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For Students

Find resources, information and guidelines.

Academics

Fall Quarter will be a new and different learning environment, which may continue to change and evolve as the academic year progresses.

Fall Instruction

A significant portion of fall instruction will be conducted remotely. Remote courses may have synchronous components with meetings at scheduled times, or they may be asynchronous. Other courses may have in-person components. Class schedules identify if courses are remote, hybrid or face-to-face.

Learn About the Different Modes of Instruction

Returning to Campus

Northwestern has updated its Return to Campus plan for Winter Quarter. Based on where we stand today, we will invite first- and second-year undergraduate students to campus for Winter Quarter. They will join the students who have been on campus this Fall. We will ask students to confirm their plans for the upcoming term by early December.

Health Monitoring and Precautions

It is critical that we each take responsibility for maintaining the health of our community.

Community Expectations

As a condition of returning to campus, students, faculty and staff are required to follow policies, protocols and guidance designed to protect everyone’s health. All students must: 

Modified Quarantine

Northwestern is requiring all students living on campus or in the Evanston area to participate in “Wildcat Wellness,” a two-week period that aims to reduce the chances of spreading COVID-19 and to better position the campus community to start the quarter healthy and well. For the terms beginning in January, Wildcat Wellness will be January 3 – January 17 for most programs. The Law School’s Wellness period will be January 11 – 24.

Students, faculty and staff participating in Chicago programs must adhere to the city’s Emergency Travel Order. 

Health & Wellness

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) continues to be available for students, and is offering comprehensive tele-mental health services, including 24/7 access to crisis support, initial consultations, virtual gatherings, and individual counseling. CAPS will offer very limited in-office appointments for specific critical needs only.

University Health Services, in Evanston and Chicago, will continue to be fully operational with both in-person and tele-health services.

Explore more student health and wellness resources.

Student Experience

Campus Life is advising student organizations to host all events virtually and make them accessible to all students, including those who participate remotely. 

  • Northwestern’s Student Organization and Activities office will host a virtual student organizations fair, and many registered student organizations will host interest meetings virtually.
  • Submissions for hybrid events with a small in-person component will be evaluated weekly on a case-by-case basis. Registered Student Organizations and fraternities/sororities can find more information on the Student Organizations & Activities planning an event page and the framework for meetings, events and programs.
  • First and second year students, regardless of housing or academic exception, cannot attend an in-person component of a hybrid event. First and second year students may attend virtually. 

The Department of Recreation and Fitness has developed plans to provide in-person experiences for our students once the Wildcat Wellness period has passed:

  • Recreation and Fitness will provide cardio, weight training, personal training and group exercise classes as well as lap swimming and indoor tennis courts per public health guidelines. All facility access and activities will require a reservation.
  • Recreation and Fitness will be offering on-line live fitness classes students can do from their home environments. Access the schedule.
  • Outdoor recreational spaces will be available according to guidelines, and we are reviewing and developing what Intramural and Club sports will look like given evolving public health guidelines.

Campus Inclusion and Community is actively preparing to keep all students connected to affinity groups and communities:

  • Northwestern’s Multicultural Student Affairs office is planning engaging virtual programming for students, as was done in Spring quarter.
  • We anticipate that in addition to virtual events, student organizations will hold some in-person events, subject to University guidelines. 
  • Some University traditions and campus activities will continue in a modified or hybrid format with a mix of virtual and in-person experiences after the first week of classes. Expect weekly virtual and modified in-person programs in common spaces such as in residential buildings.

Frequently Asked Questions