We welcome your family to NIU, our student-centered and nationally recognized public research university. You want the best for your student and we’re confident you can find that here. No matter where your student comes from, no matter who they are, our goal is to help them be who they want to be. College is the first chapter in their future and we’re here to help your student write their story, their way.
Why NIU?
The search for the right college is full of promise, but the number of options can be overwhelming. To help, we’re providing some standout reasons why NIU might be the right school for your family.
Test-free, Guaranteed General Admission and Free Application
At NIU, we know your student is more than just a test score, so we don’t consider standardized test scores for general admission. Your student can apply for free and we’ll automatically consider them for merit scholarships based on their high school GPA alone. If they have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, we'll guarantee their admission. Learn more in the Common App, too.
Learn More about our test-free, guaranteed and free admission
Affordable
College is a big investment, so we’re committed to making education affordable to students and the families who support them. Here are some ways we help:
No tuition costs or fees
Our Aim High Huskie Pledge to support eligible first-year students.
Over $27 million in scholarships
Not including grants and athletic aid.
88% of Huskies
Receive at least one type of financial aid. And, over 1/3 of our undergraduate students graduate from NIU with no student loan debt.
Innovative Academic Programs
We have the high-quality academic programs your student wants. We’re constantly expanding our catalog to prepare them for an exciting degree in a changing world. Explore our more than 100 academic programs we offer including STEM, the arts and nearly anything you can imagine. Not sure what they’d like to study? That’s OK. NIU is the perfect place to explore.
Learn More about our academic programs
Supportive Community
We value the contributions of all our students who come from different communities, cultures and countries. No matter your student’s background, they're included and supported in their work and in their life because we recognize our diversity as one of our strengths. With 200 student organizations, cultural resource centers and peer mentoring, we want your student to connect, succeed and feel at home.
Learn More about our supportive community
Job-focused
At NIU, we make it possible for your student to apply what they learn so they get both the education and the experience they need to win the job they want.
We are one of just 7 universities in the nation that has partnered with Braven, a career-accelerating experience that prepares college students—many of whom are people of color, from low-income backgrounds, and the first in their families to attend college—to secure a strong first opportunity after graduation.
We work with employers in Chicago and across Illinois, so your student will have the internships, connections and job-related opportunities to ensure your investment pays off after graduation. In fact, over 90% of our graduates are employed within one year.
Learn More about our academic outcomes
