Rush University (Rush) Summary
Rush University is a private nonprofit academic health sciences university in Chicago, Illinois, with institutional roots dating to 1972. Rush University was established in 1972 within the Rush academic medical center, but its roots reach to Rush Medical College, chartered in 1837 as Chicago’s first medical school. Today Rush is a specialized health-sciences university focused on medicine, nursing, allied health, biomedical research, and professional health education. Academically, the institution is shaped by medicine, nursing, allied health, health sciences, biomedical science, imaging, diagnostic sonography, physician assistant studies, occupational therapy, audiology, speech-language pathology, nutrition, and health systems management. Undergraduate students encounter a limited portfolio of upper-division health-sciences bachelor’s programs rather than a broad freshman-entry liberal-arts curriculum. Graduate and professional education extends into master’s, doctoral, medical, nursing-practice, allied-health, biomedical, and clinical professional programs. Teaching commonly combines clinical education, laboratories, simulation, interprofessional learning, research, patient care, seminars, and field placements, allowing students to move from foundational coursework into increasingly specialized academic, professional, creative, or research work. Research at Rush is particularly visible in clinical medicine, nursing, neuroscience, health equity, cancer, cardiovascular science, biomedical science, health systems, rehabilitation, and translational research. The institution supports this activity through Rush University Medical Center clinical facilities, laboratories, simulation spaces, the College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Rush Medical College, and research institutes. Rush University undergraduates in areas such as Health Sciences and Imaging Sciences can pursue faculty-guided research, projects, fieldwork, studios, clinical experiences, or other experiential formats supported by their programs, while graduate students work within deeper disciplinary or interdisciplinary research settings. Student life includes professional-school cohorts, student organizations, interprofessional education, research, community service, clinical placements, and health-focused campus activities. The setting matters because the Illinois Medical District places Rush near major hospitals, laboratories, public-health organizations, biotechnology, and downtown Chicago. At Rush University, advising and student life in Chicago complement academics through organizations, cultural programs, athletics, public service, entrepreneurship, and career preparation tied to the campus community. Admissions and affordability are institution-specific. Rush financial aid and scholarship processes are organized by college and program rather than through a universal freshman admissions model. College of Health Sciences scholarships include need- and merit-based awards such as endowment, leadership, and donor scholarships. Rush University tuition can vary by residency, school, degree level, enrollment status, or cohort when the university publishes separate pricing structures. For Rush University graduate students, funding varies by program; areas such as Biotechnology and Cardiovascular Perfusion may use assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, research support, or external awards under their published rules. Overall, Rush University combines specialized health education, academic medicine, clinical training, biomedical research, and direct integration with patient care in Chicago. Rush University's academic structure supports choices ranging from Health Sciences to Imaging Sciences, while individual schools retain their own requirements and student communities. Rush should not be treated like a comprehensive undergraduate university because most of its students are in graduate, doctoral, professional, or advanced health programs. Its current College of Health Sciences undergraduate options include Health Sciences, Imaging Sciences, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography.




















