Cost & Financial Aid
Costs
Participating in CFS during the fall, winter, or spring quarter will cost the same tuition as a normal quarter at Northwestern during the academic year and is covered by financial aid.
Summer tuition is charged per unit of credit and is not always covered by financial aid; for details, see Summer with CFS and the Northwestern Summer Session web site. We recommend students on financial aid consult with the Financial Aid Office to discuss options available: https://undergradaid.northwestern.edu/apply-for-aid/current-students/summer-session.html.
Many CFS internships are unpaid, and many CFS students will have little time to work for pay at additional jobs during the CFS quarter. Students receiving work-study allocations will need to plan carefully about when they can earn their work-study allocation throughout the year. Work-study students may need to work with a financial aid counselor in the Financial Aid Office to discuss loan assistance during their CFS quarter.
Typical lunch usually costs between $12-$15 a day in Chicago, depending on the options near your internship site. If you are on a meal plan, your dining hall typically has grab-and-go options to take lunch with you to work. For more information on meal plans and changes, please visit Dining Services.
Students should expect transportation costs into the city to be $200-$400 if they are taking either the CTA or METRA to their internship. Sometimes students are able to take the Northwestern Intercampus Shuttle and walk to their internship location.
ADDITIONAL Financial ASSISTANCE
Students with demonstrated financial need who land an unpaid internship may be eligible to receive a travel stipend to cover the cost of a CTA pass. These stipends are awarded by the Financial Aid Office to students at the beginning of their CFS quarter.
Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA) provides funding to support or supplement the career development needs of undergraduate students with financial need. Students can apply to receive funding to cover travel to interviews, the purchase of professional attire and more. More info here: https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/programs-opportunities/development-fund/about/index.html.