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Northern Illinois University is a large public research university located in DeKalb, Illinois, about 65 miles west of Chicago. Founded in 1895, NIU enrolls approximately 15,000 students across its colleges of business, education, engineering and engineering technology, law, liberal arts and sciences, and visual and performing arts. The DeKalb campus covers more than 750 acres and features a full range of academic, athletic, and residential facilities. NIU is a member of the Mid-American Conference and competes in NCAA Division I athletics, with its Huskies football program playing at Huskie Stadium. The university has a strong emphasis on applied research and maintains partnerships with regional employers in the Chicago metropolitan area and the greater northern Illinois corridor. DeKalb itself is a college town of roughly 42,000 residents where NIU students make up a significant portion of the population. The surrounding community offers affordable housing, local dining, and convenient access to Interstate 88 for commuters and students traveling to and from the Chicago suburbs.
NIU requires all first-year students with fewer than 30 credit hours who are under 21 years of age to live in university-owned housing for their first year. Students who commute from a parent or guardian's permanent residence within 30 miles of campus may apply for an exemption. The requirement is enforced through the housing contract signed at enrollment.
Students who have completed their freshman year or accumulated 30 or more credit hours are generally eligible to seek off-campus housing in DeKalb. Sophomores and upperclassmen make up the large majority of the off-campus rental market surrounding NIU. Students under 21 wishing to move off campus before meeting credit requirements must petition Housing and Residential Services.
Most off-campus landlords in DeKalb begin releasing their best units for the following fall as early as October and November of the prior year. The prime signing window runs from November through February, when inventory is widest and landlords are most negotiable on price. Students who wait until spring typically face reduced availability and higher rents on remaining units.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Northern Illinois University before signing a lease.
Students who begin their off-campus search in October or November of their sophomore year will find the largest selection of available units near NIU. Landlords along the Lincoln Highway corridor and in the neighborhoods east and south of campus routinely list properties months in advance to lock in tenants before the holiday season. Acting early gives students the best chance to secure a preferred floor plan, location, and price before inventory tightens.
The busiest leasing period in DeKalb runs from December through the end of February, when the bulk of upperclassmen are actively signing leases for the following academic year. Competition is high during this window for apartments within easy walking or biking distance of the NIU campus. Students who are shopping in this period should be prepared to tour quickly and make decisions within a few days of finding an appealing unit.
Students searching in April, May, or over the summer will find fewer options but can still locate housing, particularly in larger apartment complexes that maintain rolling vacancy. Sublet opportunities also arise in spring when students study abroad or graduate early. Off-campus housing offices at NIU maintain listings boards that are updated regularly and can be a useful resource for late searchers.
The neighborhood directly north of campus along Annie Glidden Road offers some of the closest off-campus housing to NIU's main academic buildings. Apartment complexes here cater almost exclusively to students and are known for competitive rents and short commutes on foot or by bus.
The stretch of Lincoln Highway (US-30) running east from campus toward downtown DeKalb is lined with student-oriented apartments, duplexes, and houses. This corridor is one of the most popular areas for upperclassmen due to its walkability and proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, and campus shuttle stops.
The streets branching off Normal Road south of campus contain a mix of rental houses and smaller apartment buildings popular with juniors and seniors. This area tends to be slightly quieter than the Annie Glidden corridor while remaining a short bike ride from the main NIU buildings.
Downtown DeKalb, centered on Lincoln Highway near First Street, offers a small but growing number of apartment options above retail spaces and in converted older buildings. Students who want a more urban feel with walkable dining and entertainment options while staying close to campus choose this area.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Off-campus apartments near NIU in DeKalb typically rent for $650 to $1,000 per month for a one-bedroom and $800 to $1,300 for a two-bedroom. Shared houses and multi-bedroom units often bring the per-person cost down to $400 to $600 per month, making DeKalb one of the more affordable college towns in Illinois.