NEIU’s first student residence hall, the Nest, which is planned to open in August 2016, is ahead of schedule.

The walls are up, flooring installed and general construction is underway. More details are needed before completion which will concentrate on the furnishing of units and application of the exterior facade.

The Nest has an occupancy of 440 beds, 432 of which are for students while the remainder are for staff members.

University residency is a great help in retaining students of local, national and international backgrounds.

Per the student housing website, there are many benefits to living on campus.

According to the NEIU student housing website, students living in university housing are more likely to be satisfied with their college experience, more successful at school and in graduating. They are more likely to form strong support networks with friends, classmates, faculty and staff. And the added opportunities to engage with peers from diverse, cultural backgrounds.

The Nest offers two residency types: 2 bed / 2 bath for $4,050 or 4 bed / 2 bath for $5,094 per semester. Both units have a four bed occupancy. The cost per semester is included with tuition where payments are handled through NEIU. If a student has grants,  scholarships or financial aid those could be applicable.

The Nest comes with an array of amenities to help Northeastern students in their academic careers, like the ability to study at home with Wi-Fi hotspots provided throughout the building on its own separate network. There will be private study lounges and an academic support center with iMacs for resident use. Each residence is fully furnished with full-size kitchens, a dishwasher and garbage disposal. Living rooms are furnished with leather sectional sofas, entertainment centers, cable TV (HBO included), coffee and end tables and full-size beds. Laundry facilities are available on-site as well as 24-hour on-call staff and professional management and maintenance.

When looking at comparable furnished housing in the area it’s hard to find anything available near NEIU.  The closest options were downtown, with a median range of $925 to $1800 a month for a studio. Pricing increased significantly when looking at one bedroom options.

At present there isn’t any pricing yet available on meal plans for the Nest but according to Jessica Klingberg, director of housing, the school is presently working on them. Until then, they will be working with the cafeteria to extend hours of operation and services.

American Campus Communities has been busy at getting the word out regarding early registration. Students are welcome to follow them on social media, a method to discovering all that the Nest has to offer while scoring some free swag and snacks.

Guided tours at the Nest are currently being offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. The Nest’s staff can be found on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter. At present there are contests for social media followers to win a $50 Visa gift card or iPad mini.

All NEIU students are eligible to apply. However, undergraduate students with at least 12 credit hours and graduate students enrolled with at least 9 credit hours will be given preference. There is a $50 non-refundable application fee and a $250 security deposit required. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as housing is limited and not guaranteed.

NEIU housing is brought to us by American Campus Communities. Residency is offered for fall and spring semesters. Students interested in more information may contact student housing representatives at 773.442.4663.