For more than a century, excellence, purpose, and collaboration have marked the Vanderbilt experience. With 70 majors, over 475 student organizations, and a 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Vanderbilt fosters an innovative living and learning environment for students to explore their passions, engage in academic research with world-renowned faculty, and build lasting connections within a diverse and dynamic student community.
At Vanderbilt, we encourage students to study across disciplines to feed their passions and inspire new ways to address issues and impact the world. Use the find your major tool to explore our majors, minors, and pre-professional programs and discover your own academic path at Vanderbilt.
At the heart of the Vanderbilt experience are our four undergraduate schools.
Among the many decisions you are currently facing regarding your college search may be the choice between a top-tier research university and a teaching-focused liberal arts college. At Vanderbilt, you do not have to choose. Vanderbilt students conduct research across academic disciplines regardless of their major field of study.
The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons is composed of ten houses designed exclusively for first-year students and their faculty heads of house, a dining center, seminar/study rooms, generous public spaces, and endless opportunities for engagement, enrichment, and leadership. Warren College, Moore College, E. Bronson Ingram College, and Nicholas S. Zeppos College extend the residential college experience through sophomore, junior, and senior years.
On The Ingram Commons, first-year students transition from high school into a diverse living and learning community of peers and faculty. From move-in day on, new Commodores build relationships fostering social, cultural, and intellectual growth. All first-year students live in one of 10 houses. Each is guided by a faculty head of house who lives among the students.
Following the first year, many students extend the dynamic living-learning experience of The Commons in upper-division residential colleges including Warren College, Moore College, E. Bronson Ingram College, and the new Nicholas S. Zeppos College. Other residential options include suite-style, apartment-style, or themed housing. extend the dynamic living-learning experience of The Commons through sophomore, junior, and senior years.
As part of Vanderbilt’s FutureVU initiative, additional residential colleges for upper-division students are being constructed along West End Avenue.
Vanderbilt supports student’s physical and emotional well-being through these campus resources:
More than 475 student organizations including: Alternative Spring Break, Asian American Student Association, Association of Latin American Students (ALAS), BhangraDores, Black Student Association, Habitat for Humanity, Manna Project International, Melodores, Middle Eastern Student Association, Momentum Dance Company, Muslim Student Association, Orthodox Christian Fellowship, Project Dialogue, South Asian Cultural Exchange (SACE), Spirit of Gold Marching Band, Swingin’ Dores, Vanderbilt College Democrats, Vanderbilt College Republicans, Vanderbilt Hillel, Vanderbilt Off-Broadway, Vandy Taal, Voices of Praise, and many more!
The Vanderbilt Programming Board
This student-run organization sponsors off-campus trips, novelty programs, speakers, and concerts for the Vanderbilt and Nashville communities. Recent appearances include Colin Powell, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Megan Thee Stallion, Spike Lee, Stephen A. Smith, Bill Nye, Daveed Diggs, Kendrick Lamar, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Billy Joel.
Nashville is a dynamic city full of opportunity and diverse offerings; students consistently cite Nashville as an invaluable part of the Vanderbilt experience.
The Vanderbilt Career Center offers:
We meet 100% of every student’s demonstrated financial need, without loans.
Our resolve to make a Vanderbilt education accessible and affordable to all admitted students is stronger than ever. Both our need-based and merit-based scholarships reflect our dedication to making a Vanderbilt education possible.
Our net price calculator can be used to estimate your need-based financial aid eligibility at Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt awards merit-based scholarships to applicants who demonstrate exceptional accomplishment and intellectual promise. Three signature scholarships — the Ingram Scholars Program, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, and the Chancellor’s Scholarship — comprise the majority of Vanderbilt’s merit-based awards. Recipients of these scholarships are guaranteed full-tuition awards for up to eight semesters that include a stipend for research, study abroad, a creative endeavor, or the required Immersion Vanderbilt experience.
Admission is competitive and selective, but, above all, the application process is context-based and holistic. We consider the academic record within the context of the high school as well as leadership and engagement outside the classroom, the application essay, letters of recommendation, and standardized test scores (if submitted).
Undergraduate 7,111
Graduate and professional 6,685
Total 13,796
Female 51%
Male 49%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian American 16.9%
Black/African American 11.9%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.7%
International 10.4%
Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 6.0%
Not reported 4.0%
White 37.4%
ACT Middle 50% 34–35
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
Middle 50% 720–770
SAT Mathematics Middle 50% 760–800
National Merit Scholars 144
Academics
Undergraduate colleges & schools 4
Student-to-faculty ratio 8:1
Classes with fewer than 50 students 87%
Female faculty 42%
Minority faculty 19%
Undergraduate Admission (Fall 2021)
First-year applicants 47,152
Admits 3,368
Admit rate 7.1%
Campus Life
Student organizations 475+
Commodore Athletics
Varsity teams 10 women’s, 6 men’s
NCAA championships 5
Club sports 32
Intramural sports leagues 40+
Financial Aid & Scholarships 2020–2021
Undergraduates receiving some form of financial assistance 64%
Average financial aid package $60,903
First-Year Student Retention Rate 97%
Students Graduating in 6 Years 93%
