Admitted Students

Accept Your Offer and Submit Your Enrollment Deposit 

Information about the enrollment deposit and acceptance form will be outlined in the offer letter and associated communication.

Plan Your Visit to Campus

We'd love to meet you in person! As noted in offer communication, we welcome you to spend a day with us. A visit will include a campus tour, meet & greet with our team, attendance in class, and lunch with current students.

Complete The Required Background Check

Details will be communicated at the time at which your enrollment deposit is received the Program.

Submit Your Official Academic Transcripts

Enrolling students are required to submit official transcripts from all prior coursework completed at the baccalaureate or higher level directly to the Northwestern University PA Program for student record purposes. Submission will include all official transcripts originally sent to CASPA as a required part of the application, and official transcripts from coursework completed after the application was submitted.

Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing academic institution to the Northwestern University PA Program, without any intermediaries. Typically, official transcript requests can be made via the Office of the Registrar at the respective academic institutions, often via a service such a Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse.

Students who have coursework in progress or planned for the future (but still prior to matriculation) should wait until the completion of that coursework before submitting the relevant transcript(s).

All official transcripts must be received by May 30, 2025.

Start Scheduling and Completing Immunizations

Mandatory health entrance requirements must be completed by all students by the end of June. It is strongly advised that newly admitted students begin completing these health entrance requirements as soon as possible to allow for the possibility of multiple visits to a healthcare provider and/or significant waiting periods to allow for immunity to be established post-immunization.

These requirements will be covered in detail early in the onboarding process.

For a preview, please consult the the Student Immunization Form provided by the Northwestern Medicine Student Health Service. Your goal will be to complete this process by May 1, if possible.

Please note that the negative QuantiFERON TB Gold blood test result must be produced on or after April 1.

Activate your Northwestern Identity (NetID & Email Address)

You will receive instructions on how to activate your Northwestern University identity, which in turn will allow you to start communicating via your Northwestern email address and access key Northwestern University systems.

Get to Know Chicago!

Housing & Neighborhoods

A Housing Guide will be provided to incoming students in December. In addition, incoming students will be able to connect with current students to ask housing questions.

Public Transit (CTA U-Pass)

All students will be issued a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Ventra U-Pass card at the start of Orientation Week. 

For a fee, students can opt-in to receive the U-Pass benefit ahead of each academic trimester. The U-Pass benefit grants the holder unlimited rides on the CTA "L" and bus systems (but not on Metra or Pace systems).

For students who opt-out of the benefit, the Ventra U-Pass transit card acts like a standard transit card available to all transit riders, and funds can be added online or at kiosks found at CTA train stations.

• CTA: Chicago Transit Authority
• Divvy: Bicycle Sharing Program
• Metra: Regional transit system serving Cook County and 5 surrounding counties
• Pace: Regional transit bus system for the Chicago suburbs

Shuttle Services & Safety Escorts

• Northwestern University Shuttles
• Chicago Campus Shuttles
• Safety Escorts

Campus Student Commuter Parking

The student commuter parking permit process will be covered in April during onboarding. Interested students who live outside a 1 mile radius of campus will be able to purchase a permit that allows them to park in the Erie/Ontario parking garage starting on June 1.

• Student Commuter Parking Permit
• Chicago Campus Parking Map

Join the Onboarding & Orientation Canvas Course Site

Canvas is the Learning Management System (LMS) used at Northwestern. This is where you will find course information and, very importantly, your real-time calendar/class schedule.

In February, you will be invited to join our Canvas Orientation & Onboarding course. 

Start the Financial Aid Process

You will submit both the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the University Aid Application. Here is an overview of the process provided by the Chicago Campus Official of Financial Aid. Additional guidance will be shared with admitted students. 

Understand & Meet Our Technology Requirements

The Feinberg School of Medicine takes cybersecurity very seriously. And, with that in mind, they have certain technology requirements for students to ensure that you (and the institution) are protected against threats.

In brief, you will need to have a Mac or PC laptop that 1) meets minimum operating  systems requirements and 2) successfully runs important security & antivirus software required by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In addition, your laptop must have a camera and mic.

Full details and instructions will be provided.

Complete the Financial Aid Process

You will submit both the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the University Aid Application. Here is an overview of the process provided by the Chicago Campus Official of Financial Aid. Additional guidance will be shared with admitted students. 

Submit Your Wildcard/U-Pass Photo

Northwestern University students receive a Student ID, called a Wildcard, which doubles as an access key for certain doors on campus.

All PA students will also receive a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) U-Pass, which, when activated, allows unlimited rides on Chicago’s public transit system (trains and buses) at a heavily discounted price. In advance of each academic trimester, students will be able to decide whether they wish to activate the U-Pass for a fee for that trimester (~4 month period).

In order to create both the Wildcard and the U-Pass, we will ask admitted students to submit a headshot photo that meets certain technical requirements.

Submit Your Initial RSVP for the White Coat Ceremony

Your RSVP will assist us in planning for the big event!

Submit the Peer Mentorship Survey

This survey will help us match you with a second year student peer mentor (aka "big sib").

Obtain & Start Reading our BPM Book Club Title

As part of the introduction to your Behavioral and Preventive Medicine (BPM) course during Orientation Week, we will ask you to read an assigned book and prepare discussion questions.

Continue Working on Your Immunizations

Please consult the the Student Immunization Form provided by the Northwestern Medicine Student Health Service. Your goal will be to complete this process by May 1, if possible.

Please note that the negative QuantiFERON TB Gold blood test result must be produced on or after April 1.

Order Your Medical Equipment

Enrolling students are required to purchase their Medical Equipment for the PA Program curriculum. This is a line item in the estimated cost of attendance (2025-26 tuition is expected in late April) and thus factored into the financial aid award, if you are accepting aid. That is, your loan package accounts for this expense.

Additional details, including order information, will be provided in April.

Complete the Orientation Planning Survey

This survey will help us plan for your Orientation Week (June 2 - June 6).

Complete the Pre-Advising Assignment

This assignment will give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to your faculty advisor by answering a few questions via Canvas.

Your submissions will help your advisor get to you know a bit in advance of your first meeting with them during Orientation Week.

Submit Your Emergency Contact Information via CAESAR

Instructions will be provided.

Continue Working on Your Immunizations

Please consult the the Student Immunization Form provided by the Northwestern Medicine Student Health Service. Your goal will be to complete this process by May 1, if possible.

Please note that the negative QuantiFERON TB Gold blood test result must be produced on or after April 1.

Complete the BPM Book Club Assignment

Finish reading our assigned BPM Book Club title and complete the associated assignment in preparation for small group discussion during Orientation Week.

Accept or Waive the Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP)

Northwestern University requires all degree-seeking students to carry comprehensive health insurance coverage. To ensure this outcome, the University defaults students into the Northwestern University Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP) annually.

Incoming PA students have access to a 15 month health insurance plan that aligns with our academic calendar. Coverage dates are from June 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026. The cost of this plan will be announced in spring 2025. For more details, please visit the Northwestern Student Health Insurance page for PA students.

Memorize Medical History Information for your Patient Assessment Course

We will ask you to do some preparatory work so you are ready to learn to take a medical history on the first day of your Patient Assessment course.

Submit the Technical Standards, Authorization, and Release Forms Packet

Instructions will be provided.

(Optional) Request Student Commuter On-Campus Parking

If you plan to drive to campus on a regular basis, you will have the opportunity to request a student commuter parking permit, which will allow you park in a campus garage at a highly discounted rate.

Attend Orientation Week! (June 2 - June 6)

A detailed schedule will be shared as we approach.

Submit the Student Handbook Attestations and Acknowledgements Assignment

Instructions will be provided.