Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois
REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL
A private, four-year college, Elmhurst University provides a great education at an excellent value, consistently ranking among the top colleges and best values in the Midwest. In small classes throughout the liberal arts and sciences, Elmhurst students work with faculty whose top priority is teaching and mentoring. The University is located in the heart of the Chicago metropolitan area, 13 miles west of the Loop.
“I love how small Elmhurst is, and that if I ever need help, it’s easy to find.” — Janisa Hicks ’19
Get to know Elmhurst University
Benefits
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Jazz band
- Literary magazine
- Music ensembles
- Musical theatre
- Radio station
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Symphony orchestra
High-Impact Practices
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Writing-Intensive Courses
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Internships/Coops/Practicums
- Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
Campus Resources
- Career Services
- Writing Center
- Academic Advisors
- Library Services
- Disability Services
- Multicultural Engagement Center
- Health Services
- Academic Tutors
- Financial Aid Advisors
- Veteran Services
- Counseling
College Highlights
GAINING THE RIGHT TOOLS
The academic programs at Elmhurst are characterized by their real-world connections and responsiveness to student needs. Students conduct research and defend their results, analyze data, think critically, solve problems collaboratively, study and write across disciplines, and learn to formulate new ideas. Each year, students of all majors share their original research at the University’s Undergraduate Research and Performance Showcase.
“I’ll get to dive into a deep level of research that undergraduates usually don’t get to do.” – Michael White ’18
STUDY ABROAD
Elmhurst offers international education experiences in many countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Bulgaria, and the United Kingdom. Students can go abroad for a year, a semester, or a month during the University’s distinctive January term.
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 1%
Hispanic/Latinx: 27%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 6%
White, non-Hispanic: 55%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 7%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 2%
FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR
Elmhurst students are supported as soon as they become a Bluejay. First-year students begin their college experience with an intensive orientation where they are introduced to their first-year seminar, student leader, and staff mentor. After the three-day team-building experience, students continue the course throughout their first term, ensuring they have an immediate support system.
“I like the one-on-one interaction, the intimacy you get in class. We’re spoiled.” – Jennifer Pierce ’19
LEARNING UP CLOSE
Faculty members’ top priority is teaching. Every class at Elmhurst is taught by a faculty member, never a teaching assistant. The low student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 17 students altogether support closer connections and understanding between classmates and teachers.
What’s more, about 81 percent of the University’s full-time faculty members hold the highest degree in their field.
THE BEST OF THE MIDWEST
Elmhurst professors are scholars, researchers, and practitioners whose professional expertise enriches classroom discussions. The most popular majors at Elmhurst are business, education, and nursing, all of which provide excellent opportunities for hands-on engagement. The large local school district and nearby hospitals provide such experiences for education and nursing majors, and health professions advising is available for students preparing for careers in health care.
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Double major
Dual enrollment
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
“I love how close everyone is on this campus. I definitely found a family.” – David Seering ’21
CITY OF ELMHURST
Elmhurst University is located in the quiet suburb of Elmhurst, a community of over 46,000 that has been called “the quintessential Chicago suburb.” Downtown Elmhurst is just two blocks north of the campus. Several museums, a library, an eight-screen movie theater, a variety of restaurants, a rail line to downtown Chicago, and much more are all within walking distance.
CAMPUS LIFE
Life at Elmhurst is active and creative. Students can get involved in more than 100 activities, from theatre to intramurals to the mock trial team. The student newspaper regularly wins awards, and the University radio station has been on the air since 1947. The campus regularly hosts performances, art exhibits, and an array of excellent guest speakers.
The University’s service-learning program combines on-campus learning with service to the greater community. From animal care to social and economic inequalities, students can choose organizations from a variety of areas.
SCHOOL LOCATION
The University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois—a 30-minute train ride west of downtown Chicago, where students enjoy unlimited access to world-class cultural and professional opportunities, including internships, sporting events, and concerts of all kinds. Elmhurst has the resources of a big city with the feel of a small town.
ATHLETICS
Student athletes at Elmhurst compete on 20 teams in the NCAA Division III College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). In the past decade, Bluejay teams have won conference championships in multiple sports. They compete in such first-rate facilities as Langhorst Field—home to the football, soccer, and track and field programs—which sits in the center of campus and attracts crowds of students to watch the games.
- 20 varsity sports
- Men’s: baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field and wrestling
- Women’s: basketball, bowling, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball
- Mascot: Bluejay
- School Colors: Navy Blue and White
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 54%
Undergraduates: 33%
Campus housing options.
Coed dorms
Men’s dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for single students
Special housing for disabled students
Theme housing
LGBTQIA+ housing
THE ELMHURST JOURNEY
Elmhurst supports students throughout their time at the University and wants to see them excel—both academically and personally. Resources are available across campus for student success, including the Learning Center, the Niebuhr Center, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, mentors, and top-ranking professors.
“As I got [to Elmhurst], I realized that everyone is friendly and supportive. They want to see you succeed.” – Rosalie Navarrete ’18
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Russell G. Weigand Center for Professional Excellence aims to support and propel the professional aspirations of all students. Here, students can develop their résumé, take career-guidance courses, and receive mentoring and advising. Off campus, students can participate in a wealth of internship and job-shadowing experiences, both in the Chicago area and beyond. One student recently shadowed a renowned neurosurgeon in San Francisco; another worked on staff at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; and a third traveled to New York to participate in a high-level discussion of medical ethics.
GRADUATES WHO THRIVE
Within a year of commencement, 93 percent of Elmhurst graduates are active in a full-time job or graduate school. Elmhurst graduates build successful careers in corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions, law firms, medical centers, research laboratories, and countless other venues. They thrive in demanding careers because they’ve learned to embrace new ideas, master advanced technologies, and create original solutions to problems old and new.
Admission
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Rolling admission begins on October 1 and continues until Fall Term. Priority deadline is April 15.
For more information, go to elmhurst.edu/apply.
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Rigor of secondary school record | Academic GPA
Considered
Standardized test scores | Application Essay | Recommendation(s)
Interview | Level of applicant’s interest
TEST SCORES
Required
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 490 | 75th Percentile: 590
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 490 | 75th Percentile: 580
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 18 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT English
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 26
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $38,354
Fees: $300
Room: $6,332
Board: $4,420
What Others are Saying
Contact Elmhurst University
Contact Admissions
www.elmhurst.edu/admission
(630) 617-3400
admit@elmhurst.edu
Campus Location
190 Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
(630) 617-3500