International Wildcat Welcome
F-1/J-1 Student Orientation (online required course)
All new undergraduate students are required to complete an online orientation course.
Please see Online Orientation for F-1 & J-1 Students for complete details on how to access the required online course.
2024 Fall Term International Wildcat Welcome
New undergraduate students arriving for Fall 2024 will participate in both a required online F-1/J-1 orientation course and in-person "International Wildcat Welcome" programs and activities designed for undergraduate students.
Please see below for the dates of the Fall 2024 International Wildcat Welcome (IWW). Details will be updated as the fall 2024 term gets closer: you will receive an announcement once a detailed schedule is available.
- September 15: Airport pick-up and Move-in for international students participating in IWW
OISS will provide shuttle transportation from Chicago O'Hare Airport to the Evanston campus on September 15, 2024. There will be three shuttles throughout the day offered on a first come, first served basis for students traveling alone; the shuttles will depart at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 7 p.m. Students who travel with their families and friends could travel to Northwestern via various methods.
Undergraduate students participating in IWW move into their campus residence on September 15 and do not need to select a move-in appointment.
- September 16–17: IWW in-person programming
The International Wildcat Welcome in-person experience is highly recommended for incoming international students to participate. This is a great opportunity for international students to connect with other peers, build community, and get familiarized with campus resources.
- September 17–22: Wildcat Welcome
International students will transition to their Wildcat Welcome experience. Please note that on September 17, all new students are expected to move in. International students who arrived and moved in through International Wildcat Welcome will be involved in IWW programming throughout the day.
2024 Fall Term on-campus housing move in date and early arrival request
Please see the Preparing for Arrival section for dates, costs and instruction on how to apply for early move-in.Travel Planning
- Review the Travel to Northwestern webpage for guidance on local airports and arrival to campus.
- All F-1 and J-1 students with an initial I-20 or DS-2019 are permitted to enter the United States up to 30 days before the program start date listed on their documents.
- Transfer students may re-enter the U.S. at any time before the start of their program start date on their Transfer Pending I-20. Transfer students must re-enter the U.S. with Northwestern’s I-20.