Graduate Student Life
At the heart of Notre Dame’s educational experience is our deep commitment to the flourishing of the whole human person. This is as true for our postbaccalaureate students as it is for our undergrads—it just looks a bit different. Community-building doesn’t happen in residence halls, it happens in more than 100 clubs and organizations for graduate and professional students. Social events rarely include midnight pizza parties, but often include free dinners with interdisciplinary groups of students. Graduate Student Life serves as the “translator,” finding ways to make Notre Dame’s mission an authentic reality for an audience of master’s, doctoral, and law students.
“I learned how powerful a sense of community can be—especially for graduate students who are navigating a new academic and social environment.”
—Parisa Toofani Movaghar, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, on serving as a member of the Graduate Orientation Team
As a partnership between the Graduate School and the Division of Student Affairs, Graduate Student Life is well positioned to accompany students as they integrate their academic and intellectual pursuits with their values, interests, and well-being. We serve as a central resource for students seeking community and support beyond the classroom, library, and laboratory, and we connect graduate and professional students to each other, to the wealth of campus resources for holistic wellness, and to a true sense of belonging at Notre Dame.
- 92% of Notre Dame Graduate Students express satisfaction with their overall quality of life at ND.
- 96% of Notre Dame Graduate Students would recommend Notre Dame to someone considering enrolling.
Grad Life highlights include Graduate Student Orientation, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, the Graduate Student Lounge in the Duncan Student Center, the Summer Soiree Series, our monthly Birthday Club, and GO Grants.