About OLLI
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is a vibrant member-driven program of Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies. Members of our cooperative learning community generate an exciting and intellectually challenging curriculum of more than 100 study groups per semester, serving over 1100 members. Composed of seasoned learners from all walks of life, OLLI members pursue learning for pure pleasure: there are no tests and no grades.
OLLI offers year-round sessions of study groups: small, two-hour, seminar-style discussions that meet weekly in the daytime. Study groups are offered either in-person at our Chicago and Evanston locations, or virtually, meaning they can be joined from anywhere you have an internet connection! The 4-week Winter session is all virtual, allowing members to avoid Chicago's inclement weather and accommodating members who travel in the winter months. Study groups are proposed, designed, and facilitated by fellow members and cover a wide range of topics including civic engagement, contemporary issues, creative arts, history and government, literature, science and technology, and social sciences.
Experience A “Taste” of OLLI during our Fall 2025 information session; a chance for non-members to learn about the peer-led discussion-based structure of OLLI.
In addition to thought-provoking study groups and opportunities to engage with peers who have similar interests, members enjoy:
OLLI was founded in 1987 as the Institute for Learning in Retirement. The program was renamed the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in 2005 in recognition of generous support from the Bernard Osher Foundation. The Osher Foundation supports a national network of Lifelong Learning Institutes. Northwestern's program is proud to be one of the 124 OLLIs in the U.S. Join our OLLI community for a variety of learning experiences, for the pleasure of learning, and the spirit of friendship!
