Northwestern University Admissions 2023: Deadlines, Requirements, Decision Dates, Selection Criteria & Acceptance Rate

Northwestern University Admissions 2023: Deadlines, Requirements, Decision Dates, Selection Criteria & Acceptance Rate

Evanston, IllinoisLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1851established year
21591enrollment
Private (Not for Profit)
7.8/10

Northwestern University admission are offered to 130+ programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, concentrated into 83 majors within 23 broad fields of study through its 10 schools. Notably, the class profile also shows that 71% of UG students have combined more than 2 areas of study. Northwestern University admissions are highly selective, accepting only 7.2% in UG and 29% to master’s degrees. In the recent year, the university saw an enrollment of 21,000 students out of which 5,500 were international students.
Explore: Northwestern University Programs

International applicants trying to secure a place at Northwestern University admissions are required to have an exceptional academic record with a GPA of 4.1 or higher along with the exams needed to study in USA. For the sessions 2023-24, Northwestern University has decided to remain test-optional.
Also Check: Northwestern University Student Reviews

Northwestern University admission highlights

Northwestern University Admission Deadlines

The deadline for all undergraduate programs at Northwestern University for 2023 session are now passed. International students may apply for 2024 term by the below mentioned deadlines.

Deadline Type Deadline
Early Decision Application Deadline November 1, 2023
Regular Decision Application Deadline January 2, 2024

Northwestern University Graduate Admissions

Northwestern welcomes students from all over the globe. It does not differentiate between domestic and international students by restricting the number of international students. Graduate programs at Northwestern University are offered by its 10 globally recognized schools and colleges. The Graduate School provides graduate degrees in Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

Application Portal: Graduate Application Portal
Application Fees: 50-125 USD (4,133 INR to 10,333 INR)
Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor's degree
  • GPA required: 3.0 or 85%
  • English Language proficiency:
  • Test Scores:
    • GMAT- 620-780
    • GRE- 150-160 [Verbal] | 150-160 [Quant]
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Uploaded Transcripts or school report
  • 2-3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Resume
  • Interview

Also Check:

Mentioned below are some of the most enrolled PG programs with their admissions requirements:

Programs Application Fee Degree Requirements and Aggregate ELP Scores Test Scores Documents Required
MS in Engineering Design Innovation 95 USD (7,853 INR) Undergraduate degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) TOEFL-IBT: 95 | IELTS: 7.0 GRE Score: 157 [Verbal] | 158 [Quant] | 4.0 [Analytical Writing] 2 LORs | SOP (250 words) | Resume | Portfolio of Past Work
MS in Artificial Intelligence 75 USD (6,200 INR) BA or BS degree in computer science or related discipline TOEFL-IBT: 100 | IELTS: 7.0 GRE: 319 (average) 3 LORs | Personal statement [500 words] | Resume | Work experience proof
MS in Project Management 50 USD (4,133 INR) Undergraduate degree with 3.0 GPA (85%) TOEFL-IBT: 85 | IELTS: 7.0 GRE or GMAT required 3 LORs | Personal statement | Resume
Executive Management for Design and Construction 50 USD (4,133 INR) Undergraduate degree in engineering, architecture or related field with minimum grade B- or 2.7 (80-81%) TOEFL-IBT: 80 | IELTS: 7.0 GRE required 2 LORs | Resume | 8+ years Work experience proof
MS in Management Studies 125 USD (10,333 INR) Undergraduate degree TOEFL-IBT: 100 | IELTS: 7.0 Competitive GMAT or GRE scores 2 LORs | 2 Essays | Resume

Northwestern University MBA Admission

Northwestern University offers three full-time MBA programs along with an Evening & Weekend MBA and an Executive MBA program through Kellogg School Management. The Northwestern University MBA in full-time mode is offered with 1 year as well as 2 year duration. The University also offers several dual degrees including MBA Artificial Intelligence, JD- MBA.

Application Portal: Kellogg Application Portal
Application Fees: 250 USD (20,659 INR)
Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor's degree
  • GPA required: 3.0 (85%) or above
  • English Language proficiency:
    • TOEFL-IBT- 100
    • IELTS- 7.0
  • Test Scores:
    • GMAT- 620-780
    • GRE- 150-160 [Verbal] | 150-160 [Quant]
  • 2 Essays (450 words)
  • Video essay
  • 2 Letter of recommendations
  • Resume
  • 2 years full-time work experience
  • Interview

Full-time MBA Class Profile

Enrollment Details
Class Size 503
International Students 38%
Female Students 48%
Academic Background
Average GPA 3.7
Average GMAT Score 729
Average GRE Score 162 [Verbal] | 163 [Quant]
Average Work Experience 5 years
Students with UG Economics or Business majors 45%
Students with UG Engineering, Technology or Science majors 38%

Northwestern University Undergraduate Admissions

The university offers a number of UG majors and minors to choose from. The most popular bachelor’s programs at Northwestern University are in the fields of Economics, Psychology, Communication and Journalism, Political Science & Government, and Journalism.

Application Portal: Common application or Coalition Application
Application Fee: 75 USD (6200 INR)
Admission Requirements:

  • Official secondary school transcripts and school reports
  • GPA required: 4.1 or 100% (average GPA)
  • English Language proficiency:
    • TOEFL-IBT- 79
    • IELTS- 6.5
  • Test Scores:
    • SAT- 1460-1560
    • ACT- 33-35
  • A Counselor recommendation
  • Academic Letter of Recommendation
  • Early Decision Agreement
  • Mid-year transcript

Northwestern University Admission: Interview Process

The admission committee of Northwestern University conducts admissions interviews for undergraduate programs and some graduate level programs. However, an interview is not a mandatory requirement for admission and is an optional requirement. The admission interview is conducted by Alumni volunteers. For the current term, the university is conducting interviews in hybrid mode which means students have the option to either attend an in person interview or via virtual mode.

Northwestern University Admission Decision and Dates

The undergraduate admissions decision for applications received through Early Decision are typically released in mid-December while the decision for Regular Decision is released are made in late-March. The admission decision varies fit each graduate program at Northwestern University. Below are the decision dates and confirmation deadlines for some popular courses.

Program Decision Dates Confirmation Deadlines
Full-time MBA Round 3 [May 10, 2023] Round 3 [May 31, 2023]
MS in Management Studies Program Round 3 [May 10, 2023] Round 3 [May 10, 2023]
MS in Project Management June 30, 2023 [Fall] | October 1, 2023 [Winter] July 31, 2023 [Fall] | October 15, 2023 [Winter]
Executive Management for Design and Construction June 30, 2023 [Fall] | October 1, 2023 [Winter] June 30, 2023 [Fall] | October 1, 2023 [Winter]

To know more about Northwestern University Admission, Check out the FAQS answered by Admission Team!

Northwestern University Admission: Selection Criteria and Acceptance Rate

As already discussed, the Northwestern University acceptance rate is only 7% for undergraduate admissions and 29% for admission to masters programs. The low acceptance rate is due University's holistic selection criteria. The considers various factors during the selection process and not the just high GPA scores. Though, the university is currently following test optional policy for both undergraduate and graduate admission, it still encourages international students to submit test scores if they have GPA below the competitive edge. Among the first year students entering in 2022 Class, around 96% students were among the top 10% of the high school class.

Northwestern acceptance rate for each program level;

Particulars Undergraduate Admissions Graduate Admissions PhD Admissions
Application Received 51,558 7,700 11,044
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 29% 13%
Applicants Enrolled 2,039 604 618

Explore: Northwestern University Student Profiles

Getting into Northwestern University is not a cakewalk due to highly competitive admissiood and low acceptance rate , it must also be noted that deserving candidates who fulfill all their eligibility criteria have high chances of getting admitted to this renowned university. Northwestern accepts applications through Common Application and Coalition Application, there is no special preference for any of the two.

FAQS

Ques. What GPA is required for Northwestern University?

Ans. A minimum GPA of 3.0 equivalent to 85% is required to get into graduate programs at Northwestern University. Fir admission to undergraduate programs, one must target a competitive GPA as the admissions are highly selective. On average, students with 4.1 GPA or 100% in high School are easily accepted for admission.

Ques. How hard is it to get into Northwestern University?

Ans. Northwestern University is one of the hardest universities to get admission into as the it marely has 7% acceptance rate for undergraduate programs and 29% for graduate programs. Admission to PhD courses are also competitive with 13% acceptance rate.

Ques. Can I get into Northwestern University without the SAT?

Ans. Students with high GPA in high school and having rank among top 10% of their class could easily get admission to Northwestern University even without submitting SAT/ACT scores. However, students with low GPA or a GPA below the competitive edge must submit test scores to strengthen their application.

Ques. How long does Northwestern take to make a decision?

Ans. Northwestern University releases undergraduate decision for admission in mid December for application received through Early Decision and by late-March for application received through Regular decision. The exact decision period for graduate programs may vary, but generally takes 6 to 8 weeks.

Ques. Do all Northwestern applicants get interviews?

Ans. Interview is not mandatory to get into Northwestern University. All applicants have the choice to either appear for the interview or skip the interview session. The interview is only conducted for first applicants at Northwestern University.

Northwestern University Program Fees & Deadlines

ProgramImportant DatesFees
Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (31st Jan 2024)
USD 58,032/Yr
USD 58,032 /Yr
Final Application Deadline (15th Mar 2024)
USD 77,600/Yr
USD 77,600 /Yr
M.S Analytics
15 months
Regular Decision Application Deadline (15th Jan 2024)
USD 80,080/Yr
USD 80,080 /Yr
Recommended Application Deadline (15th Feb 2024)
USD 79,152/Yr
USD 79,152 /Yr
Round 2 Application Deadline (15th Feb 2024)
USD 66,804/Yr
USD 66,804 /Yr
Application Deadline (4th Jan 2024)
USD 77,372/Yr
USD 77,372 /Yr
Application Deadline For Spring Intake (15th Jan 2024)
USD 53,845/Yr
USD 53,845 /Yr
Regular Decision Application Deadline (2nd Jan 2024)
USD 56,286/Yr
USD 56,286 /Yr
Regular Decision Application Deadline (2nd Jan 2024)
USD 56,286/Yr
USD 56,286 /Yr
Application Deadline (12th Mar 2024)
USD 60,060/Yr
USD 60,060 /Yr

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Reviews


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4 Reviews Found

MS
8.2 /10

Overview

Got into an honors program called MMSS, which has a campus but still within the city parameters of Chicago, great academics, top 10 ranked school, good student life including athletics, clubs.

Scholarship

N/A

academic: 10/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 10/10

CM
8.2 /10

Overview

First, I'm a Questbridge Scholar who matched with Northwestern, so I was required to go here by contract. I ranked it because I thought it offered so many different opportunities, because of its location, emphasis on not limiting yourself to one area of study, etc. People at Northwestern were kinder and so willing to help me out/answer any questions during my tour, which made me feel right at home.

Scholarship

Through Questbridge, I filled out an initial application, was declared a finalist, then I ranked the Questbridge schools I'd be okay with attending if I matched, then my application was sent to the schools I ranked, Northwestern was my 4th choice and I matched. Thus, I pay about $400 per quarter to attend Northwestern.

academic: 9/10
faculty: 8/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 6/10
placement: 10/10
extracurricular: 7/10

Overview

Great Brand, low student faculty ratio. Direct connect with Kellogg school of business and this is one of the best MEM program in USA. It also has one of the lowest acceptance ratio

Scholarship

No

academic: 9/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 9/10

Overview

Top 5 for MEM, has a good quarter program & faculty is from Kellogg

Scholarship

No

academic: 8/10
faculty: 8/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 7/10
placement: 8/10

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