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What is the Career Development Fund?

Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA) provides funding to support or supplement the career development needs of undergraduate students with financial need.

Students can apply to receive funding to support the following:

Purchase of Interview Suit

The Career Development Fund will provide up to $300 in funding for students to purchase an interview suit for interviews or career-related events.  Funding will be by reimbursement. 

Your purchase must include the following items:

  • One blazer
  • One matching bottom (dress pants or skirt)

Your purchase may include the following items if funding allows:

  • One dress shirt/blouse to be worn with the suit
  • One tie
  • One Belt
  • One pair of professional dress shoes
  • Alterations

Items that are NOT covered include:

  • Casual or business casual attire of any type (denim/jeans, polo shirts, khakis, t-shirts)
  • Accessories (briefcase, purse, jewelry, tie clips, etc.)
  • Beauty products
  • Evening wear or dresses, except for performance related auditions (with approval)
  • Undergarments

Students are given approximately one (1) month to shop for attire before submitting receipts and a required essay. This timeframe may be shorter at the end of the academic year.  Students that apply in the same quarter they are graduating must understand that they will be required to finish their shopping and submit their receipts prior to graduation as we are not able to provide funding after students graduate. Students should only submit applications for funding if they are able to shop in this timeframe.  Receipts must be submitted within one month upon funding approval. 

As of November 2021, students are eligible to receive funding to purchase an interview suit through the Career Development Fund/JC Penney Suit-up up to two times during their undergraduate career at Northwestern. Students must demonstrate a reason for a second suit.  The funding must be in an interval of two years or more (i.e.: freshman and junior year or sophomore and senior year), and will not be provided in consecutive years.

Graduate/Professional School Test Preparation and Application Costs

The Career Development Fund will provide students with financial need (one time during their undergraduate career at Northwestern) up to $550 in reimbursement for Graduate/Professional School Test Preparation and Application expenses.  We recommend that you apply for this funding at the time that best aligns with your graduate/professional school application timeline. To the extent possible, plan to submit receipts for all expenses related to your test preparation and application expenses at one time. Funding can be requested for the following expenses:

  • Graduate/Professional School Application fee(s)
  • Transcript request fee(s)
  • Score report fee(s)
  • Exam fee
  • Exam prep courses

In order to maximize your funding, NCA suggests that you research any fee assistance or waivers available before applying.  

Students are asked to complete their purchases and submit receipts and a required essay within a reasonable timeframe, within one month of funding approval. This timeframe may be shorter at the end of the academic year. Items purchased more than one month prior to applying are not eligible for reimbursement. Students should only submit applications for funding if they plan to make purchases in this timeframe. Students that apply in the same quarter they are graduating must understand that they will be required to provide receipts prior to graduation. We are not able to provide funding or reimbursements to students after they graduate.