Student Parking

Student parking on campus is in great demand, but the number of spaces available to law students is limited. Parking is limited to commuter students, i.e., those who live beyond a 1.75-mile radius of the Law School. Applications will be made available on the first day of class by 5:00 p.m.

Because of high demand, parking is not guaranteed. A parking permit only guarantees the holder access to the campus lot; it does not guarantee a parking space. There are peak periods during the year when students may have difficulty finding a parking space.

If qualified applications exceed demand in 2009-10, the SBA, in conjunction with Student Affairs, will assign parking consistent with the following priority list:

First Priority
All students, including 1Ls, with non-Chicago residential addresses.
Second Priority
All students who live more than 3 miles from the Law School as determined by school guidelines.
Third Priority
JD-MBA students in the 3rd or 4th year of the program who are taking courses at both schools and JD-PhD students who are taking courses at both schools.
Fourth Priority
2Ls and 3Ls who live 1.75-3 miles from campus as determined by school guidelines.
Fifth Priority
1Ls who live 1.75 to 3 miles from campus will be placed in a lottery for any remaining spots.

If you have any questions, please contact Student Affairs.

There are several types of parking permits. Following is a summary of permit terms, student eligibility, and procedures for obtaining a permit:

Temporary Parking

TEMPORARY SUMMER PERMITS
- Term: July 1, 2009 – October 1, 2009 $150 for entire summer quarter
- Term: August 1, 2009 – October 1, 2009 $120
- Term: August 17, 2009 – October 1, 2009 $75
- Eligibility: All registered students
- Procedure: Temporary permits will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Students must provide the Parking Office in Abbott Hall with a current driver's license, evidence of vehicle ownership (car registration or insurance papers), proof of address (e.g. lease, utility bill, etc.), and evidence of registration as a Northwestern Law student (ID or tuition bill). Students do not have to live with in the 3 mile radius during the summer. Students with annual permits from 2008–09 academic year do not need temporary parking.

Annual Commuter Permits

Term: October 1, 2009 – September 30, 2010
Eligibility: Only registered students who reside beyond a 1.75 mile radius of the Chicago campus are eligible for annual permits. Residents of University Housing are not eligible.
Price: $465
Procedure: Student Affairs processes annual parking applications in conjunction with the Student Bar Association. Applications are currently being accepted, and should be submitted online. A list of students granted parking will be posted on September 25. The listed students may then obtain permits from the Parking Office according to the procedures set forth under the temporary permits. If demand for parking exceeds supply, parking will be assigned based on the criteria established by the SBA. Students applying for parking after September 25, should use the same application. These permits, if available, are limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
Note: Students who have an annual commuter permit for the 2008-09 academic year may use that permit until October 1, 2009. Annual commuter permits for the 2008-09 academic year will be active until October 1, 2009, for enrolled students. Permits for parkers who are no longer enrolled students (including 2009 graduates) will be active until August 13, 2009. 3Ls who plan to prepare for the Bar exam at the Law School should consider the Annual Commuter Permit.

Academic Year Commuter Permits

Term: October 1, 2009–June 30, 2010
Eligibility: Only registered students who reside beyond a 1.75 mile radius of Northwestern University 's Chicago campus are eligible for annual permits. Residents of University Housing are not eligible.
Price: $370
Procedure: See application procedure set forth under Annual Permits.

Evening and Weekend Permits

Terms: "Annual" - October 1, 2009–September 30, 2010; "Academic Year" - October 1, 2009–June 30, 2010

4 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday; 24 hour access on weekends and University holidays
Eligibility: All registered students
Price: "Annual" - $363; "Academic Year" - $282
Procedure: Evening and weekend permits may be obtained from the Parking Office according to the procedures set forth under Temporary permits.

Alternatives to On-Campus Parking

Convenient non-university campus parking is expensive. Students ineligible for on-campus parking are strongly discouraged from bringing their vehicles to the Law School. Fortunately, Chicago is rich in public transportation resources.

Information on University bus and free shuttle services can be found on University Services' Web site.

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
The CTA operates Chicago's bus and local train (the “el” and subway) system. The subway line stops within five blocks of the Law School and there are several bus stops within close walking distance to the school. The train also stops at both O'Hare and Midway airports. For more information on routes and fares, call 1-888-YOUR-CTA or visit the CTA's Web site.

Northwestern Law students can obtain discounted student CTA cards to use on CTA buses and trains. For more information, visit the U-PASS Web site.

Metra
The Metra is Chicagoland's suburban rail transit service. With 12 lines and more than 220 suburban stations, Metra services communities as far as South Bend, IN, to Kenosha, WI. For more information, call (312) 836-7000 or visit the Metra Web site.

Northwestern University provides a convenient shuttle service between the train stations and campus.

Pace Bus Services
Pace is the suburban mass transit system that operates in complement to the services provided by the CTA and Metra. Pace also sponsors an innovative Vanpool Incentive Program where groups of commuters can pool resources to fund a vanpool at a low cost. For fare and schedule information, visit the Pace Web site.

Bicycles
Chicago has been rated one of the 10 best cycling cities in North America (Bicycling Magazine, March 1999). The Chicago campus is an excellent bicycling destination because of its close proximity to the lakefront bike path. For your security, bike racks are located next to the Law School. Also, University Services offers a bike room located at the parking garage on Erie and Ontario. They offer year-long storage for $25 which allows them WildCARD access to the room. Only people who pay for the bike room are allowed to enter.
Students, faculty, and staff can sign up for the bike room at University Services (Abbott Hall, room 100) or visit their website (http://www.northwestern.edu/uservices/transportation/parking/bicycle.html) for more information. The University Police department also offers a bike registration program and sells the Kryptonite Evolution 2000 U-Locks at cost.