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Wildcard Advantage Program

The Wildcard Advantage is a free discount program, solely offering more than 300 independent businesses who are not affiliated with Northwestern the opportunity to provide and promote deals and discounts to Northwestern students, faculty, and staff. These discount offers are subject to change without notice. If you have questions regarding a specific discount, contact the business or organization directly for more information.

View All Discounts

About the Program

This program is part of Northwestern's Procurement and Payment Services department. New businesses choose to join primarily based on word of mouth: they see the Wildcard Advantage stickers in other shop windows, business owners recommend it to other business owners, students inquire if they offer a Northwestern discount, etc. We do reach out to new businesses occasionally, but the majority of new applications are a result of referrals. Interested businesses apply for participation using the approved Wildcard Advantage Application Form. Once submitted, the application is reviewed by Northwestern to determine eligibility and compliance with provisions of program policy. If the application is approved, Northwestern will authorize the business's discount information to be displayed on the Wildcard Advantage program website. Businesses provide all information for their individual listings, are responsible for informing Northwestern of any listing changes, and may opt out at any time. 

Northwestern is not responsible for transactions and/or disputes resulting from the use of this program and does not promote or endorse any goods or services these businesses may provide. Inclusion of a product or service in the program is not a guarantee by Northwestern of the quality or performance of a product or service.

Find a Participating Business

Once accepted, businesses are given complimentary window stickers with the Wildcard Advantage logo that they are instructed to display clearly and prominently so members of the Northwestern community know they participate in the program. Keep an eye out for those when you patronize a shop.

  • The comprehensive and most up-to-date list of Wildcard Advantage businesses is on our website
  • You can also quickly view New Businesses added in the last 3 months 
  • Follow us on Twitter for new businesses and the latest updates

Information for Businesses

Hundreds of businesses participate in the free Wildcard Advantage program, which provides special discounts and offers for Northwestern-issued ID Card holders. Benefits of the Wildcard Advantage Program include:

  • The University's 23,000 students, faculty, staff, spouses/partners, and contracted workers are given increased exposure to your business
  • Your discount will be listed for free on the Wildcard website, which will include a link to your website
  • Complimentary window sticker to publicize your participation in the program

Apply

Please submit our Wildcard Advantage Application Form. We will review your application and be in touch. Please note: Any new applicants – including online businesses – must have a local storefront in close proximity to either the Evanston or Chicago campus, including the Medill Chicago Newsroom at 303 East Upper Wacker Drive.

  • Your discount must be specified in the listing
  • Your staff must be notified of the discount
  • View the Northwestern-issued ID card of any Northwestern student, faculty, staff, spouse/partner, or contracted worker using the discount at time of payment or offer
  • Keep your listing current and let us know of any changes to your listing

Disclaimers

  • We reserve the right to deny applications
  • The Wildcard Advantage Program is for the personal use of Northwestern faculty, staff, students, spouses/partners, part-time/temporary employees, and contracted workers with a valid Northwestern-issued ID card. The University is not responsible for transactions and/or disputes resulting from the use of its website and does not promote or endorse any specific business listed
  • There is no binding legal agreement or participation fee. You may opt out of the program at any time
  • Northwestern does not subsidize discounts offered by participating Wildcard Advantage business 
  • A business's participation in the Wildcard Advantage program does not constitute or create a contract or an agent relationship between the business and Northwestern. Participation in the program is separate and distinct from a Preferred Vendor contract with Northwestern's Procurement and Payment Services
  • Businesses participating in the Wildcard Advantage program are not granted rights to Northwestern University's name, logos, trademarks, songs, mottos, or mascots and are prohibited from their unauthorized use, as determined by our Trademark Licensing Office. You may, however, use the Wildcard Advantage program logo in your marketing efforts. To obtain design files for our program logo, please contact wildcardadv@northwestern.edu 

Contact Wildcard Advantage

The Wildcard Advantage Program is part of Northwestern University's Procurement and Payment Services department. For information specific to the Wildcard Advantage program, please email wildcardadv@northwestern.edu or call 847.491.8120