Apply Online

For your convenience we offer an online application.

Obtaining More Information

  • We invite you to visit the web site of the program to which you are applying. You may also view the Graduate School Catalog.

    • Admission is competitive and students are selected on the basis of their scholastic preparation and intellectual ability. You may apply to no more than two programs.



Essential Elements of the Application

To apply to the program of your choice, begin your online application here.

There are several components of the application which will be explained below. You will first be asked for personal and demographic information. Applicants must provide their full, legal name, current and permanent mailing addresses, as well as certain demographic information. After completing and submitting this first page of information, you will then receive a unique user ID and password via email. You may log off and on as often as you wish until all required information is completed.

Graduate Record Examination Scores:

Scores on the GRE General Test are required as part of the application, except for those applying for Special, Non-degree student status. Certain programs also require the applicant to take the GRE Subject Test. Check with the Vanderbilt program to which you are applying to see if they require the GRE subject test. Use Institution Code 1871 when you request that your GRE scores be sent to Vanderbilt University. A Department Code is not required, but is helpful. Please choose one of the Department Codes from the list in this bulletin.

Information and application forms for the GRE may be obtained by writing to Graduate Record Examinations, Educational Testing Service (ETS), P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000. The GRE web site offers information on the test, testing centers, and test dates: www.gre.org.

Transcripts:

You must scan and upload into your on-line application copies of your unofficial transcripts for all prior undergraduate and graduate academic work. Upload an unofficial transcript for each college or university you list on your application. Do not mail your official transcripts to us unless you receive an official offer of admission from the Graduate School. Only the transcripts you upload to your on-line application will be considered in evaluating your application.

Letters of Recommendation:

The University requires three to five letters of recommendation from persons qualified to evaluate your academic and professional qualifications. On your application, you will be asked to provide the e-mail addresses of your recommenders. Vanderbilt will contact your recommenders by e-mail and provide them with a link to a web site, a password, and instructions on how to submit the recommendation online. Online recommendations are instantly attached to your application. If you are unable to provide e-mail addresses for your recommenders, it is your responsibility to contact them and provide them with the recommendation form, located on the Applicant Menu page of your application. Paper letters of recommendation should be sent in duplicate to the postal address given below.

Postal Addresses:

Please send all application materials to the postal address listed below. Select a department from the list below to find its mailing address.





Statement of Purpose:

This is an important part of your application. You may type your statement online, copy it into the online application from a word processor, or upload a file containing your statement of purpose (MS Word format only).

Application Fee:

The application fee is waived if you apply online. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the Graduate School office by email and you will be sent a PDF attachment which you may download, fill out and submit. If you choose to submit the paper application, you must also submit a non-refundable fee of $40 ( U.S. ).



Application Deadlines and Admissions Decisions

Note: If a deadline date falls on a weekend, the deadline becomes the next business day.

September 1,

Date by which most programs begin accepting Fall applications. If you have further questions, please directly contact the office of your program of interest.

October 22,

Last date for applicants to take the paper-based (PBT), general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in order for Vanderbilt to receive the scores by January 15, .

Spring admissions:

November 1,

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about spring semester admission. Some programs have an earlier deadline. Please confirm specific deadlines with the program to which you are applying. October 15, is the deadline for applications to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science.

NOTE: Most departments do not admit students for the spring semester. Please check with the specific program before applying.

November 12,

Last date for applicants to take a subject Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in order for Vanderbilt to receive the scores by January 15, . (NOTE: Not all programs require a subject test. Please check with the program of your choice.)

November 19,

Last date for international applicants to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order for Vanderbilt to receive the scores by January 15, .

December 1,

Last date for applicants to take the computer-based (CBT), general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in order for Vanderbilt to receive the scores by January 15, .

Fall admissions:

December 1,

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about fall semester admission for the PhD programs in Community Research and Action, Leadership and Policy Studies, Special Education, and Teaching, Learning, and Diversity.

December 15,

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about fall semester admission for the PhD programs in Biomedical Engineering, Religion, English, Creative Writing, History, Neuroscience, and Psychological Sciences.

December 31,

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about fall semester admission for the PhD program in Biostatistics.

January 1,

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about fall semester admission for the PhD program in Math, and Physics.

January 15,

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about fall semester admission. Some programs have an earlier deadline. Please confirm specific deadlines with the program to which you are applying.

February 1, 

Deadline for receipt of completed application form and all supporting credentials for a decision about fall semester admission for the PhD program in Law and Economics.

Admission decisions:

March 31,

Target date by which admission offers for fall semester will be mailed to all applicants whose files are complete by the deadline of the program you chose.

Response to admission offers:

April 15,

Deadline for applicants to respond to offers of admission. If your reply is not received by April 15, the department may reallocate any offer of financial award.



Special Requirements for International Applicants

Previous Degrees:

International applicants should apply only if their previous degrees are in the first class or first division. A three-year bachelor's degree is not sufficient for admission to graduate study. If you have earned a three-year degree, we will be pleased to consider your application after you successfully complete at least one year of a Master's degree program.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):

Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not received a degree at an English-speaking university must submit scores on the TOEFL. International students should have a TOEFL score of not less than 570 on the paper-based test, computer-based TOEFL score of 230, or Internet-based TOEFL score of 88. Since four to six weeks are usually required for scores to reach the University, you should take the test no later than November 19, in order for the score to arrive by January 15. Address inquiries and requests for applications to TOEFL, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey, 08541-6151.

Test of Spoken English (TSE):

This test is strongly recommended for international students who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships.

Transcripts:

International applicants must scan and upload unofficial academic records from all colleges and universities attended including certificates, mark sheets, and examination results. These may be copies of the original documents certified by an official of the institution issuing the record. If you are currently enrolled at an American university, Vanderbilt will accept (for admission purposes only) copies of documents that may be on file at that university. Should you be admitted and enroll in the Graduate School , however, you must supply the official documents described above.

Financial Resources:

In order to meet requirements for entry into the United States , applicants must demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to cover the cost of their education. Be prepared to provide evidence of this funding if you are offered admission to Vanderbilt University , but do not send financial documents until requested to do so. Applications from international students for financial awards are considered in competition with all other applications received .

Visas and Immigration:

Applicants who are not United States citizens or residents of the United States will need to comply with applicable laws and regulations for entry into and travel within the U.S. before enrolling at Vanderbilt. For further information, see International Student and Scholar Services.



Deferred Admission

An offer of admission is made for enrollment in a specific academic term. In some cases, with written approval from the program to which you were admitted, admission may be deferred to a later semester, but no later than one year after the semester for which the offer of admission is made. Students who do not accept offers of admission and students not offered admission must submit a new application, test scores, and all supporting documents if they wish to be considered for admission at a later date.



Instructions to Reapply

If you have previously applied to the Graduate School of Vanderbilt University through our online application, you may reapply for another term by using your existing account. Log into your account, and on the Applicant Menu page, use the tab marked “Apply or Re-apply to Additional Programs – (Graduate School program).” This will create a new application under your existing account.

To access your record you will need your User ID and password. If you have forgotten your User ID and password, click here. When you are ready to begin your reapplication, click here. The Graduate School requires applicants to submit separate transcripts and letters of recommendation for every application, including reapplication.



Quick Hints

  • Apply online.
  • Use our online recommendation feature and provide an e-mail address for each of your recommenders. Using this feature will make sure your recommenders are instantly notified. Reference letters received via the online process will attach to your record as soon as they are received.
  • If you do not provide e-mail addresses for your recommenders, you must contact your recommender and ask them to expedite the reference letter. Please be sure any paper letters of recommendation are sent in duplicate and to the proper address by the deadline set by your program.
  • Scan and upload into your on-line application copies of your unofficial transcripts for all prior undergraduate and graduate academic work. Do not send transcripts by mail. Only the transcripts you upload to your on-line application will be considered in evaluating your application.
  • Be sure to have official reports of your GRE scores (and TOEFL, if required) sent to Vanderbilt before the application deadline. Vanderbilt's institution code is 1871. Click here for a complete list of department codes.
  • Make sure that your name and the program to which you are applying appear on all credentials being submitted on your behalf.
  • Complete all four steps as outlined on the first screen of the online application. We cannot give full consideration to your application until you have officially submitted it.
  • Verify that you are applying for the program, semester and degree option you intend.
  • If you need assistance with the online application, please send an email. Be specific in your request and include your name, the program to which you are applying, and the degree you are seeking in the subject line of your email. This will help us to resolve your question sooner by eliminating extra emails to request further details.