Northwestern University
- Private
- Research university
Northwestern University: international tuition 71,802 USD per year, one-year total cost 99,375 USD, acceptance rate 7.7%. Need-based aid is open to international students.
First-year international students can apply for Northwestern need-based aid (meeting 100% of need, grants only), but the program is limited and admission is need-aware. CSS Profile or ISAFA is required; merit eligibility for international students is unclear.
Getting in. The school admits 7.7% of applicants. Admitted students scored around Reading and Writing 740–770, Math 770–800, ACT 33–35. The SAT and ACT are optional: a score counts if you send one, and you can still apply without it. The school has not published a minimum English score.
Cost for a year. One year comes to 99,375 USD, before any scholarship. 2 scholarships are confirmed for international students, but nothing is taken off yet because the amount of each one is not clear.
Deadline and visa. The application deadline is 1/11. How long the visa takes is up to the consulate; see the country note.
Admissions checked 14/10/2026Cost checked 13/10/2026
What is the tuition at Northwestern University?
International tuition is 71,802 USD per year. The total cost for one year is 99,375 USD.
Does Northwestern University offer scholarships for international students?
Need-based aid is open to international students. First-year international students can apply for Northwestern need-based aid (meeting 100% of need, grants only), but the program is limited and admission is need-aware. CSS Profile or ISAFA is required; merit eligibility for international students is unclear.
What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern University?
The acceptance rate is 7.7%.
- Pay in fullYesPay in fullOnce admitted you can enrol straight away — no scholarship decision to wait for.Your family covers all tuition and living costs for every year of the degree.You will need: your application and proof that your family can pay — the school needs it to issue your visa documents.
- Aid with the offerUnclearAid with the offerThe school decides aid while reviewing your application, so any need-based or merit award arrives with the offer.The school's official pages do not say whether international students get aid at admission — worth asking the admissions office directly.
- Apply separately for scholarshipsUnclearApply separately for scholarshipsOn top of the admission application, you send a separate scholarship application or get nominated.The pages we read mention no scholarship with its own application. Not seeing one does not mean there is none — ask the school.
For Vietnamese students
Vietnamese community nearby
Students on campus lifeiPublic YouTube videos by students and the school, matched to this school's name; Vietnamese videos first. Each reflects its creator's own view.
- etinosa2026Vlog
- victoria fang2025Vlog
- Banana Man2025Vlog
Contact
Tuition and cost for a year
Compared with 727 private United States schools with published tuition in Duckling's data.
What a year costs
The page lists a single full-time tuition rate for all undergraduates, with no separate domestic and international rates.
VND converted at Vietcombank's selling rate on 16/10/2026; indicative only — the real amount depends on the rate when you pay.
Scholarships and aid for international students
- Is merit considered automatically with the application?UnclearNo page describes automatic merit consideration with the admission application; only a checkbox to request need-based aid is described.
- Is admission need-blind for international applicants?NoThe school states international applicants are reviewed need-aware: the aid request and amount needed may affect admission, so it is NOT need-blind.
- Is the CSS Profile or a school aid form required?YesAid applicants must submit the CSS Profile (code 1565), or the ISAFA if they cannot submit the Profile, plus parents' tax or earnings documents.
Need-aware: applying for aid can affect admission
Scholarships at this school
Limited assistance program for first-year international studentsNeed-basedNeed-basedAwarded on family financial circumstances, usually via the CSS Profile or the school's own form.Application method unclearSchool page
The program explicitly provides need-based aid to a small group of first-year international students.
Northwestern need-based scholarships and grants (international first-year)Need-basedNeed-basedAwarded on family financial circumstances, usually via the CSS Profile or the school's own form.Separate application requiredSchool page
Award: Meets 100% of demonstrated financial need
The page states a small group of first-year international students receive need-based aid; reapplication is required each year.
- Renewable in later years
Deadline: Regular Decision: Jan 2 (aid interest), Feb 2 (CSS/ISAFA), Feb 5 (tax forms); Early Decision: Nov 1, Dec 1, Dec 5
Admission requirements
Compared with 349 United States schools that publish an application fee in Duckling's data.
SAT / ACT of enrolled students
English
Application requirements
- English proficiencyiYou must submit an English score if your primary language or secondary-school language was not English.Required
- High-school transcriptiForeign transcripts must include certified English translations.Required
- Counselor recommendationiYou need one recommendation from a counselor or school administrator.Required
- Teacher recommendationiYou also need one recommendation from an academic teacher.Required
- InterviewiAn InitialView interview is an optional addition to the application.Optional
Typical minimum English scores
Compared with 25 United States schools admitting under 15% that publish it in Duckling's data.
Compared with 14 United States schools admitting under 15% that publish it in Duckling's data.
Deadlines
- Early Decision (ED)Applicationabout17days
- Regular decision (RD)Application+78 days
- Financial aid deadlineFinancial aid+113 days
Credit for exams
Northwestern may award credit for eligible IB higher-level results; this page does not state a minimum score.
Scores that countfrom HL
AP credit by subject
Lowest score that earns credit or placement, as the college reported to College Board. This is not an admission requirement. One exam can have several rows: a higher score sometimes earns more credit. Policy page the college gave College Board
52 courses. Scroll inside the table to see all.
Programs
Outcomes
Staying in United States after graduation
OPT: 12 months of work in your field after each degree level; degrees on the DHS STEM list can extend by 24 months (up to 36 months in total). Unemployment during OPT is capped at 90 days (150 days with the STEM extension). Note: on 8 October 2026 DHS published a PROPOSED rule charging USD 70,000 for initial OPT and USD 30,000 for later OPT; it is not in force, and comments close on 9 November 2026.
Climate
School & campus
Where the school is
Detailed map
Academics & housing
Why this school is listed: accepts applications through the Common App.
Updated 13/10/2026How Duckling sources data