Applying for graduate admission

The admission process for international graduate students can require from six to eight weeks, depending on how soon the applicant can provide the necessary material.

Please print out and complete the Graduate application form [PDF] and submit it to us with the following materials, which are required for application processing:

1. Application form. The applicant must complete and sign an application form. This may be a traditional paper application form or the printed online application.

2. Personal statement. The applicant must provide a personal statement discussing reasons for graduate study.

3. Fees. A $50 state-required graduate application and processing fee may be submitted in the form of a check drawn on a U.S. bank or international money order in the amount of $50 made payable to Virginia Commonwealth University. This fee is nonrefundable. Students may also complete the VCU credit card authorization form [PDF] to pay application fees by Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

4. Academic documentation. Original or officially certified copies of all grade reports for all secondary and higher school studies, as well as original or officially certified copies of all academic diplomas, certificates and national or other major examination results must be submitted to VCU. Official records must be submitted in the native language and must be accompanied by an official English translation. Notarized copies will not be accepted. All documents will be evaluated by the credentials evaluator at VCU. We do not require or use external credential evaluations. Official records should be sent directly from the institution to: The Office of International Admissions, Virginia Commonwealth University, P. O. Box 843043, Richmond, VA 23284-3043, U.S.A.

5. Proof of English proficiency. All applicants who have not studied in an English-speaking country must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) offered by the Educational Testing Service in countries throughout the world, and arrange for the testing agency to send the test results to VCU. Students may also take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, jointly managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, British Council, and IDP: IELTS Australia.

The recommended minimum TOEFL score for graduate admission to VCU is either: paper-based: 600; computer-based: 250; Internet-based: 100. IELTS scores of 6.5 or greater also may be acceptable. Students may, in some cases, be admissible with scores lower than those listed above as determined by individual departments at VCU. 

Under those circumstances, students may be admitted provisionally with the need for developmental English education. These students must take either the English Language Placement examination at VCU and successfully complete subsequent prescribed language training at an additional expense, or submit appropriate test scores that satisfy VCU requisites for language proficiency.

6. Department or school requirements. Individual departments or schools have special requirements, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), and all require three letters of recommendation. School of the Arts portfolios may be submitted online. Please visit the Graduate School Web site for details on specific program requirements.

7. Financial certification. The applicant must provide proof of adequate funds – $31,172 per year (master level) or $30,210 (doctoral) – to live and study full time at VCU. However, this is not required for admissions purposes. Applicants must submit a completed Financial Statement [PDF] accompanied by an original bank verification letter. The U.S. government requires this certification before VCU can issue the appropriate U.S. government forms necessary for obtaining a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

Application deadline dates/Research and teaching experience

Applications must be submitted to International Admissions at least one month prior to the department’s deadlines. Some programs have deadlines earlier or later than the Jan. 1 (for fall semester) and Sept. 1 (for spring semester) deadlines. (Again, you may refer to the Graduate School Web site for this information). Applications received after the deadline will be processed for the next available term of entry. Submitting your application before the deadline date does not guarantee that space will be available in the program for which you have applied.

Some graduate departments at VCU offer merit-based research and/or teaching assistantships for qualified international graduate students. Opportunities (paid and unpaid) for professional teaching and research experience outside of traditional assistantships may be available on a departmental basis. Prospective or enrolled students are encouraged to contact the appropriate program director with questions related to these potential opportunities. A searchable database of graduate programs and directors may be found at www.pubapps.vcu.edu/bulletins/graduate.

Students transferring from within the U.S.

If you are transferring from a U.S. institution to VCU, you are required to submit an I-20 transfer form before we can issue a new I-20.

This link allows you to download the I-20 transfer form [PDF], which should be filled out and given to the foreign student adviser at your current school in the U.S. The adviser needs to complete the form and return it to us.