Admission

All applicants are required to submit an online application. Applicants can check the status of their application at any time by logging into the line Self Service Center portal.

Application Checklist

The following materials are required to apply:

  • A completed online application
  • One of the following: Official high school transcripts with conferred date of completion (or GED report) or official conferral of a bachelor's or advanced degree from a regionally accredited institution (or its equivalent from a non-U.S. institution
  • A statement of purpose
  • A current resume or CV

Applicants must possess at minimum a high school diploma, or its equivalent from a non-U.S. institution, to be admitted to the program. Applicants who have earned a bachelor's or advanced degree, or the foreign equivalent, are eligible for admission and only need to send official documentation conferring the highest degree received.

Please list the college or university attended. Official transcripts must arrive in our office in the original sealed envelope issued by the institution. Northwestern University School of Professional Studies accepts electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions via secure electronic transcript providers. Consult with your institution to see if they are part of a secure e-delivery network.

Official electronic transcripts must be requested from the college or university and sent directly to spsadmissions@northwestern.edu.

Official mailed transcripts can be sent to*:

Attn: Undergraduate Certificate Admissions
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies
Wieboldt Hall, Sixth floor
339 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3008
spsadmissions@northwestern.edu

* Please review the notice on the Admission page. 

Application Deadlines

Fall quarter: August 1
Winter quarter: November 1
Spring quarter: February 1
Summer quarter: May 1

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International Students

SPS welcomes international students to apply and, if admitted, enroll in our undergraduate certificate program. SPS does not process I-20 or DS-2019 forms for full-time student or exchange visas. Our programs are designed as part-time programs for working professionals and cannot be used to maintain legal status in the United States.

Please reach out to the International Office with any questions at 847-491-5613.

International Transcripts

Official transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S. are required to be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Applicants are required to have an official course-by-course evaluation completed. The course-by-course evaluation will serve as the official transcript for studies completed outside of the U.S. 

Northwestern University School of Professional Studies will only accept official course by course evaluations if the evaluation explicitly indicates that the individual’s course of study is the U.S. equivalent of a bachelor’s degree (or master’s degree).

Specifically, if the degree requirement for admission is a conferred bachelor’s degree, the course-by-course evaluation must read equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. If the degree requirement for admission is a conferred master’s degree, the course-by-course evaluation must read equivalent to a U.S. master’s degree. Additionally, an applicant that has earned a U.S. master’s degree and has a bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S. must still submit an official course by course evaluation that indicates that the applicant has the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

Applicants are also required to ensure that the language of instruction is included in the course-by-course evaluation.

NACES approved evaluation companies, ECE and Educational Perspectives, are highly recommended by the Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. 

English Proficiency

Proof of English proficiency is a School of Professional Studies admission requirement for international applicants. 

International applicants can provide proof of English Proficiency by submitting one of the following:

  • Provide an official transcript demonstrating a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited U.S. college or university.
  • Provide an official course-by-course evaluation where the language of instruction is indicated as English.
  • Provide official scores for either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam and achieved the required score (official scores must be provided)
    • TOEFL – 100 or higher on the iBT (internet based TOEFL)
      • TOEFL Institution Code: 9019
    • IELTS - 7.0 or higher on the Academic IELTS

Application Tips

Take care in preparing your statement of purpose, ensuring that you clearly communicate your intent in applying to the program, why you are a good fit for the program, and your educational goals and expectations from the program, especially how the completion of the certificate will contribute to your professional or personal development. The statement of purpose should be no more than two typed pages.

The SPS Admissions Office is here to help you through the application process. Submit your online application as early as possible so that we may create your application file and help you track additional materials as they arrive. Contact an admissions adviser if you have any questions along the way at 312-503-2579 or studysps@northwestern.edu.

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