Summer with CFS
If you would like to participate in CFS during Summer Session you should:
- Determine if you can pay summer tuition and program related costs
- Attend a CFS information session
- Select a CFS course that you would like to take and a second choice
- Apply to participate
Summer Internship Options
Summer internship opportunities through the CFS program may differ from those available during the regular academic year. Competition for Chicago area internships increases, and many employers have their own summer internship programs that prevent them from working with CFS interns in the summer. More information on internships
Note: if you apply with an internship that you have secured on your own (without the help of CFS), a CFS Advisor will need to confirm your internship and CFS enrollment plan with your internship supervisor, hiring manager, or other appropriate representative of the internship before sending you a permission number for the course
Summer Tuition and Costs
- Summer tuition is charged per unit of credit. Please check the Summer Session website for current tuition costs
- Students should ensure that they have a plan to cover summer tuition costs BEFORE applying to CFS
- Financial aid is available to students who qualify. Students must enroll in at least two total credits to be eligible for financial aid. Students who are planning on using financial aid should estimate aid by using the financial aid calculator. More information regarding summer financial aid can be found on the summer aid site
- A student who receives a SIGP grant can not enroll in CFS at the same time unless they use different internships for SIGP and CFS
- Transportation costs via CTA/Metra typically range from $200-$300 but can be higher
- CFS students are responsible for securing their own housing during Summer Session
- For more information, please see: https://undergradaid.northwestern.edu/apply-for-aid/current-students/summer-session.html
CFS Summer Courses Credits and Registration
- All summer courses are available for 1-4 credits during the summer quarter except for Analysis of Field Experience, which is available for 0.25 or 1 credit
- All CFS Summer Session courses meet on Zoom, except for Engage Chicago
- CFS courses run on 9-week first session during the summer quarter
- For a listing of summer courses, please view the course list by quarter
- As in the regular school year, CFS credits correspond to the weekly internship hours. Units of credit should be determined before you register
Relationship between units of credit and hours per week at an internship:
1 credit = 10+ hours/week
2 credits = 15+ hours/week
3 credits = 20+ hours/week
4 credits = 25+ hours/week
- In Summer Session, CFS allows you to enroll in lower credit levels while interning higher hours since Summer can be additional tuition, but we strongly urge you not to take multiple classes while doing higher internship hours—even in Summer
- Summer drop-add, late add, credit-change, and withdrawal rules may be different from the regular school year. Please see Summer Session registration procedures for more information
Engage Chicago
In Summer Session, CFS 397: Field Studies in Civic Engagement course is run by the NU Center for Civic Engagement as the immersive Engage Chicago program. This eight-week program combines an internship in a local non-profit or government office with a class, trips, speakers, events, and a residential community experience. Visit the Engage Chicago website for more information and to apply.
Ready to learn more about CFS courses and apply to CFS for Summer Session?