Northern Illinois University

Northern Illinois University Student Activities

Interested in Greek life?

Northern Illinois University has the American Marketing Association. In fact, more students participate in the American Marketing Association than any other on-campus activity.

Other popular student organizations at Northern Illinois University include Delta Sigma Pi, Pi Sigma Epsilon, Black Choir and Student Volunteer Choir.

Northern Illinois University students' favorite campus traditions are Homecoming, NIU Cares Day and Welcome Day.

Does Northern Illinois University Offer Student Housing?

This table offers information on housing at Northern Illinois University.

Northern Illinois University offers housing for students. Students are required to live on campus. First year students are given priority for on-campus housing.

Most Northern Illinois University students live off campus. In 2023, 34% of undergrads at Northern Illinois University lived in some kind of on-campus housing and 66% of students lived off-campus or commuted to Northern Illinois University. There are 4,376 spots available in on-campus housing for all 11,429 undergraduates. In the 2022-2023 school year, 3,973 students chose to live on-campus. On the weekends, about 55% students stay on-campus. First year students are allowed to park a car on campus.

Northern Illinois University offers coed housing and housing for students with disabilities.

Northern Illinois University Athletics

At Northern Illinois University there are a variety of athletic options for students interested in joining a sports program.

Intercollegiate sports are the highest tier of college sports and can be very competitive. Intercollegiate teams are regulated by the NCAA, funded by the university, and compete against teams from other universities. The division of a sports team depends on the size of the university, funding, and competition level. An intercollegiate school team will be Division I, II or III, with Division I being the highest level.

Club sports are not regulated by the NCAA and are a great option for students not interested in trying out for an intercollegiate team. Club sports are usually student run but can also be funded by the university.

Intramural sports are the most casual and informal. Intramural sports are often free and require very little time commitment.

Let's take a look at the athletic options available at Northern Illinois University:

Safety at Northern Illinois University

College is like a home away from home. Whether you're walking to class or coming back from late-night studying (or partying!), it's important to feel safe on campus.

Northern Illinois University is patroled 24 hours a day by trained security. The Northern Illinois University campus has emergency telephones or alarms for students to use anytime of day or night. The school also has student security patrols.

Northern Illinois University offers late-night transportation or safety escorts for students. Dorms can only be accessed with secure key cards so that students can feel confident that they are safe in on-campus housing.

Plan a Visit to Northern Illinois University

Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a sense of the campus and student body. If you'd like to visit Northern Illinois University, take Interstate 88 to De Kalb, IL. If you need to fly, book your flight to OHare International airport.

While you're planning, check out other schools in Illinois you may want to visit too. Click the heart at the top of each school's page to save it to your college list.

Want to visit but can't make the trip? Explore Northern Illinois University's campus without leaving home by taking a virtual campus tour

Keep Reading About Northern Illinois University

Choose one of the options below to find out more about about Northern Illinois University:

Overview

Admissions

Academics

Tuition & Aid

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