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Off-Campus Housing Near Northwestern
$970+/unit
Fees may applyDwight Lofts
$1,299+/unit
Fees may apply626 on the Park
$1,040/unit
Fees may applyLetterman Chicago
$1,299+/unit
Fees may applyStraits Row
About Off-Campus Housing Near Northwestern University
Northwestern University brings about 22,600 students to Evanston, the lakeside suburb just north of Chicago where campus runs right up against Lake Michigan. The Lakefill, an expanse of land Northwestern built out into the lake decades ago, is the spot students claim for studying, sunsets, and the spring all-day music festival Dillo Day. Downtown Evanston sits steps from campus with the kind of walkable grid you'd want, and the Purple Line train drops you into the heart of Chicago in under an hour. Wildcat fall means football at the rebuilt Ryan Field and basketball at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The neighborhoods nearby, from quiet Northeast Evanston to the busier downtown blocks, are tree-lined and easy to bike. You're never short on something to do.
Northwestern University Housing Requirements
Freshman Live-On Requirement
Northwestern requires students to live on campus for their first two years, and transfers for their first year. Most students spend those two years in the residence halls before making the move off.
Off-Campus Eligibility
The off-campus push usually starts junior year once the two-year requirement is met, and students at Northwestern lean heavily on older walk-up apartments, converted houses, and a handful of newer mid-rises downtown. The process runs through private landlords and management companies: an application, a credit or guarantor check, and first month plus a security deposit at signing.
Lease Timing
Leases almost always run a full twelve months, typically starting September 1, which is also the city's notorious moving day. Evanston enforces occupancy rules tied to its zoning, including a long-standing limit on how many unrelated people can share certain units, so a big group should confirm a place is legal for their headcount before committing.