Student Life
Housing
The cost of living at Notre Dame is low, and most graduate students live in single-bedroom or shared apartments. Monthly rents for apartments are typically near $500. The University operates apartments for married students and townhouses for graduate students. A large number of relatively inexpensive apartments and houses for rent are located off-campus within easy walking distance. New apartment developments are readily accessible by bike, bus, or car. Ample parking is available on campus. Additional information about housing is available at the website of Residence Life and Housing.
The Campus
The University of Notre Dame, founded in 1842, is a private, 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 five 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 and Sports
Graduate students are encouraged to participate in all University activities, which include a variety of lectures, cultural events, concerts and theatrical productions. The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art contains five galleries in which the University art collection and special exhibits are displayed. The 123,000-square-foot DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts includes a cinema and four theaters. 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. Graduate students have access to reduced-priced tickets to athletic events, including Notre Dame football games.
The city of South Bend, center of a metropolitan area with a population of more than 300,000, 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 easily accessible by car, bus, plane, or commuter rail. By car, Chicago is less than two hours away.
Outdoor Activities
The Michiana area (northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan) offers a wide 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, as well as wineries which offer tours and tasting.
Recreational Facilities
The University provides superb facilities for both participatory and spectator sports through RecSports. Graduate students are welcome to use all facilities, including the new Smith Center for Recreational Sports in the Duncan Student 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 soccer, basketball, softball and volleyball. Two excellent golf courses, the nine-hole Notre Dame Golf Course and the 18-hole Warren Golf Course, are located on campus.