Vanderbilt At A Glance

kirkland hall

For more than a century, excellence, purpose, and collaboration have marked the Vanderbilt experience. With more than 70 majors, over 450 student organizations, and a 7:1 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.

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Undergraduate Majors

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.

Find Your Major

Four Schools

At the heart of the Vanderbilt experience are our four undergraduate schools.

Vanderbilt students enjoy their first day of class outdoors on library lawn.
a student in a blue lab coat looks through a microscope in a research lab

Research

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.

  • 58% of undergraduates participate in research
  • Opportunities include university-funded summer research stipends and departmental honors programs
  • More than 100 interdisciplinary centers and institutes

The Vanderbilt Living and Learning Experience

The Martha Rivers Ingram Commonsis composed of ten houses designed exclusively for first-year students and their faculty heads of house, a dining center, seminar and study rooms, generous public spaces, and endless opportunities for engagement, enrichment, and leadership. Oliver C. Carmichael College, E. Bronson Ingram College, Moore College, Rothschild College, Warren College, and Nicholas S. Zeppos College each house upper-division students and are led by faculty heads and Residential Colleges staff.

Patio area of The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons

The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons

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.

Learn more about The Commons

Diversity and Inclusion

  • Total undergraduate racial and ethnic diversity, Fall 2023: 47.6%, including American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%; Asian American 18.6%; Black/African American 10.4%; Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.3%; Hispanic or Latino 11.9%; Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 5.9%
  • International students comprise 10.0% of the undergraduate population, representing 72 countries and 82 citizenships (Fall 2023)
  • Sixth-highest percentage of Black students in first-year class among high-ranking universities,The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 2023
  • One of the top 25 private universities for Jewish students,Hillel’s College Guide, 2023
  • Campus identity centers and cultural resources include the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center, K.C. Potter Center for LGBTQI Life, Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, Center for Spiritual and Religious Life, Vanderbilt Hillel, and Student Center for Social Justice and Identity.
three Vanderbilt football players celebrate after a touchdown
a Vanderbilt basketball player shoots a jump shot

Go Dores!

NCAA Division I, Southeastern Conference

Nickname: Commodores (Dores, for short)

MEN’S SPORTS

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Tennis

WOMEN’S SPORTS

  • Basketball
  • Bowling
  • Cross Country
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor)
  • Volleyball
  • 9

    NCAA Championships

  • 35

    SEC and League Titles since 2000

  • 33

    sport clubs

  • 20+

    intramural sports leagues

Getting Involved

Vanderbilt has over 450 opportunities to help students connect with our community, from organizations focused on service, culture, arts and religion, to groups for sports, Greek life, student government and other special interests. For a full list of organizations, browse theAnchor Link directory.

students attending Commodore Quake
students on an outdoor rec event

Campus Identity Centers and Community Resources

The Vanderbilt Programming Board
This student-run organization sponsors social, cultural, educational, recreational and multicultural activities, including speakers, concerts and off-campus trips.

nashville

Nashville

Nashville is a dynamic city full of opportunity and diverse offerings; students consistently cite Nashville as an invaluable part of the Vanderbilt experience.

  • Metropolitan population 1.9 million
  • A health care, finance, publishing, tech, and entertainment center
  • Known as Music City for its more than 20,000 annual live music performances and more than 200 recording studios
  • Vanderbilt, located just 1.5 miles from downtown Nashville, is surrounded by an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and live music.

Approximate Flight Times to Major U.S. Cities

Flight travel times between Nashville and major U.S. cities

Life After Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Career Center offers:

  • Career coaches
  • Internship opportunities
  • Grad school prep
  • Immersive experiences and treks

Learn more about the Career Center

Pie chart showing VU career outcomes

Affordability and Access

We meet 100% of every admitted 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 ourneed-basedandmerit-basedscholarships reflect our dedication to making a Vanderbilt education possible.

Forinternational studentsadmitted for fall 2024, Vanderbilt offered need-based aid and/or merit scholarships to 75 students representing 48 countries. The range of awards offered was $20,674–$102,313 per year for four years.

Our net price calculator can be used to estimate your need-based financial aid eligibility at Vanderbilt.

  • $65.2

    million in scholarships for 2024–25 first-year students

  • 65%

    of undergrads receive some form of financial assistance

  • $71,283

    2023–24 average financial aid package for students with demonstrated financial need

Merit Scholarships

Vanderbilt awardsmerit-based scholarshipsto 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 to Vanderbilt

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).

Learn more about applying to Vanderbilt

Fast Facts

Enrollment (Fall 2023)

Undergraduate7,152
Graduate and professional6,304
Total13,456

All Undergraduate (Fall 2023)

Female52%
Male48%

First-Year Students Entering Fall 2023

American Indian/Alaska Native0.5%
Asian American18.7%
Black/African American11.5%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.3%
Hispanic or Latino12.9%
International10.7%
Multiracial (non-Hispanic)6.2%
Not reported3.0%
White36.3%

ACT Middle 50%34–35
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
Middle 50%740–770
SAT Mathematics Middle 50%770–790
National Merit Scholars169

Academics

Undergraduate colleges & schools4
Student-to-faculty ratio7:1
Classes with fewer than 50 students93%
Female faculty45%
Minority faculty22%

Undergraduate Admission (Fall 2024)*

First-year applicants45,911
Admits2,641
Admit rate5.8%

*As of June 1, 2024; numbers finalized on official census day.

Campus Life

Student organizations450+

Commodore Athletics

Varsity teams11 women’s, 6 men’s
NCAA championships9
Club sports33
Intramural sports leagues20+

Financial Aid & Scholarships 2023–24

Undergraduates receiving some form of financial assistance65%
Average financial aid package$71,283

First-Year Student Retention Rate96%

Students Graduating in 6 Years93%

FALL 2023 APPLICATIONS

chart showing Vanderbilt application data for each undergraduate school for fall 2023
chart showing Vanderbilt application data for each undergraduate school for fall 2023
chart showing Vanderbilt application data for each undergraduate school for fall 2023 as of June 1 2023

UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT

Undergraduate Enrollment Map Fall 2023

Undergraduate International Enrollment
Country of Citizenship, Fall 2023

Africa

Burundi
Cameroon
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ethiopia
Ghana
Kenya
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Morocco
Nigeria
Rwanda
South Africa
South Sudan
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Asia and Pacific Rim

Australia
China
Hong Kong
Japan
Republic of Korea
Macao
Malaysia
Mongolia
New Zealand
Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam

Middle East and Southern Asia

Bangladesh
Georgia
India
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Lebanon
Nepal
Pakistan
Palestinian Territory, Occupied
Saudi Arabia
Sri Lanka
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan

Central and Eastern Europe

Bulgaria
Latvia
North Macedonia
Republic of Moldova
Romania
Russian Federation
Turkey
Ukraine

Western Europe

Austria
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom

South America

Argentina
Brazil
Colombia
Paraguay
Peru
Uruguay

Central and North America

Canada
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama

Caribbean

Barbados
Dominica
Grenada
Haiti
Trinidad and Tobago

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