Overview

Northwestern University is a private research university located in Evanston, Illinois — just 12 miles north of Chicago — with additional professional school campuses in Chicago's Streeterville neighbourhood. The foundation of Northwestern University can be traced to a meeting on May 31, 1850, of nine prominent Chicago businessmen, Methodist leaders, and attorneys who formed the idea of establishing a university to serve the Northwest Territory. On January 28, 1851, the Illinois General Assembly granted a charter to the Trustees of the North-Western University, making it the first chartered university in Illinois. 

The university serves a total enrollment of approximately 22,603 students, with 8,846 undergraduate students comprising the core of campus life.  Northwestern welcomes students from all 50 US states and includes more than 4,300 international students from over 120 countries. 

The university's 12 colleges and schools include the Bienen School of Music; Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences; School of Communication; School of Education and Social Policy; McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; Graduate School; Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications; Pritzker School of Law; Kellogg School of Management; Feinberg School of Medicine; School of Professional Studies; and Northwestern University in Qatar. 

As of September 2020, 37 Nobel Prize laureates and 2 Fields Medalists were affiliated with Northwestern as alumni or faculty. In addition, Northwestern has been associated with 47 Pulitzer Prize winners, 23 National Medal of Science winners, 11 National Humanities Medal recipients, 23 MacArthur Fellows, 20 Rhodes Scholars, and 28 Marshall Scholars.  Northwestern alumni include Stephen Colbert, George R.R. Martin, and J.B. Pritzker, Governor of the State of Illinois. The Medill School of Journalism alumni have won 30+ Pulitzer Prizes. 

Northwestern alumni have founded companies and organisations including the Mayo Clinic, The Blackstone Group, U.S. Steel, Accenture, Aon Corporation, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Among US universities, Northwestern ranks eighth in the number of billionaires produced. 

Intakes

Northwestern University offers admissions for international students primarily through a single annual intake cycle, with select graduate programs accepting limited Spring enrollments.

Fall Intake (September) — Primary intake; open to all undergraduate and most graduate programs. Spring/Winter Intake — Available for select graduate programs at the professional schools only.

Undergraduate Application Deadlines: Early Decision applications are due in early November. Regular Decision deadline falls in early January. Northwestern remains test-optional for the 2025–26 admissions cycle.

Graduate Application Deadlines: Deadlines vary by school and department. Kellogg MBA applications are accepted in three rounds — Round 1 (September), Round 2 (January), and Round 3 (April). McCormick School of Engineering and most MS programs close between December and February.

Note: Polygon Campus primarily assists with graduate-level admissions. Students are encouraged to confirm specific intake availability and deadlines with their chosen Northwestern school or department.

Top Courses

Northwestern's 12 schools offer a highly interdisciplinary academic environment, combining deep specialisation with cross-disciplinary collaboration across the arts, sciences, engineering, law, medicine, and business. Key schools and flagship programs include:

Kellogg School of Management

• Two-Year Full-Time MBA, One-Year MBA
• Executive MBA (EMBA), MMM (MBA + Engineering), MBAi (MBA + AI)
• Master in Management (MIM)
• PhD in Management

McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• MS/PhD in Computer Science
• MS/PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering
• MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering
• MS/PhD in Biomedical Engineering
• MS/PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences (IEMS)
• MS in Artificial Intelligence

Pritzker School of Law

• Juris Doctor (JD), LLM, SJD, JD-MBA

Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications

• MS in Journalism, MS in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

Feinberg School of Medicine

• MD, MD-PhD, MPH

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

• MA/PhD in Economics, Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, Mathematics

Kellogg's MBA program is ranked #2 among Best Business Schools by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting its strong academic reputation and leadership in business education. Northwestern is also one of only 4 top-10 national universities ranked in the top 20 across four graduate school rankings simultaneously.

Cost of Studying at Northwestern University

Northwestern is a private university and charges the same tuition rate for all students regardless of residency. Tuition for the 2025–26 academic year is $69,375. Total expenses, including fees, books, housing and food, and transportation, are estimated at $96,236. 

Note: Figures are approximate based on 2025–26 data. Please refer to Northwestern's official website (northwestern.edu) for the most current fee structure.

Scholarships

Northwestern awarded more than $250 million in scholarships to students in 2024–25. Most students whose families earn less than $150,000 per year attend Northwestern tuition-free. 

Northwestern will meet 100% of all admitted first-year students' demonstrated financial need for all four years. Additionally, Northwestern does not award scholarships based on academic merit — it maximises assistance for students who otherwise would not be able to afford to attend. 

Key funding opportunities include:

• Northwestern Need-Based Grants — Cover full demonstrated financial need for all admitted undergraduates including international students; no repayment required; Northwestern meets 100% of need
• Kellogg School of Management Fellowships — Merit and need-based fellowships for MBA students; awarded at time of admission; highly competitive
• McCormick School of Engineering Fellowships — Research and teaching fellowships available for graduate engineering students; typically cover tuition and include a stipend
• Graduate School Fellowships — Available for PhD students across all disciplines; cover full tuition plus a living stipend
• Fulbright-Nehru Scholarship — External scholarship for Indian students; accepted at Northwestern
• External Scholarships — Tata Trusts, Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, and other external awards are accepted
• Research Assistantships (RAs) and Teaching Assistantships (TAs) — Available across departments for graduate students; include tuition waivers and monthly stipends

Note: International students must apply for financial aid and submit supporting financial documentation at the time of application. It is strongly recommended to explore external scholarships well in advance.

Admissions

Northwestern received 50,018 total applicants for the Class of 2028 with a 7.6% admit rate and a first-year class of 2,105 students.  Northwestern follows a holistic admissions process and remains test-optional for 2025–26 undergraduate applicants.

For Graduate Programs:

A strong academic background is essential — a minimum GPA of 3.5+ on a 4.0 scale is expected for competitive programs. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognised institution.

• Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution
• GPA of 3.9–4.0 (strongly recommended for competitive programs)
• TOEFL iBT: 90+ (100 preferred) / IELTS: 7.0+ (for non-English-speaking applicants)
• GRE / GMAT (Kellogg MBA and most graduate programs require GRE or GMAT)
• 2–3 Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose / Essays
• CV / Résumé
• Official transcripts with certified English translations

For Undergraduate Programs:

• Certificate of completion of secondary education equivalent to US high school (CBSE/ISC for Indian students)
• GPA of 3.9–4.0 (top of class strongly recommended)
• TOEFL: 100+ / IELTS: 7.0+ (if English is not the primary language of instruction)
• SAT / ACT (optional but recommended — 1500–1560 SAT / 33–35 ACT for competitive applicants)
• Common Application essay + Northwestern-specific supplements
• 1 teacher recommendation + 1 counsellor letter

Indian students can check Northwestern's specific admission requirements for their chosen program directly through Polygon Campus.

Placements

Northwestern's unique advantage lies in its dual access to two world-class cities — Evanston and Chicago. Its main campus places students within reach of Chicago's thriving finance, consulting, healthcare, and technology sectors, while Kellogg's downtown Chicago campus puts MBA students at the doorstep of global firms.

97% of Northwestern's Class of 2024 were employed, pursuing further education or service within six months of graduation.  For the Kellogg MBA Class of 2025, within six months of graduation, 90% had accepted positions. Graduates' median base salary rose to $175,000 — nearly double their median pre-MBA base salaries — while overall median total compensation reached $205,000. 

Consulting remained a top destination for Kellogg graduates, with 38% of the Class of 2025 entering the field at a median salary of $190,000, joining firms such as McKinsey, Bain, BCG, PwC Strategy&, Deloitte Consulting, and Accenture Strategy. Financial Services attracted 21% of graduates, with a median base salary of $175,000. Technology accounted for 19% of placements. 

Jobs After Graduating from Northwestern University

Note: Salary figures are indicative and may vary based on role, employer, industry, and experience.

Northwestern's career support ecosystem includes:

• Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA) — Personalised career advising, employer recruiting, networking events, and career planning tools for all undergraduate and graduate students
• Kellogg Career Management Center (CMC) — Dedicated MBA career support with direct connections to global consulting, finance, and technology employers
• Medill Career Services — Dedicated placement support for journalism and integrated marketing communications students
• Pritzker School of Law Career Services — Legal career advising, judicial clerkship support, and law firm recruitment
• Northwestern Alumni Network (240,000+ living alumni) — A deeply engaged global network spanning consulting, finance, healthcare, media, technology, and government
• On-Campus Recruiting — Direct access to McKinsey, Bain, BCG, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and hundreds of leading global employers
• OPT & STEM OPT — International graduates can remain and work in the US for up to 12–36 months after graduation

For personalised guidance on Northwestern University admissions, connect with the experts at Polygon Campus today.