Overview
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois fields a club esports program, with affiliations including BEC. The program is a student-run club rather than a varsity team run by the university. Its teams currently compete in League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, Hearthstone and Rocket League. The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (northwestern.edu, 2025-26); contact the program directly. Federal College Scorecard data shows an average net price of $29,167 per year, an acceptance rate of 8% and a graduation rate of 95% across 9,201 undergraduates.
Esports details verified 2026-10-10 · Federal data retrieved 2026-10-10
Esports scholarships at Northwestern
No esports scholarships published
Northwestern doesn't publish esports scholarship terms. Ask the program staff about athletic or participation awards during recruiting.
The esports program
- Level
- Club (student-run)
- Founded
- Not published
- Conference / league
- BEC
- Facility
- Not published
- Titles fielded
- 6
Cost & outcomes vs. other esports schools
Compared with the median of all 405 esports programs we track.
| Tuition | $68,322 |
|---|---|
| Average net price (after grants) | $29,167 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 19% |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,000 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 6:1 |
Who studies at Northwestern
9,201 undergraduates, shown as 100 people.
- White 31%
- Hispanic/Latino 16%
- Black 8%
- Asian 21%
- Two or more races 8%
- International 12%
- Other / unknown 4%
- Women
- 54%
- First-generation
- 15%
- Pell recipients
- 19%
Frequently asked questions
Does Northwestern offer esports scholarships?
The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (northwestern.edu, 2025-26); contact the program directly. Scholarship terms can change each season, so confirm with the program before applying.
What games does Northwestern esports compete in?
Northwestern fields club teams in League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, Hearthstone and Rocket League, according to the program's published information.
How much does Northwestern cost per year?
The average annual net price — cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving aid — is $29,167. Published tuition is $68,322 (U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard).
How hard is it to get into Northwestern?
Northwestern admits 8% of applicants, per the College Scorecard.
Sources
- Esports program and scholarship terms: northwestern.edu (2025-26)
- Cost, admissions, outcomes and demographics: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-10-10
- Photo: Rdsmith4, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Research notes
A student-run Esports Club sponsored by the Norris Game Room, with no professional staff listed. The team list on the Norris page appears stale (it still says CS:GO, mapped here to cs2, and Hearthstone), so 2025-26 titles are unconfirmed. Smash gets only 'venue and connections'. BEC membership is from a March 2024 CSMG release (press). Start year unknown. Older Medill reporting said club status was not yet official and that the Wildcats name was restricted.
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