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Registration Procedures
Registration for Summer Session is just like registration for other quarters during the academic year. Northwestern University degree candidates enrolled during spring quarter 2026 can register for courses through CAESAR. The Summer Session class schedule will be available in CAESAR beginning Monday, March 30, 2026. Registration opens April 6, 2026.
Important Notes for Summer Session:
*There is only ONE registration period for ALL summer session courses , including 2nd and 3rd intensive sequence courses and courses that begin later in the summer. Summer Session registration is from April 6, 2026 through June 21, 2026. Low enrolled courses will be cancelled earlier, so please register early. Northwestern students also have the ability to make changes to their summer schedule during the change of registration week of June 22 - June 26, 2026.
*Newly admitted first-year and transfer undergraduate students who will matriculate at Northwestern University in fall 2026 are not eligible to enroll in Summer Session courses.
*For courses ending in -CN or -DL: Northwestern students who are not in the School of Professional Studies must obtain consent from their college adviser, their Dean’s Office, or their program to enroll in these courses and will need to submit a dual registration form. These requests are processed one week before the start of summer.
Northwestern Graduate School students who wish to enroll in undergraduate courses may need a permission number before registering. Permission numbers are administered by the department of the course.
*Special Note for Summer Session: The summer drop deadlines and tuition refunds differ from those during the regular academic year. Please read details below. Students should also visit the Registrar's webpage for complete guidelines to Summer Session.
Intensive Course Sequences
Complete One Year of Curriculum in Nine Weeks
Intensive course sequences compress three quarters of academic work into one summer. Each course counts as one credit and carries its own tuition. Each sequence meets five days per week for three weeks. Individual courses in any intensive sequence may be taken separately, subject to prerequisites and department approval. Please view individual course descriptions for full details.
The following courses are being offered as intensive sequences in Summer 2026:
Sciences
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
General Physics
College Physics
Changes in Registration
Students who have registered for a course are considered enrolled for the duration, and are expected to attend all sessions of the courses for which they are registered. Excessive absences do not signal a student's intent to drop or withdraw, and is cause for failure in the course. The student is also responsible to pay any tuition balance remaining on their account. All changes in registration must be made through CAESAR or the Office of the Registrar; 847-491-5235; nu-registrar@northwestern.edu.
Refund Policy and Schedule
Summer session drop deadlines and refunds differ from those during the regular academic year due to the unique structure of summer enrollment. Summer tuition adjustments follow a prorated schedule due to the varying course lengths and session dates offered throughout the summer term. As a result, the last day to drop courses via CAESAR and the applicable tuition adjustment period varies by session. Students are responsible for reviewing the Summer Drop Schedule chart carefully to determine the applicable deadlines for their specific course session. The Summer Tuition Adjustment Calculator can be found here. Further details can be found on the sites below:
Credit and Grades
Credit
Northwestern students earn one unit of credit per course unless otherwise noted (e.g., Field Study and Study Abroad courses).
Auditing Courses
Course auditing is not allowed in Summer Session.
Independent Study
Most departments offer Northwestern undergraduate students the opportunity for independent study. To learn more, please contact the appropriate department.
Intensive Course Sequences
Intensive course sequences compress three quarters of academic work into the Summer Session. Each course counts as one quarter of work and carries the tuition of one unit of credit. Individual courses in any intensive sequence may be taken separately, subject to prerequisites.
Grade Reports and Official Transcripts
Transcripts for courses taken in summer are available through the main registrar's office. Northwestern University has contracted with Parchment Exchange to securely distribute official electronic transcripts in the form of a “certified” PDF. This certified PDF will automatically validate to recipients that the documents were authored and sent by Northwestern University and that the contents have not been altered.
All students are encouraged to go online to place their transcript order. This is the easiest and most efficient way to place an order for either a traditional paper transcript or the new electronic transcript delivery.
Please visit the Registrar's website for all details regarding transcripts, including information on processing time, cost and services available.