NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Updates for High School Partners

Greetings,

As the assistant vice president of enrollment services and director of undergraduate admissions at NIU, I’m so proud to be part of our Huskie family and to partner with you in supporting the next generation of students.

Like more than half of our students, I’m the first in my family to go to college. That journey led me not only to a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, but also to a master’s in urban higher education — an experience that deepened my commitment to serving diverse communities and ensuring access to opportunity for all students.

I’ve always believed that admissions is more than just a process — it’s education. We educate students and their support networks so they feel empowered to make the best decisions for their future. At the end of the day, we know NIU offers opportunity for everyone seeking it. I have personally experienced how higher education transforms lives, and I’ve seen the ripple effect it has on entire communities when access to opportunity is possible.

With enrollment on the rise and strong reenrollment of continuing students, it’s an exciting time at NIU. My hope is that this newsletter will serve as a resource for you as you guide your students.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at admissions@niu.edu or 815-753-0446 — we’d love to hear from you.

HUSKIE SPOTLIGHT

"I’ve found it pleasantly surprising how supportive the community is at NIU. Everyone is super friendly, and there are so many resources available to help students succeed!"

— Imani Smith, a communicative disorders major from Lombard, Illinois.

We're thrilled to share that more students are choosing NIU than in the past decade. In fact, we welcomed 2,435 new freshmen this fall, a 22% jump over last fall and the second-largest freshman class since 2014.

It's clear that NIU has become a leading choice for students and parents throughout Illinois and beyond. 

See our Fall 2025 Enrollment Highlights.

Year-over-year total enrollment has increased in all of our university’s seven colleges, with Huskies encouraged early on to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning and research.

Of special note, criminology, a common degree request of prospective students, has been added as a standalone program in our College of Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate portfolio.

Along with a new degree offering, the Department of Sociology changed its name in early summer to the Department of Sociology and Criminology, which encompasses both of its degree offerings.

We’re hosting our 118th Homecoming celebration the week of Sept. 28 through Oct. 5. Discover everything about this year’s festivities!

Join us for a variety of fun events and activities for our entire NIU community and long-time traditions like Huskie football. Make sure to reserve your seats for our Homecoming game versus Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Saturday, Oct. 4.

We encourage students to apply early for fall 2026 admission for the best consideration for scholarships and financial aid. It’s free to apply, we don't consider standardized test scores for general admission and we automatically consider students for our merit scholarship and our Huskie Legacy Award when they apply.

Our merit scholarship priority deadline for the spring semester is Oct. 1, and summer and fall semester admission is Dec. 1.

NIU is part of the state of Illinois’ One Click College Admit program. High school seniors can receive direct admission offers for fall 2026 simply by creating a Common App account and entering basic biographical information and their GPA.

We've discontinued our presidential scholarship for new students.

This change is part of our ongoing review to ensure that our financial aid programs best serve current student needs. We continue to offer other merit- and need-based scholarships to help students fund their education. Moving forward, we're investing in expanded opportunities that benefit more students, including leadership development programs and increased support for high-impact experiences like undergraduate research.

We're hosting a variety of events this fall, and your students are invited to join us. These events are ideal opportunities for prospective students and their families to tour campus, meet current Huskies and explore everything we offer.

Along with these special events, we offer daily campus visits which now include opportunities to take part in academic college and program visits. Your students can learn more and ask questions about their intended majors. We're adding academic visit opportunities every day so check back often to see what's new.

Encourage your students to choose the visit experience that works for them!

On-campus living hits 10-year high as NIU welcomes strong new class

NIU’s Rockford Promise Program welcomes largest ever incoming class

Career Services offers new resources to help NIU students succeed

With first-year student resources, we’ll meet your students wherever they’re at on their educational journeys and provide personal attention, flexibility and support tailored to their unique needs. 

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