“Private university in Chicago with a historic role in early childhood education and teacher training.”
National Louis University (NLU) was founded in 1886 when Elizabeth Harrison opened the Chicago Kindergarten Training School, and the institution has spent nearly 140 years training teachers, counselors, business leaders, and hospitality professionals for the Chicago region. Renamed National Louis in 1990 after a transformational gift from trustee Michael W. Louis, the university is now anchored at 122 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Loop, with additional campuses in Wheeling, Elgin, and Tampa, Florida. Its pricing model — often called the "Chicagoland University" strategy — prioritizes affordability: undergraduate tuition is deliberately set below most Chicago-area private peers, and international undergraduates pay significantly less than the US private-college average. NLU is organized around the National College of Education, the College of Professional Studies and Advancement (three schools covering business, health and human services, and social and behavioral sciences), the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Kendall College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, and an Undergraduate College for traditional-age students. More than 70 career-focused programs span education, business, criminal justice, psychology, health administration, communications, and Kendall's well-known culinary and hospitality tracks. The university is a recognized leader in teacher preparation and in early-childhood education, reflecting its roots. A defining feature of NLU is the Pathways Program and its Harrison Professional Pathways model, which bundles tuition, coaching, tech and textbooks into one low, stable price for Pell-eligible Chicago students. International students benefit from a similarly differentiated model: the International Fresh Start tuition rate cuts the per-credit rate by nearly 40%, and automatic scholarships stack on top. That combination has made NLU a destination for international undergraduates looking for a US degree in the heart of downtown Chicago at a community-college-adjacent price point.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourceRolling admission
Decisions typically within 5-10 business days after documents are received
This university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$12,705
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
NLU's founding college and one of the largest teacher-preparation programs in the Midwest, covering early childhood, elementary, secondary, and educational leadership.
Houses NLU's adult-focused programs in business, health and human services, and social and behavioral sciences.
Psychology college offering PsyD and MA programs in clinical, counseling, and forensic psychology, acquired by NLU in 2019.
Career school offering hands-on associate and bachelor's programs in culinary arts, baking & pastry, and hospitality management in downtown Chicago.
Home of NLU's traditional-age Pathways and Harrison Professional Pathways programs, bundling coaching, tech and textbooks with tuition at a low fixed price.
4 years
Descendant of NLU's 1886 Kindergarten Training School; one of the longest-running early childhood programs in the US, with state licensure pathways.
4 years
Hands-on hospitality training in the middle of downtown Chicago, with industry partners across the city's hotel, restaurant, and events sector.
4 years
Cohort-based, coaching-heavy program bundling tuition, technology, and textbooks at a fixed low price — nationally noticed for serving Pell-eligible students.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $12,705
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
