owned by Northwestern but they do have a partnership and NU students get a large discount on memberships.
Membership at the River East Club also gives you full access to services offered by the Chicago Park District.
Northwestern University has a private beach staffed with lifeguards during the summer months. Students (part-time or full-time) can use the beach for free but must present their student ID (wildcard).
Offers kayak, paddle board and catamaran rentals, as well as group and private lessons in sailing, windsurfing, and catamaran craft.
Offers rental equipment for backpacking, cross-country skiing, rollerblading, general sports, and picnics. Experienced staff are always on hand to show you how the equipment works.
In the winter months a skating rink is created on the east lawn of the Norris University Center. Rental skates are available.
Health and Wellness
The University’s Student Health Service offers clinical health services to all students (full-time and part-time). Services at the Evanston facility include general medicine, women’s health (gynecology), infirmary (limited inpatient care), health education, access to specialty consultations, allergy shots, travel immunizations, laboratory, radiology (X-ray), and pharmacy. Students do NOT have to have the NU Health Insurance to utilize Health Services.
Northwestern offers health insurance through Aetna. Premiums are the same for part-time students as for full-time (for 2013-14 that is $3,067 for the year).
Full time students will select or waive the NU insurance on CAESAR. If you don’t waive the insurance by the deadline you will be charged for it.
Part-time students need to contact the health services office at 847 491-2110 (Evanston Campus), 312-503-1242 (Chicago Campus) or e-mail student.insurance@northwestern.edu to request a “Part Time Application” form to enroll in the health insurance plan. Part-time and half-time students cannot enroll via CAESAR. Note that you must be taking at least two classes towards a degree to enroll in health insurance. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible to enroll. More information at http://www.nuhs.northwestern.edu/evanston/insurefaq.aspx
International students MUST purchase the NU health insurance.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
As the University’s primary counseling resource, the CAPS staff of psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors offers individual, couples and group counseling; psychological and psychiatric consultation; crisis intervention; and assessment and referral recommendations as well as outreach workshops on topics such as stress management, relationship skills, eating disorders, etc. Full time students have free access to most CAPS services. Part-time students are only eligible for crisis and referral services.
AccessibleNU (Services for Students with Disabilities)
Northwestern University and AccessibleNU are committed to providing a supportive and challenging environment for all undergraduate, graduate, professional school, and continuing studies students with disabilities who attend the University. The University and AccessibleNU work to provide students with disabilities and other conditions requiring accommodation a learning and community environment that affords them full participation, equal access, and reasonable accommodation.
Northwestern is committed to providing a working, learning, and living environment free from harassment on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. For more information or to make a complaint regarding sexual harassment, please contact the Sexual Harassment Prevention Office.
In March of 2014, the White House published notalone.gov, a website dedicated to providing resources for survivors of sexual assault, specifically on college campuses.
Arts, Athletics, Events
Dittmar Art Gallary
Plays
Students can now upload their own wildcard photo
STA Travel: Travel discounts for students
Dining on Campus
Hours listed on the NUcuisine website. For more info, check out their websites.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
North Campus
Bagels and shmear. Best bagels on campus
Lisa’s Café in Slivka
North Campus
Smoothies, desserts, sushi, pizza and toasted subs and wraps, with a convenience store.
Tech Express
North Campus
Varied breakfast selections, hot lunches, fresh salads, hot panini’s, sushi, Campbell’s Soup and desserts
Norris University Center
Mid-campus
(Starbucks Coffee, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, food court and convenience store)
Food For Thought at Garrett
Mid-campus
Panini sandwiches, grill, salads and soft drinks
Plaza Café in the Library
Mid-campus
Coffee, tea, and pastries.
Crowe Café
South Campus
Pastries, coffee, convenience options
Fran’s Café in Willard
South Campus
Late night milkshakes, sliders, flatbreads, salads, tater tots, and waffle fries.
International Student Resources
- International Office- First point of contact for any visa or housing issues and site of many helpful resources.
- Graduate Sidekicks- Peer resource for advice on academics, culture, and other aspects of life as a graduate student at Northwestern!
Other Campus Resources
- Multicultural Student Affairs
- Religious Life - University Chaplain
- Services for Students with Disabilities
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Office
- Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution
- Student Financial Services
- Student Loans
- Transportation - Shuttles
- University Career Services
- University Directory
- WildCARD Office