Graduate Programs
Housing & Student Life
The cost of living at Notre Dame is relatively inexpensive and most graduate students live in single bedroom or shared apartments. Monthly rates for apartments are typically in the range of $350-600. The University operates apartments for married students and town-houses for graduate students. Limited dormitory space on campus is available for single students. Alternatively, a large number of relatively inexpensive apartments and houses for rent are located off-campus within easy walking distance, and newer apartment developments are readily accessible by bus or car. Ample car parking is available on campus. For further information visit the Residence Life and Housing website.
The Campus
The University of Notre Dame, founded in 1842, is a private coeducational, independent institution with about 11,000 students, of which approximately 2,500 are graduate students. The campus is located north of South Bend, Indiana (about 5 miles from the Michigan border), and includes 1,250 acres in an uncrowded setting with two lakes, many wooded areas and tree-lined quadrangles.
Cultural Activities
Graduate students are encouraged to participate in all University activities which include a variety of lectures, cultural events, concerts and theatrical productions. The Snite Museum of Art contains five galleries where the University art collection and special exhibits are displayed. Additional cultural attractions are offered at Saint Mary's College, located adjacent to the Notre Dame campus, and at the South Bend campus of Indiana University. In Fall 2004 the University opened its new 123,000-square-foot Marie P. DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts, which includes a cinema and four theatres. The city of South Bend, center of a metropolitan area with a population of about 250,000, offers a resident symphony and chorus, libraries, art and historical museums, zoos, and many parks and recreational areas. Chicago and all of its attractions are accessible by plane, bus or train; by car it is less than two hours away via the Indiana Toll Road.
Outdoor Activities
The Michiana area (northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan) offers a large variety of outdoor activities. Excellent beaches on Lake Michigan are about a 45-minute drive from campus, and swimming, sailing and other water sports are available on a number of smaller lakes including those on the Notre Dame campus. Skiing and other winter sports are also available nearby. Southern Michigan is particularly noted as a fruit-producing area, and there are a number of farms where visitors can pick their own fruit, and wineries which offer tours and tasting.
Facilities
The University provides superb facilities for both participatory and spectator sports through RecSports. Graduate students are welcome to use all facilities including the 78,000-square-foot Rolfs Sports Recreation Center, an indoor skating rink, two swimming pools, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, racquetball, handball and squash courts. Many students participate in intramural programs such as basketball, softball and volleyball. Two excellent golf courses, the 9-hole Notre Dame Golf Course and the 18-hole Warren Golf Course, are located on campus. Graduate students may obtain tickets to all home football, basketball and hockey games at reduced prices.
