Login Register

Northwestern University
- Parking

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Yes, let this school know
Maybe, bookmark for later
No, get better matches
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Jump to a section:

Grade
Quick Stats
Student Author Overview
Student Reviews
Student Polls
Facts
Listings
Take A SurveyWrite A ReviewUpload A PhotoLink Up A VideoWrite The Guide
Northwestern University - Parking - Parking - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.31

Parking

C
Where does this grade come from?View all Parking rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Parking Grades:

Quick Stats

Student Parking Lot? Yes
There are student parking lots spread throughout campus for students eligible for parking permits, including all seniors, graduate students, and commuting students living outside of the walking zone.
Freshmen Allowed to Park? No
Neither are sophomores or juniors
Approximate Parking Permit Cost
  • $425.70 per academic year (expires after commencement)
  • $501 per year for a student permit
Common Parking Tickets
  • Expired parking meter: $15
  • More than 20 minutes in a loading/dock zone: $15
  • Parking over lines or in two spaces: $15
  • Incorrect permit for lot: $30
  • Parked on walk or grass area: $30
  • Blocking or obstructing traffic lanes, service areas, posted areas: $40
  • Fire lane: $40
  • No valid permit: $50
  • Unauthorized permit: $50
  • Valid permit not properly displayed: $50
  • Reserved space violation: $100
  • Altered permit: $250
  • Handicapped space violation: $250
Best Places to Find a Spot
  • SPAC (Sports and Aquatic Center) lot
  • Side streets
Good Luck Getting a Spot Here Virtually anywhere on campus. Parking is tight, and parking enforcement officials are not shy about ticketing cars.

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

If there is one major downside to NU, it is the parking. Parking spots on campus are limited in number, expensive, and inconvenient. So unless you have extenuating circumstances, leave your car at home when you’re living on campus. With campus-provided transportation like the intercampus and campus loop shuttles, and public transportation like the Metra and CTA, you can get almost anywhere you need to go without a car.

Parking permits are only granted to seniors, grad students, faculty and staff, and commuters who live outside a "designated walking area" determined by NUPD. The NUPD is very strict on parking rules, so if you do choose to bring your car near campus, don’t be surprised if you walk away with a fair share of parking tickets.
 

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Northwestern University Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Parking at Northwestern University

nuwildcat

Economics '15

3.1
B-

Bring a Bike

Freshmen aren't allowed to have cars or parking permits. As you go up in seniority, you get better options, but the campus is very walkable and bikeable, so it's more expensive and more of a hassle bringing a car and trying to find parking spaces (they are limited) than just bringing a bike. There are a plenty of bike storage places all around campus. Both the campus and Evanston are very walkable. Also, the officers ticket hard if you park off limits.

Dec 15, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Parking at Northwestern University

sotkar

Biological Sciences '15

N/A

Just Turned Old Enough...

...but I did not learn how to drive in the time leading up.

Oct 17, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Parking at Northwestern University

andrysb24

Psychology '12

3.8
B+

Parking Is Someone Average

Parking rules are very strict. If you park where you shouldn't even for 5 minutes, you will get caught and fined. I think the average is $50. Permit costs are pretty average, relative to what I've heard other colleges charge. You don't really need a car on campus if you live on campus or within walking distance. The only people who really need a car would be people who live 2 miles or more away from school and mostly only because of the winter months which can be brutal to biking and shuttle commuters.

Sep 21, 2011

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Page 1 of 9
User rating for Northwestern University - Parking is 2.3 out of 5 based on 26 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the campus parking on the following topics

How convenient is off-campus parking?

Facts

Getting a Parking Permit

To get a permit, you have to fill out an application and submit it to NUPD. Again, only seniors, grad students, faculty and staff, and commuters are generally given them. For the application, an FAQ, and some general information, visit www.northwestern.edu/up/parking.

Parking ServicesWhat's This?

Evanston Campus Parking Services
1819 Hinman Ave.
(847) 491-3319
parking@northwestern.edu
www.northwestern.edu/up/parking

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Shayna Starr
Hometown
Houston, Texas
Major
Journalism
Grad Year
2014

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Buy the eBook "Northwestern University 2012: Off The Record"
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoogleSmashwords
Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Find a college

Find a major

Scholarships

Reviews

Search College Prowler

Company

How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.