On Sept. 14, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts indefinitely postponing the effective date of the new U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule intended to establish a fixed time period of admission and an extension of stay procedure that would impact students and scholars on F-1 and J-1 visas, and other academic restrictions specifically for F-1 students. ٍٍٍ½خر is monitoring this case and any further developments, and we will continue to provide updates as appropriate.
New to NU Series
New to NU is a series designed by OISS, consisting of a newsletter and a webinar, to help address timely questions students may have while navigating processes between admittance to their academic program and Orientation. This page also contains important updates and announcements for incoming students, so be sure to check back regularly.
If you are a Kellogg Master's student, you are encouraged to review the and for Kellogg specific instructions and resources.
Updates:
Check our student newsletters and updates page for information about recent policy changes or executive orders.
Newsletters:
| Month | Undergraduate | Graduate and PhD |
|---|---|---|
| February | ||
| March | ||
| April | ||
| May | ||
| June | ||
| July | ||
| August |
New to NU Webinars
Webinar links, dates and times will be posted soon. Students are required to use a valid NU email address to join the webinar links. Recordings will be posted after each webinar.
| Date and Time | Participants | Zoom Registration Link | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| February: Request Your I-20 and DS-2019 | |||
| February 27, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate, Master, and PhD students | ||
| March: Apply for Your F-1 or J-1 Visa | |||
| March 20, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate, Master, and PhD students | ||
| April: Plan Your Arrival and Housing | |||
| April 17, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate students | ||
| April 17, 2026 at 10:00 am Central Time | Graduate and PhD students | There was an error in recording: access the slide decks below: |
|
| May: Insurance and Healthcare | |||
| May 15, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate, Graduate, and PhD students | ||
| June: Transfer Students | |||
| June 12, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate, Graduate, and PhD students | ||
| July: Questions and Answers (Q&A) with Northwestern Students | |||
| July 9, 2026 at 4:00 pm Central Time | Undergraduate Students and Graduate Students | ||
| July 17, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate students | No recording will be provided for Q&A sessions. | |
| July 17, 2026 at 10:00 am Central Time | Graduate and PhD students | No recording will be provided for Q&A sessions. | |
| August: International Student Orientation Preview | |||
| August 7 at 9:00 am Central Time | Families of Undergraduate Students | Recording not yet available | |
| August 21, 2026 at 9:00 am Central Time | Undergraduate students | ||
| August 21, 2026 at 10:00 am Central Time | Graduate students | ||