Apartment (APT)

• 4 bedroom 2 bathroom
• Private bedroom
• Shared bathroom
• Open living room and dining area
• Full kitchen

Semi Private Suite (SPS)

• Private bedroom
• Shared bathroom with double sink shared with a suitemate
• Two closets per room

UC QSS

• Shared room with a roommate
• Private locking closet
• Shared bathroom with double sinks shared with suitemates

Students must have account balances paid down before the start of each term. To assist, instead of charging the total amount for meal plans for the first term, the total is divided into a smaller per-term charge and applied to student accounts throughout the year. This varies depending on the number of terms a student lives in housing. Basic 10 and Standard 15 meal plans reset meals each week. However, the Silver and Gold plans provide all meals at once, and decline throughout the year, so students should monitor their meal usage. Should a student run out of meals, they can use Flex Dollars. Students can upgrade to Standard 15 or add a Silver or Gold plan at any time, and the total cost for the added plan will not be divided, but added in full to the student’s NLU account. Once a meal plan is added, it cannot be removed. If a student moves out early, the remaining meal plan charges will be added to the student's account upon checkout from the UC.

Once students have a confirmed room assignment, based on that room type, they will either have an option to purchase a meal plan or if in a suite-style room, they are automatically assigned the Basic 10 meal plan. A meal plan can be used and renewed as frequently as needed. Meal plans will be charged to your NLU Student Account can be paid with excess financial aid funding or included in your student account payment plan. Once a meal plan is activated, it is active for the Academic Year and it cannot be canceled. Additional meal plans may be added by request. The Basic 10 Meal Plan is required for all suite contracts. Meal plans are option for Apartment contracts. Meal Plans are not active between quarters. Make note of the following dates when meals are not available. On days when the dining center is open, but meals are not available, any remaining Flex Dollars, Cash, or Card can be used for payment. If you choose to live in an Apartment, meal plans are not automatically included. You must choose to add a meal plan. Additionally, if you would like to visit the UC Dining Center and use a meal plan instead of cash or card, you can select a meal plan as a Commuter. 

To request a housing accommodation, such as a specific room type for a medical need or to have an Emotional Support Animal or Service Animal in the residence hall, the first step is to submit an accommodation request through NLU’s Center for Student Accessibility Resources (CSAR). If NLU’s CSAR approves your accommodation request, the approval is sent to NLU Housing & Residence Life (HRL) for review. The student will be contacted if a room change is needed to meet the accommodation. Once NLU’s HRL approves, that approval is sent to the University Center, requiring additional paperwork to be signed before final approval is granted. Accommodation requests must be received by the housing application deadline so assignments can be made considering the specific accommodation. After the deadline, and during the academic year, accommodation requests may not be granted due to room type availability or shared space limitations. Here is a link to submit a request and documentation for an accommodation: https://nl.edu/ada-accessibility-services/services-and-accommodations/  

Students should read the housing contract, also referred to as the housing agreement, before applying. During the application process, you will be asked to acknowledge that you have read and agree to the housing contract. Completing the application process is an acknowledgement that you have read, understand, and agree to the terms and conditions of the housing contract. The housing contract is updated yearly and applies to anyone living in NLU rooms for summer, the academic year, or the full year. The housing contract and application cycle launches in April each year for Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters and for Fall, Winter, and Summer Semesters. Students must apply for housing each year; applications do not roll over from year to year. Here is the link to this year's Housing Contract/Agreement: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U7a5h60PinMz13SKB09AkYOeIjrnPUeo?usp=sharing Housing is limited, so a space in NLU housing is not guaranteed, and offers are given based on application submission date. Once contracts are signed, students are financially responsible for the room they are assigned. Housing contracts are not canceled, and any early move-outs are associated with fees. If you do not need housing from June to June or from September to June, but are only looking for a shorter length of time, we cannot accommodate. Once you sign the housing contract/agreement, should you not move in, you agree to submit a Housing Contract Cancellation Request and accept the associated non-appealable, non-refundable cancellation charges, which may include full charges for all housing and meal plan costs.

Students assigned to NLU housing are automatically enrolled in the student health insurance program (SHIP) if assigned a housing space before the term's insurance enrollment/waiver deadline. If assigned to university housing after the insurance enrollment/waiver deadline, they will be automatically enrolled during the next enrollment period. SHIP charges are added to student accounts, and health insurance plan and benefit information can be found in the brochure posted on the SHIP website. Students who have health insurance can choose to opt out/waive coverage by submitting a SHIP Waiver Request through the SHIP website https://nl.edu/student-services/student-health-insurance/. Waiver requests must be submitted by the deadline posted on the SHIP website for that term.

Students who will only be enrolled in courses for part of the academic year, for part of a quarter, are on a different academic calendar other than quarter and semester, or participating in a certificate program (ex: Accelerate U), that does not keep them enrolled for the entire academic year (September to June), should not apply for housing. Students must be registered at NLU to remain in housing; early termination will result in the applicable cancellation fees, which could be 50% or 100% of the remaining cost, as housing is intended for the length of the academic year. NLU does not provide short-term housing options. Please refer to the cancellation policy in the housing contract for details on the applicable cancellation fees. Students in short-term academic programs or credential programs should not apply for housing.

Students attending NLU as part of the HOPE Chicago Scholars program who have their housing and meal plan covered by the HOPE scholarship are only eligible for Quad Semi Suite units, not Semi-Private Suites or Apartments. This means all HOPE students must live with a roommate and have the Basic 10 Meal Plan. These are conditions set by HOPE, not NLU, so if students need a different room type or meal plan, they should contact their HOPE contact to request approval. If those in the HOPE Scholars program need a different room type for a medical accommodation, they should first complete the Accommodation form through the Center of Student Accessibility Resources CSAR) https://nl.edu/ada-accessibility-services/services-and-accommodations/, and if approved by CSAR, then contact their HOPE contact to find out what HOPE is willing to financially cover. Students are financially responsible for ensuring their bills to NLU are paid. HOPE applies the scholarship after charges are added to student accounts. Any remaining balance not covered by HOPE is the student’s responsibility. Therefore, any approved changes to room type or meal plan may require the student to pay out of pocket. If HOPE Students plan to take summer classes and are interested in summer housing, they must first contact HOPE to request approval, as the Apartments are the only summer housing room type.

Any NLU student registered for at least 1 credit hour is eligible for NLU student housing. Housing costs are not considered tuition, but are an optional service for an additional charge. Students are responsible for talking with their financial and enrollment advisors and the Office of Student Finance to determine if housing is an option, if they have funding to pay for housing, and to develop a payment plan. There is no guarantee that students will have the financial aid to cover the cost of housing, so students should not apply for housing without developing a plan for how to pay for it. Failure to pay down an outstanding balance will prevent students from registering for the next term, so students should ensure they have a plan for how their student account balance will be paid down before the next term to remain in housing. Housing and Meal Plan charges are added to student accounts within 24-48 hours after the Add/Drop deadline for the start of a term.   Charges for fees assessed during the year (lockouts, lost UC ID, or lost keys) are added to student accounts monthly and at the end of the quarter. 

Students experiencing financial hardship or who have special circumstances may request a housing deposit/application fee waiver. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and submission does not guarantee that a waiver will be granted. To be considered for a deposit waiver, please complete and submit this form with as much detail as possible. You may be asked to provide additional documentation to support your request. Examples of circumstances that may qualify for a waiver include: Demonstrated financial hardship, Participation in specific university programs that cover housing costs, or Other compelling personal or financial situations. We are committed to making campus housing accessible and affordable, and we will do our best to support your needs. Here is the Housing Application Fee Waiver Request Form link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/0195f83f878872b393e397aefa08c256. Deposits are not required as part of the housing process after initial assignments are completed for summer or fall due to the low chance that a room will become available, and the fact that deposits/application fees are non-refundable.