Student life

Housing

While some prefer to live on campus, others take advantage of housing opportunities in Evanston and Chicago. Good transportation options allow for a flexible and easy commute between home and campus.

On-campus graduate housing

Northwestern offers a number of on-campus housing options for Ph.D. students. These options are excellent for those who wish to fully embrace the campus culture and those who wish to be conveniently close to the Global Hub. Housing at the McManus Center, managed by Kellogg, is primarily for Kellogg MBA students; however, Ph.D. students have found accommodation there.

Off-campus housing

Evanston is a university town, so there is a variety of housing options available to you depending on what you are looking for and where you want to live. For those who prefer to live in a world-class city, Evanston is close to Chicago, with convenient transportation options. Northwestern does have a number of web links under Off-Campus Housing that specialize in advertising places to rent or sub-lease.

Family resources

Relocating to a new city for Ph.D. study is a big decision, especially when a partner and children join you on this journey.

The Office of Work/Life & Family Resources at Northwestern provides student parents with information about childcare options in the Evanston and Chicago area. Tips for finding childcare, a listing of childcare programs, backup childcare resources, and financial assistance programs are provided online. Resources for student parents are found through Northwestern’s Graduate School.

Graduate students of all gender identities who become new parents, whether through childbirth or adoption, are provided with a parental accommodation for approximately three months. Students may qualify for continued funding and their Ph.D. degree requirement deadlines will be extended.

International students

Kellogg attracts students from all over the world to our doctoral programs. Currently, 24 countries are represented in the student body.

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) provides additional resources for international students through the Community Council for International Students (CCIS), an all-volunteer group dedicated to making Northwestern international students feel welcome within the US and at Northwestern.

Health and wellness

To support our students, Northwestern has many healthcare resources including access to a health clinic, counseling services, health and wellness workshops, and student health insurance — all referenced through Health Service. Additionally, students can access fitness and wellness resources through Northwestern Recreation, such as a free fitness assessment, yoga and conditioning classes.

Campus amenities

You can balance your studies with all that Northwestern has to offer — from sports and recreation to cultural opportunities on campus ranging from music, theater, and dance.

Sports and recreation

Whether you like to watch sports, participate in a sports league, take sailing lessons, or get a good workout, there are many opportunities at Northwestern!  As part of the “Big Ten Conference,” you can cheer our sports teams on the playing field. If you don’t want to sit on the sidelines, Northwestern offers sports leagues that compete at the club level and has several sports facilities that are free for students.

Kellogg Ph.D. students have free access to the Sports and Aquatic Center (SPAC) at Northwestern that offers racquetball/squash courts, an indoor track, courts for tennis and basketball, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a weight room, exercise equipment, a sun deck, and a large, sandy beach right on Lake Michigan!

Cultural opportunities on campus

As one of the world’s leading centers for training professionals in the performing arts, Northwestern University attracts great talent to its music and theater venues, and everyone benefits. Northwestern's Bienen School of Music brings in world-recognized musical acts of every genre, and the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts offers theatrical, musical and dance performances by students and renowned professionals. The Block Museum of Art presents several exhibits annually in addition to its permanent art collection. Many programs and events offer student discounts.

Location

Evanston is a vibrant community that offers the best of both worlds to Kellogg students — an inclusive environment for Northwestern scholars to engage in innovative research as well as a charming place to call home. Get to know us better — our institutions of learning and where we live.

Northwestern University

Chartered in 1851, Northwestern is one of the nation’s major private research universities. The university has 8,000 undergraduate students and 14,000 graduate students on its Evanston, Chicago and Dohar, Qatar campuses. The Evanston campus covers 230 acres, stretching along a half-mile of Lake Michigan shoreline with views of downtown Chicago. Students enjoy access to a private beach, extensive sports and aquatic facilities, as well as numerous other amenities.

Kellogg School of Management

Kellogg's full-time Ph.D. and MBA programs are housed in the Global Hub, Kellogg’s new 415,000-square-foot lakefront education complex. Aside from its spectacular views, the building has a distinctive two-atrium design and features a variety of signature learning and meeting spaces. The Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences’ Economics Department is also located at the Global Hub — the heart of the economics community.

Evanston

The first in a string of North Shore Chicago suburbs, Evanston stretches along four miles of Lake Michigan. A truly “urban suburb,” Evanston includes residential neighborhoods, business districts and recreational facilities. The city maintains 263 acres of parks, which include five Lake Michigan beaches, running and biking trails, an indoor ice rink and 24 tennis courts. Many Kellogg students prefer to make their homes in Evanston; however, others prefer to commute to campus from nearby Chicago.

The opportunity of Chicago

The nation’s third largest city, Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper and home to dozens of landmarks including the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower, John Hancock Observatory, Wrigley Field, Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park (with its famous “Bean” sculpture and outdoor music pavilion) and Navy Pier. The metropolitan area is home to nearly 10 million people who come from all over the world. That diversity is reflected in Chicago’s multicultural neighborhoods and their remarkable (and affordable!) ethnic cuisines. Chicago is a thriving economic powerhouse, the country’s second-largest financial center and headquarters for some of the nation’s largest banks, brokerage houses and consulting and commodity firms, as well as being the transportation hub of the United States.

From arts and culture to sports to dining, Chicago offers something for every taste. The Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry are known for their world-class collections. Chicago is also famous for its blues clubs, theater scene, “Second City” comedy, and extraordinary architecture. Sports fans flock to see 6 major professional sports teams. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy swimming, running, biking, inline skating and other sports in the many parks and beaches along Lake Michigan.

Getting around

Northwestern provides shuttle services between the Chicago and Evanston campuses. The area’s elevated train (L) has seven stops in Evanston, providing service to locations throughout the greater Chicago area. Additionally, the CTA U-Pass program provides a reduced fare card used on all Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) transportation (the L system and Pace buses) for full-time doctoral students. Chicago is home to two airports: O’Hare International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, and Midway Airport.