a campus to call home
Your guide to living and dining at NIU 2025-26 Academic Year
Live and thrive with us
We want you to succeed as much as you do.
Living on NIU’s campus means you’ll be connected as you experience everything college life has to offer. Your health and well-being are always our top priorities.
As a Huskie, you’ll have the opportunities to gain lifelong friendships, get involved, get the help you need to succeed and have fun. If you’re interested in working while you’re in school, we’ll help you find jobs both on campus and off, including jobs in our residence and dining halls. We’re constantly hiring.
You’ll have access to our free online job board — Huskies Get Hired — your first semester, throughout your NIU journey and even after graduation.
You’ll have access to plenty of community spaces in your hall to focus on your studies, relax and visit with friends. There are even quiet spots where you can study. Convenient? Yes. But also strategic. National studies show students who live in residence halls their first two years do better academically. Put simply, our residence halls offer everything you need to succeed.
Find your pack
As part of our Huskie community, you’ll make friends and memories on a campus abuzz with organizations and activities for every season. We offer plenty of ways to connect, explore and enjoy life at NIU. Cultural events. Greek life. Outdoor adventures. Community service. Concerts. Theater productions. Whatever your interest, you’ll find it here.
We’ve got you covered
Ready to live on your own?
Just think of our residence halls as your first step. Wi-Fi, utilities, meals, furniture. We’ll take care of it all. You take care of the décor.
Our highly trained and caring community advisors provide everything including support, resources and fun social activities.
You’ll enjoy key card security and 24-hour, controlled-door access with staff members available 24/7. Huskie Line buses stop at all residence halls, and you’ll have access to our NIU Safe app with features like Virtual Walk Home and Friend Walk.
Huskie housing
You have great options. Thinking a single or double room? How about a suite or cluster living? Turning your bed into a loft? We’re all about options.
More than 90% of students living on campus choose to be assigned a roommate so they don’t have to worry about finding someone on their own. All you have to focus on is selecting the room you want. But if you have a specific roommate in mind, just let us know.
Our residence halls house more than 4,000 students each year from different cultures, countries, identities and ethnic backgrounds. We ensure you’ll feel at home.
Grant Towers
Get details on costs, features and more at go.niu.edu/grant
Two 12-story towers on the northwest edge of campus near the sports fields, tennis courts and recreation center, Grant Towers offer expanded single and double rooms with a lockable closet for each student. You’ll have quite the view of Central Park and the West Lagoon, and access to a modern study lounge.
Features
Room options: Single- and double-occupancy.
Accommodations: Bed, mattress, lockable wardrobe closet, and flexible furniture configurations featuring dresser, movable shelves, desk and rolling chair for each resident. Microwave/fridge combo and window blinds in each room. Common lounges on each floor.
Restrooms: Located on every floor.
Dining : Dining centers in nearby Stevenson Towers and Patterson Community Center.
Perks: Close to Student Recreation Center, Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex and tennis courts; serviced by the Huskie Bus Line.
Typical Grant Towers Room Layouts
go.niu.edu/neptune.
Neptune Hall is located in the central part of campus, directly across the street from the Holmes Student Center and close to Founders Memorial Library. Residents live in either Neptune East, North or West, and have access to convenient, all-you-care-to-eat dining in Neptune Central.
Features
Room options: Double-occupancy.
Accommodations: Bed, mattress, microwave/fridge combo, closet, window drapes, desk and rolling chair for each resident. Common lounges on each floor.
Neptune East : Air conditioning in all resident rooms and commonarea lounges. Updated furniture and flooring.
Neptune North: Upgraded Wi-Fi. All new room furnishings.
Neptune West : Updated furniture and flooring. Air-conditioned common-area lounges on each floor.
Restrooms: Located on every floor.
Dining : All-you-care-to-eat dining center.
Perks: Central campus location; on-site dining.
Typical Neptune Hall Room Layout
Patterson Hall
Our Fanny Ruth Patterson Complex features a dining center, game room and lounge, as well as cluster living with enhanced privacy as each student has their own bedroom. Students live in small group clusters of 12, and each share a semiprivate bathroom with one other student. A common space for each group of 12 residents includes a study, living room and cabinets, counters and seating areas.
Features
Room options: Single bedroom mini-suites.
Accommodations: Bed, mattress, microwave and fridge, dresser, closet, window blinds, desk and rolling chair for each resident.
Typical Patterson Hall Room Layout
Restrooms: Semiprivate bathroom, shared with one other student.
Dining : All-you-care-to-eat dining center.
Perks: Large community center with game room and laundry room in your cluster; serviced by the Huskie Bus Line.
With its retail dining center including a deli, grill and pizzeria, Stevenson is a popular spot. It consists of four 12-story towers on the western edge of campus featuring several different styles of living.
Typical Stevenson Tower Layouts
Features
Room options: Single and double rooms; suites with or without semiprivate bathrooms.
Accommodations: Bed, mattress, microwave/fridge combo, dresser, closet, movable shelf with bulletin board, window blinds, desk and rolling chair for each resident.
Restrooms: Located on every floor; some suites have bathrooms.
Dining : Retail dining center.
Perks: On-site dining; upgraded Wi-Fi; large student parking lot adjacent to complex; a dedicated package center; close to Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex and outdoor tennis courts; serviced by the Huskie Bus Line.
Suite with private bath Suite without private bath
Our residence halls are launchpads for your NIU experience. Living on campus automatically links you to a crew of fellow Huskies. Our residential communities go one step further in strengthening connections between you, faculty and other students in your major, who share your interests or who celebrate their identities in a supportive atmosphere.
Explore our communities and learn how to join one at go.niu.edu/communities.
Learning Communities
• Engineering House (Grant Towers).
• Fine Arts House (Neptune).
• Honors House (Patterson Complex).
• Latinx Community (Stevenson Towers).
Special Interest Communities
• Business House (Grant Towers).
• Health Professions House (Stevenson Towers).
• Sport, Recreation and Wellness Community (Stevenson Towers).
• TEACH House (Stevenson Towers).
Identity-based Communities
• LGBTQ+ Community (Neptune).
Optimal options
Wherever you live on campus, you’ll find everything you need close by. Use this chart to help find the layout and amenities that matter most to you. Be sure to check out niu.edu/housing for more details about housing options, photos and helpful videos.
#pluggedin at NIU
When you’re a Huskie, you’re connected in more ways than one with high-speed Wi-Fi in each residence hall room. In fact, your phone, PC, Mac, tablet or game console will never be without Wi-Fi when you’re anywhere on campus. Scattered throughout campus, you’ll find printers for any project. You can print wirelessly, too!
Compare halls and rates and check out
go.niu.edu/compare-halls-rates Free, In-hall laundry facilities
and
Fulfill your cravings
Whether you’re in the mood for coffee from Starbucks, a burrito from Qdoba or a homestyle meal, you’re in luck!
Our meal plans allow you to dine at both residential and retail dining locations. Within a five-minute walk, you can eat nearly anywhere on campus. Your biggest challenge will be deciding where to eat. No matter your craving, our flexible meal plans allow you to choose from a variety of options.
Do you have alternate dietary needs, allergies or intolerances? No worries! Our registered dietitian nutritionist, backed by a knowledgeable team, stands ready to assist you. We also have online tools such as detailed menus, MyDining, Healthy Huskie Choices and MyPaw to help you navigate menu choices, sort through nutrition labels and build your own custom, nutritious meals. When you’re well-nourished with a balanced diet, you have a more positive experience on campus and achieve your best academic performance.
Learn more at go.niu.edu/nutrition.
Meal Plans
Our Huskie Block Plans are great because they allow you to eat where, when and whatever you like from any dining location across campus.
Here’s what you get with our block plans:
• Twelve, 15 or 19 weekly meal swipes to use for dine-in or takeout from our all-you-care-to-eat dining centers at Neptune and Patterson Hall.
• Weekly meal swipes that can also be used for meal exchange at participating retail dining locations across campus. Check out go.niu.edu/where-to-eat for more information.
• Convenient Dining Dollars to use at any campus dining location.
Dining Dollars
Dining Dollars are part of your Huskie Block Plan. They’re conveniently loaded to your OneCard and allow you to eat at any campus dining location. Because Dining Dollars are considered a meal plan, they’re billed through your student account. More Dining Dollars can be purchased separately and added to any plan at any time.
Huskie Bucks
Huskie Bucks are separate from your dining meal plan. They’re prepaid and loaded to your OneCard. They can be used anywhere on campus to buy food and drinks or make copies. Huskie Bucks can also be used at many restaurants in DeKalb.
For more information about meal plans, please visit go.niu.edu/meal-plans. Contact Campus Dining Services by email at Dining@niu.edu.
Fresh and Fast Options at NIU
Wellness and athletics
Engage your body and mind.
Your well-being is our priority. That means you’ll have plenty to do and see on campus, as well as the resources you need to stay healthy.
Get active.
We like to work and play hard. Our recreation center features more than 100,000 square feet of space including multipurpose and racquetball courts; cardio and strength training rooms; a three-lane track; boxing, plyometric and TRX rooms; and numerous other amenities.
Drop in at one of our group fitness classes, take part in our intramural sports or try one of our more than 20 sports clubs to get fit with friends. Archery, dodgeball, figure skating, roller hockey, lacrosse, table tennis — you name it, we’ve got it.
Around here, we’re all about cheering one another on, and our NCAA Division I Huskie athletes give us plenty to cheer about. We make it easier than ever to show your Huskie spirit with free admission to our home games. Health services.
Northwestern Medicine, one of the top medical systems in the nation, provides high-quality medical care in our Student Health Center. Experienced, skilled and compassionate medical staff provide walk-in health care like that of an immediate care facility, and can refer students to specialists within the vast Northwestern Medicine system if needed.
Housing and Residential Services and Campus Dining Services are two of the largest student employers on campus. Enjoy a supportive work environment and don’t worry about needing transportation to and from an off-campus job. Learn more at go.niu.edu/housing-jobs and go.niu.edu/dining-jobs.
Work where you live Considering commuting?
As a freshman student, if you live within 50 miles of our DeKalb campus and permanently reside with your parent or guardian, you can choose to commute.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Complete your Application to Commute for Exemption Request at go.niu.edu/residency. Don’t complete a housing contract.
2. Return your application to our housing office.
3. If your request to commute is approved, you’ll receive a letter of authorization in the mail.
Off-campus Student Meal Plans
Commuting students can take advantage of our off-campus student meal plans. Learn more at go.niu.edu/offcampusmealplan.
Reserve your spot
It’s time to make it official.
The sooner you submit your housing contract, the better reservation time you’ll have when room selection begins.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Log in to go.niu.edu/myhousing using your Z-ID and password.
2. Complete your NIU housing contract. (Do not complete this if you plan to commute.)
3. Submit your housing contract payment of $150. A portion of this payment is a $25 nonrefundable processing fee, and the remaining $125 will count toward prepayment on your housing bill.
4. After your contract is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email in your NIU Z-ID email account with information about your contract and room selection, which takes place in March.
You can choose:
• Your residence hall.
• The floor you’d like to be on in that hall.
• The exact bed you’d like on that floor.
As a new first-year student, you’re required to live on campus your first year.*
Housing and Residential Services niu.edu/housing
815-753-1525
Housing@niu.edu
*If you’re married, will reach your 21st birthday by Sept. 1, are commuting from a permanent home address or are a custodial parent of a dependent child, you’re exempt from our university residency requirement.
Housing and Resident ia l Serv ices
1425 West Lincol n Highway
DeKa lb, Illi nois 60115-2828
Next steps.
1. Once you’ve paid your enrollment fee and registered for Orientation, you can submit your housing contract.
2. Make sure you’re ready for a strong start at NIU by following your checklist at go.niu.edu/first-year-checklist .
Questions?
We’re here to help!
Contact Housing at 815-753-1525, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with any questions regarding housing or moving in.
@NIUHousing
@NIUCampusDining