What Makes Us Special

Our rich history

Did you know that nine men dreamed up Northwestern University in a law office above a hardware store in downtown Chicago? Did you know that Northwestern was a "dry" campus until 1975, due to an amendment from 1855? Did you know that in 1933, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago almost merged to become a single institution?

Beautiful campuses

Northwestern University's two main campuses are situated along Lake Michigan's lakefront. Located between the Magnificent Mile and Lake Michigan, the Chicago Campus offers outstanding views and is within walking distance of some of the city’s main attractions. Just 12 miles north of Chicago, the Evanston campus sits among charming residential neighborhoods, parks, beaches, and bike trails. At our newest campus, in the architecturally significant Education City in Doha, Qatar, the University offers undergraduate programs in partnership with the Qatar Foundation.

Innovative research

Research thrives at Northwestern University, where sponsored research is well-supported. Interdisciplinary teams at Northwestern work to solve society's problems and facilitate clinical and commercial use of their innovations with partners at Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and local universities.

Highest Order of Excellence

Northwestern University’s strategic plan is known as the Highest Order of Excellence and encompasses Northwestern University’s vision, values, and strategic goals.

University statistics

Just want the facts? Northwestern University’s student admissions, graduation rate, employment, revenue by school, endowments, gifts, and more are available.