Vanderbilt University Admissions 2022: Requirements, Fee Details & FAQs ,Nashville,USA

Vanderbilt University was a dream project of Bishop Holland McTyeire and is named after Cornelius Vanderbilt, who generously gifted USD 1 million to McTyeire to build this university. It started as one of the best institutes in the United States for pursuing studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences and offered other professional courses as well.

Today, it is home to thousands of national and international students who benefit from a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered in various disciplines. The Chancellor of Vanderbilt University is Daniel Diermeier who is a renowned personality in the field of academics. The university has also invested heavily in interdisciplinary research to develop new ideas and trans-institutional centers.

The primary focus of the faculty and alumni of this university is to provide a creative learning experience to the students that allows them to envision their career goals beyond the scope of their regular syllabus. They try to encourage and motivate students by providing them with scholarships based on their merit and academic performance. The immersive experience that students get during their coursework has made it a preferred choice for students across the world.

Courses Offered

What all courses are available to international students?

A total of 3,853 degrees are offered by Vanderbilt University, including 1691 baccalaureate, 1512 masters, 281 PhD, 82 MD, and 287 degrees that belong to other doctoral programs. Some of the popular disciplines when it comes to bachelor and master degree programs are listed in the list below:

Eligibility & Documents Required

What are the eligibility requirements ?

Vanderbilt University grants admissions to the students on their basis of their academic scores and grades. Apart from this, a basic requirement of high school studies up to Class 12is expected from those who apply for the undergraduate programs. The students who apply to the postgraduate programs must at least possess a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field. The students need to submit their English Proficiency exam scores if their language of instruction or first language is not English. The other eligibility and requirements for undergraduate students are mentioned below:

• Average SAT score range - 1470 - 1570

• Average ACT score range - 33 - 35

The undergraduate students can provide the results of any of the English Proficiency Tests if they manage to score the minimum marks given in the below table:

The other eligibility and requirements for the graduate students are given below:

• GPA - 3.2

• TOEFL (Paper Based) - 570

• TOEFL iBT - 88

• IELTS - 7.0

The minimum requirements for students who wish to enroll in the MBA programs are specified below:

• GMAT score - 680

• Undergraduate GPA - 3.36

• Relevant work experience

• TOEFL or IELTS scores

Note: Some programs may require additional academic qualifications and higher English Language Proficiency Test scores. Therefore, it is recommended that the students refer to the official website of Vanderbilt University for exact details.

What all documents are needed for the application?

The students who apply to the undergraduate and postgraduate programs must ensure that all their documents and transcripts are in English language only. If the documents are not in the English language, they must get those translated by a recommended authority or officer. The students should refer to the university's official website to get the exact details of the admission-related documents.

The below documents are expected from the undergraduate and graduate applicants:

• Official high school/college certificates (academic transcripts)

• SAT/ACT scores (for undergraduate applicants)

• GPA (for graduate applicants)

• English Language Proficiency scores 

• Letter of Recommendation 

• Two teacher recommendations

• A student CV or resume

Note: Requirements may vary with different courses. Refer to the exact course page to check the relevant list of documents required for the intended programme.

Application & Tuition Fees

Is there any application fees?

The undergraduate students are required to pay USD 50 (non-refundable) as an application fee, and the graduate students are required to pay USD 95 as an application fee. The graduate students who apply for more than one program (maximum two applications allowed) need to pay only a single fee.

What is the fee structure of courses offered by the university?

The below-given bar graph shows the fee estimates of different courses applicable to international students:

Source: Vanderbilt University 

Note: The tuition fees might vary with the program and may include other charges as well. Also, the tuition fees are revised every year by the university.  Therefore, interested students must refer to the university’s official website for accurate information about the fee structure.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Is there any scholarship or financial aid available for international students?

The international students who are freshman applicants can apply for any of the scholarships provided by Vanderbilt University. The transfer students are not eligible for any kind of financial assistance or aid. The competition for the scholarships is quite intense as these are granted to a few selected students.

There are two types of scholarships available - merit-based & need-based.  The freshman applicants with excellent academic qualifications exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills and contributing outside studies can apply for merit-based scholarships. The students must maintain a 3.0 GPA every year to receive such a scholarship each year.

On the other hand,  if international students fail to receive any of these scholarships, then they can apply for need-based financial aid. The students should fill the CSS profile properly to demonstrate the need for financial assistance to be eligible for this scholarship. However, the applications of some freshman applicants will be entertained by the university. Some of the need-based scholarships are also available to students from specific geographical locations.

Admission Process

When do the admissions start?

The undergraduate students must submit their applications by Early January irrespective of whether they opt for the 'Early Decision 2' or 'Regular Decision' admission process. However, students who opt for 'Early Decision 1' need to submit their applications much before that. The transfer applicants need to submit their applications by Mid March. Therefore, it is recommended that the students start taking the English Language Proficiency Tests and initiate other preparations from November itself.

The application deadlines for the undergraduate students are given in the below table:

Students wishing to enroll in the graduate school programs must submit their applications before Mid-January* if they are applying for the Fall Intake.

*Application deadline for different programs may vary as it depends on various factors like availability of seats, delay in the admission process, important international events, etc. Therefore, the students must visit the official website of Vanderbilt University for information on important dates and deadlines.

What are the steps to the application process?

International students may apply to Vanderbilt University online.

Undergraduate Applicants

Undergraduate applicants can apply via three methods:

1. Common Application
2. QuesBridge
3. Coalition Application

Students may opt for either of these three methods and strictly avoid filling in more than one form.

Note: Applicants must visit the official website of the university to avoid any misses.

Graduate Applicants

Graduate applicants may follow the below steps to enroll in the program of their choice:

Step 1: Visit the admission page of the ‘Graduate School’ and click on the ‘Apply Now’ page.

Step 2: Sign up using an active email ID and setting a strong password. Submit details like name, birth date, etc., to register on the portal.

Step 3: Verify the email address using the temporary PIN received via email.

Step 4: Click on 'Start New Application'.

Step 5: Select the intended program and then choose the course/specialisation.

Step 6: Fill in all the required details such as academic background, scores, etc.

Step 7: Pay the application fee.

Step 8: Review and close the application.

Students can check the status of the application anytime later by logging into the same page.

When will I hear from the university after I submit my application?

Undergraduate applicants who have chosen the ‘Early Decision 1’ or Early Decision 2’ will have to wait for at least a month or even more in some cases before getting any update from Vanderbilt University. However, the applicants who have chosen ‘Regular Admission’ might get the update sooner depending upon how early or how late they have applied for the admission.

Graduate applicants usually get notified within 45 days after submitting their applications, and they will have to decide before the end of March to enroll in the Fall intake. The notifications are generally sent via email, but the students can also login into their accounts to check their admission status.

Student Diversity & Preferred Profile

What are the chances to get into this university?

Approximately 9.6% of applications are selected by Vanderbilt University every year. This means that less than 10 applications are selected from every 100 applications. Therefore, it is not easy to get admission to this university. However, the students who have the required GPA, SAT/ACT scores, academic qualifications, and English Language Proficiency Test scores should apply for the programs they desire to enroll themselves in.

Students who excel in extracurricular activities and are also academically brilliant have a higher chance of landing admission into this university. Submitting the additional application requirements such as recommendation letters, essays, etc., are also important as there will be many students with similar academic qualifications and test scores. Therefore, the university can differentiate such students based on these requirements as well.

How many international students are studying at the university?

Vanderbilt University promotes a diverse culture by giving admission to students from various races, countries, and ethnicities. Currently, around 10.3% of its students are from outside the U.S, and around 11.5% of Black students and 18.8% of Asian students have enrolled in various courses offered by the university. It is also one of those rare universities where the number of female students exceeds the number of male students.

The pie chart below depicts the percentage of international students as compared to the students of other regions:

Source: Vanderbilt University

Part Time Work While Studying

Can I work while studying here?

International students will find plenty of job opportunities inside the campus, and therefore, they need to seek a job outside the campus. However, if students still want to apply for off-campus jobs, then they will require the authorization or consent of the ISSS (International Student and Scholar Services) or authorization from the USCIS. The students are allowed to work up to 19 hours a week during their coursework.

Students who apply for the on-campus jobs will also need authorization from the ISSS. To work while studying at Vanderbilt University, the students must have the following things in place:

• A valid job/appointment letter 

• Appropriate VISA that makes a student eligible for working

• Only the students who have applied to full-time programs are allowed to apply for on-campus jobs

• The student must obtain an SSN (Social Security Number) by showing the authorization letter obtained from ISSS to the SSA (Social Security Administration)

For more details, refer to USA Student Visa Guide and F1 Visa Guide.

Campuses & Accommodation

How many colleges and campuses does the university have?

Vanderbilt University consists of 10 colleges, each of which is dedicated to a particular discipline. All schools are placed inside its single huge campus of the university that is located in Nashville, Tennessee.

Is on-campus housing available? How much does it cost?

Around 50% of the undergraduate students of Vanderbilt University reside in the housing facilities that are available inside the campus. The students can live in the large residence halls or apartments that are built on the campus. Currently, the university has made 31 residence halls and apartments available for the students. These numbers are quite less than usual due to the social distancing rules that are followed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Establishments Costs and Living Expenses

The international students will require an additional USD 10,000-12,000 every year for accommodation purposes irrespective of whether they choose to live inside or outside the campus. Also, the food expenses can be up to USD 5,000-6,000, and the personal expenses may vary as per an individual's living standards. The international students will also need to pay around USD 3,500 for getting health insurance that is mandatory to study in the United States.

Note: Rent charges tend to increase slightly every year and may also include some extra charges. Therefore, it is better to refer to the university website for exact details about room rent.

University Contact Information

Whom should I contact in case of any doubts?

You can get in touch with the university representatives through email, telephone, or mail if you have any doubts or queries. The contact details are given below:

Mail address: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 2305 West End Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA

Telephone number: +1 (615) 322 2561

Email: admissions@vanderbilt.edu

You can also connect with them using Skype at vanderbilt.undergradadmissions.