beNorthern
When your student enrolls at NMU, they are granted access to unexpected possibilities in scholarship, friendship and research. Northern encourages and enables its 7,600 students to dive deep into their passions, uncover new ones, and discover how they can impact the world.
beAmazed
NMU offers an exceptional educational value to its 7,600 students. Wildcats can dive into new passions, conduct groundbreaking research on cancerous brain tumors, or help make an impact on the lives of those in the community -- all as an undergraduate.
beNorthern
Most people consider student research to be reserved for the graduate level, but that’s not the case at NMU. At Northern, undergraduate students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by working on individual or group research projects or by assisting professors with their research. Students have the opportunity to contribute to manuscripts, articles and books. Many students also get the chance to present their findings at regional and national conferences.
So, your kid is thinking about attending NMU and you have questions. We have answers!
Why should your student consider studying at NMU?
Northern Michigan University provides some of the most unique and immersive educational experiences and offers training for the top 10 fastest-growing jobs in the country. Plus, we're one of the most affordable schools in the region, and we've been consistently ranked as one of the safest college campuses in the country.
NMU offers its 7,600 students over 170 academic degree programs to choose from. Our programs fall under these six main categories:
- Arts, communications and humanities
- Business and technology
- Health sciences
- Human services
- Engineering technology, manufacturing and industrial technology
- Science and natural resources
In addition to our traditional on-campus instruction, we also have a Global Campus, enabling students to learn at NMU from anywhere.
Our signature programs
In addition to well-known and popular degree programs such as Art & Design, Biology, Business, Education, and Nursing, Northern has a number of academic offerings that are unique and noteworthy:
FROST
At Northern's Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST), students learn to solve crimes and identify missing persons at the world's first cold-weather lab for the study of human remains.
Plant revolution
NMU offers the country's first Medicinal Plant Chemistry degree, a brand-new Indoor Agriculture associate degree, and coming soon, cutting-edge certificates in Plant -Based Wellness and Cannabis Operations.
Cybersecurity, technology, and robotics
Northern has degrees for some of the fastest-growing careers around the globe: study web app development, computer science, or robotics in one of our degree programs. Or, explore the offerings available to the general public through our regionally recognized Cybersecurity Institute.
Cancer research
Northern's Brain Tumor Research Center allows students to work to better understand and cure an aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme.
BEAR center
In the Behavioral Education, Assessment & Research clinic, students work with children with autism spectrum disorders.
Paying for College
Worried about how you and your student are going to pay for college? Understanding how financial assistance and bill-paying works can help you relieve some of your stress over paying for a college education. Keep in mind, it is a great investment. According to the U.S. Census Bureau statistics, individuals with an undergraduate college degree will earn an average of 80 percent more than those with only a high school diploma. The difference is potentially more than $1,000,000 over your student's working career.
Financial Aid at NMU
- We offer one of the lowest combined tuition and room and board rates among state institutions in Michigan.
- Eighty-two percent of Northern students receive financial assistance.
- We awarded nearly $35 million from all sources of financial aid last year.
- Our average financial aid package is more than $12,265 per student each year.
We intend to continue this level of commitment, not only for those students who could not attend Northern without such assistance, but also for those who deserve to be recognized for their academic performance, talent or leadership ability.
Support for your Wildcat
NMU ensures that your student has easy access to numerous resources for any physical, mental or academic need.
Living on Campus
Northern has two different residence hall complexes with caring, safe, welcoming communities. The Woods Complex features spacious suite-style rooms, ceiling fans and granite countertops. Our classic Quad complex offers a more affordable option with suite-style living, established communities and renovated facilities.
Some highlights of our facilities include:
- Free laundry facilities in each residence hall
- LTE internet and cable included
- Designated study and hang-out spaces
- A centrally located, recently renovated Northern Lights Dining Hall
Living on campus is a great way for your student to get immersed in college life, meet people from different areas, and find their passions.
Dining on Campus
NMU Dining offers students, employees and community members access to over 10 dining locations on campus. From world cuisine to your favorite grab-and-go snacks, we have you and your student covered any time you're on campus.
Commuter students are not required to have a meal plan, however, students living on campus must select a meal plan. Each plan includes Dining Dollars to purchase snacks and guest passes for others to use.
Getting Involved on Campus
There is something for everyone at Northern Michigan University with more than 300 student organizations, leadership programs, and hundreds of events and activities.
The hub for student involvement on campus is the Center for Student Enrichment (CSE). CSE provides NMU students with a variety of extracurricular experiences that will enable them to grow personally and professionally, to connect with the campus and surrounding communities, and more thoroughly enjoy the college experience. In the process, they will help your student develop the skills and awareness required to be an effective leader and an engaged citizen.
Learn more about NMU.
If you're just starting the information-gathering phase of the college search, or if you're further along in the process, you're in the right place. This site provides details about Northern Michigan University's academics, student life, cost and more. You can also request information if you'd like to receive information in the mail about your student's academic interests.
If you're the parent of an admitted student - sign up for parent email updates and review the detailed checklist of next steps for your student.
Checklist for students admitted to Fall/Summer 2023 term
Not sure what your Wildcat will need next year? Here's a wish list with some great shopping ideas!
Visit campus
Often the best way to feel sure about a college is to spend time walking around campus (even if it is virtually) and getting your questions answered by a live person. You can schedule an individualized in-person visit or a virtual visit at a time that is convenient for you.
Undergraduate Admissions
Phone: 800-682-9797
Email: admissions@nmu.edu
Live Chat: M-F from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at nmu.edu/admissions
Stay up-to-date with NMU
Keep yourself informed with the latest news and updates at Northern Michigan University by following us on your favorite social media network, subscribing to our official news source, Northern Today, and checking our university events calendar.
NMU on Social Media
Northern Today, NMU's official news source
Northern Magazine
NMU Events Calendar
Frequently asked questions
We know that you have dozens of questions about NMU, and we're happy to help you answer all of them. Explore the content on our Parent Q&A playlist on YouTube, click through the questions below, or reach out to us directly.
What are your admissions requirements?
For first-year students seeking a bachelor's degree, it's a minimum:
- 2.25 cumulative high school GPA
NMU does not require a test score for admission. The average for our incoming first-year students is a 3.34 GPA.
For transfer students:
- 2.0 cumulative college GPA
Transfer students have on average a 3.03 GPA in 49 college credits when they transfer to NMU.
NMU also has associate and certificate programs with varying admissions requirements. Learn more at nmu.edu/admissions/requirements.
My student has already earned college credits. How do you factor that in?
If the credit was earned before high school graduation, your student will be considered a first-year student with credit for admission and scholarship purposes.
We do our best to ensure credits earned at other colleges (and at NMU) transfer for full credit. Class standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) is determined after all outside credit has been received and evaluated, so your student should send us their college transcript or AP/IB scores as soon as possible, preferably before orientation.
Learn more about this topic at nmu.edu/admissions/early-college-credit.
How much does NMU cost?
NMU is competitively priced. In fact, we're the second most affordable public university in the State of Michigan. Most of our students receive financial aid of about $12,300 a year. With our Easy Pay installment plan, a typical family's bill comes down to around $1,400 per month, over eight months.
View our current tuition rates at nmu.edu/tuition.
How safe is NMU's campus?
Northern Michigan University's annual security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Northern Michigan University, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible for the campus.
The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting Public Safety and Police Services or by accessing the following web site: nmu.edu/clery
What kind of support do you offer if my child gets sick, needs counseling, or struggles in class?
We have an on-campus health center and pharmacy offering same-day visits. It is staffed by two physicians, a nurse practitioner and three nurses. NMU's Counseling Center offers counseling and psychological services free of charge to NMU students.
We are also here to support your student academically, with three tutoring centers staffed by professionals and students, a Writing Center, and our Academic and Career Advisement Center -- not to mention our faculty, who make student success their highest priority.
Visit nmu.edu/support to learn more about these topics.
Will my student be prepared to get a job or go on to graduate school?
NMU strongly encourages internships, and our academic departments and professors help connect students to opportunities.
Just a few recent internship examples have been at Disneyland, Milwaukee Crime Lab, IBM, Mortenson Construction wind farms, the Detroit Zoo, and Goddard Space Flight Center. Our health careers students gain clinical experience at partner institutions including Mayo Clinic. Education students start working in classrooms their first year in the program. And students in many majors help inventors launch real products at Invent@NMU.
Our recent graduates report an employment rate of 96 percent (85 percent in careers, 11 percent continuing education) after graduation, with some doing both. Many of our students who go on to graduate school at NMU find themselves better prepared than their colleagues from major universities.
I heard you get 30 feet of snow every year?
Maybe not that much but the average snowfall in Marquette is around 172 inches per year. So let's get your Wildcat ready!
To be comfortable during a Marquette winter it's recommended to have:
- Warm Coat with wind blocking technology. (NMU is located on the South Shores of Lake Superior and it can get windy).
- Wool Socks to keep your feet nice and toasty.
- Winter Hat with fleece on the inside.
- Gloves or mittens
- Boots - preferably water proof
- Snow Pants (because who doesn't want to play in fresh powder)!
Marquette has a lot of great local stores where you can pick up winter gear while you're here.
Who is our family's admission counselor?
Visit the Contact a Counselor page on the Admissions Web site to find the admissions counselor assigned to you based on your location.