The program

Admissions

Financial assistance

Requirements
and expectations

Research and training opportunities

Admissions

Application deadlines

The primary admissions deadline is March 15 for enrollment to begin the following fall semester.

A small number of special admissions may be made in the fall for entry the following spring semester. These admissions have an Oct. 15 deadline, but are made in exceptional circumstances only. Applicants who wish to be considered for spring enrollment must include a letter requesting and justifying early admission. If the request for early consideration is not accepted, the application will be held over to the March 15 application date.

Requirements for admission

Admission is open to qualified persons without regard to age, physical disability, national origin, race, religion or gender. Admission is competitive and it is limited by the number of places available. The admission process is intended to assure a reasonable fit between the student's professional and research interests and faculty expertise.

The VCU graduate application prospectus requires:

• A transcript documenting the completion of a master’s degree or a recognized post-baccalaureate degree in one of the professions such as law or medicine from an accredited institution of higher education
• Transcripts from any other colleges or universities attended
• Three letters of reference (including both academic and professional references if possible)
• A current resume
• A written personal statement of intent
• A standardized test score (less than five years old)

Accepted examinations include:

• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
• The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
• The Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

Professional experience is not required, but is considered desirable. International applicants must submit the International Application and TOEFL scores.

Special student status for attending courses prior to or without formal admission

While university rules allow up to six credits of course work to be taken as a special student prior to formal admission, note that taking such courses in no way guarantees admission to the program. Graduate courses designated “doctoral students only” may not be taken prior to formal admission, although they may be taken by fully admitted doctoral students in programs other than the Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration.

Application materials
Application materials for the program may be obtained from Graduate School.

Graduate School
Virginia Commonwealth University
P.O. Box 843051
Richmond, Virginia 23284-3051
Phone: (804) 828-6916
Fax: (804) 828-6949
E-mail: vcu-grad@vcu.edu

International application

Application materials for international students are available from the Office of International Admissions.

Office of International Admissions
Virginia Commonwealth University
P.O. Box 843043
Richmond, Virginia 23284-3043
Phone: (804) 828-6016
E-mail: vcuia@vcu.edu