The location of our campus often takes first-time visitors by surprise—North Chicago is in Metro Chicago’s North Shore suburbs, 36 miles north of the city proper. While we’re not in the city, as many assume, we fully leverage the many benefits of being exactly where we are.

From an educational standpoint, being located between two major metropolitan areas—Chicago and Milwaukee—gives our students access to a greater number and wider range of clinical and service learning experiences. Inner-city hospitals that help the underserved, the Federal Health System that provides medical care to U.S. military personnel, and private clinics and practice settings in both rural and suburban communities are all available options for RFU students in every clinical program.

When it comes to leisure and entertainment, Lake County is a great home base. RFU students living on or near campus are within proximity to one of the largest and most culturally vibrant cities in the world. From campus, you can reach downtown Chicago in less than an hour’s drive, or you can catch the nearby commuter train to the city to experience fine dining, world-class architecture, and elite cultural, entertainment and sporting experiences. Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin, is an hour’s drive north of campus.

And in between? Lake Michigan’s sandy shoreline lies just a few miles from campus, offering many opportunities for recreation and relaxation. RFU is also close to Lake County Forest Preserves land—more than 30,000 acres containing 182 miles of trails for hiking and biking—and quaint towns like Lake Bluff, which contain many of our students’ favorite restaurants and bars.

Find out more about on-campus housing and life in Lake County.