The Metra train from Chicago Union Station stops at the edge of campus, and that link to the city is part of the appeal. North Central College is a private liberal arts college founded in 1861 in Naperville, a prosperous suburb west of Chicago on the DuPage River. It's mainly undergraduate, with small classes in business, computer science, the sciences and the arts. Most students get a merit scholarship.
Naperville, Illinois, United States
Official website: northcentralcollege.edu
1861
Private liberal arts college
Naperville, west of Chicago
$44,000 – $47,000
International students, before merit scholarships
$13,000 – $17,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on northcentralcollege.edu before you apply.
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BA Finance
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BA Psychology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Small classes on a traditional campus in downtown Naperville.
A Metra station at the edge of campus.
Merit scholarships for most undergraduates.
Graduates join Chicago-area employers in finance, tech and health care.
Many take internships in the city or the western suburbs' corporate offices.
Bachelor's graduates can usually work in the US for a year on OPT.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Limited
Postgrad
Selected programmes
The campus is a short walk from Naperville's downtown and the Riverwalk along the DuPage River, with cafes, shops and summer concerts.
Naperville is safe and suburban. Downtown Chicago is under an hour by Metra, and suburban rent is lower than the city's.
Form I-20 issued by North Central College
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
North Central reviews applications on a rolling basis. Apply by early spring for August entry, which also gives the best chance at scholarships.
Most students start in August. Some transfer and graduate students start in January.
You'll need an F-1 visa. Once you accept your offer and send proof of funding, North Central College issues the Form I-20. After that it's the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 form and an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, finance, psychology and the MBA are popular. Undergraduates need school transcripts and IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 80; graduate applicants need a bachelor's degree.
Yes. North Central gives merit scholarships to most international undergraduates, decided at admission. The award is renewable if you keep up your grades.
