
National Louis University competes as the Eagles in intercollegiate athletics associated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Athletic participation is separate from general campus recreation and from joining a student club.
Students interested in a varsity team should consult the current Eagles roster and recruiting information for the sport they play, since teams and eligibility rules can change. A commuter student looking mainly for exercise or informal games should instead ask about recreation and fitness access at the location where they take classes; varsity competition does not imply that every campus has intramural leagues or athletic facilities.
National Louis University has reported student organizations spanning cultural identity, professional interests, and wellness. Examples include the Black Student Union, Educators Rising, the Student Wellness Ambassador Team, Built by Womxn, and Exuberance.
A group's name in a university listing does not establish its current meeting schedule or activity at every location. Students can use orientation and student activities listings to find organizations recruiting members in their term. The university also reports a student-run newspaper and a drama or theater group, offering additional ways to participate outside coursework.
National Louis University reported total enrollment of 8,915 students. Its population includes first-time undergraduates, transfer students, and students in graduate programs, so the experiences of a new first-year student and a working graduate student may differ considerably.
Reported incoming undergraduate counts include 708 first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students and 805 transfer-in students. Among students in the reported geographic breakdown, 86% were Illinois residents and 4% came from other U.S. states. Those figures point to a substantial local and regional enrollment, though they do not describe every classroom or program.
The reported student population includes substantial Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American enrollment. Demographic totals are useful context, but they should not be used to assume an individual student's background or a particular campus culture. NLU reports a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1; actual class sizes depend on the course.
Student life at National Louis University is shaped by its mix of downtown study, other locations, online learning, and students at different stages of their education. It is less useful to imagine a single residential-campus routine than to ask when students in a particular program are physically together and what activities fit around classes.
Orientation and beginning-of-term programming provide entry points for meeting peers. NLU also reports personal or psychological counseling and a veterans affairs office. Students who expect to rely on a particular service should check its appointment process, remote-access options, and availability at their teaching location.
The NLU Library supports coursework and research through library collections and academic information resources. Reported library information identifies three library locations, but access to a physical space depends on the campus and its current hours.
Students should look beyond the number of buildings when comparing library support. Research help, electronic journals and databases, and ways to obtain materials not immediately on hand may matter especially to online students and commuters. A student who needs a quiet place to work or a particular item should confirm that location's access and borrowing rules before traveling there.
Total enrollment
8915Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen
655Total staff
199 full time, 517 part timeVeterans affair office
YesData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.