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.

Request Information

If you'd like to receive more information about Vanderbilt, including about campus visit opportunities and Vanderbilt events in your area, join our mailing list. 

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 Commons  is 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.

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 2024: 45.4%, including American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%; Asian American or Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 18.8%; Black/African American 9.2%; Hispanic or Latino 11.4%; Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 5.7% 
  • International students comprise 11.2% of the undergraduate population, representing 85 countries and 97 citizenships (Fall 2024)
  • 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, 2024
  • 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 the Anchor 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 our need-based and merit-based scholarships reflect our dedication to making a Vanderbilt education possible.

For international students admitted 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

  • $76,750

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

Merit Scholarships

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 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 2024)

Undergraduate 7,221
Graduate and professional 6,354
Total 13,575

All Undergraduate (Fall 2024)

Female 52%
Male 48%

First-Year Students Entering Fall 2024

American Indian/Alaska Native 0.1% 
Asian American or Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 18.5%
Black/African American 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
International 12.3%
Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 5.6% 
Not reported 6.6%
White 41.3%

ACT Middle 50% 34–35
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
Middle 50% 730–770
SAT Mathematics Middle 50% 770–800 
National Merit Scholars 121

Academics

Undergraduate colleges & schools 4
Student-to-faculty ratio 7:1
Classes with fewer than 50 students 93%
Female faculty 45%
Minority faculty 22%

Undergraduate Admission (Fall 2024)

First-year applicants 45,902
Admits 2,662
Admit rate 5.8%

Campus Life

Student organizations 450+

Commodore Athletics

Varsity teams 11 women’s, 6 men’s
NCAA championships 9 
Club sports 33
Intramural sports leagues 20+

Financial Aid & Scholarships 2024–25

Undergraduates receiving some form of financial assistance 65%
Average financial aid package $76,750

First-Year Student Retention Rate 96%

Students Graduating in 6 Years 93%

FALL 2024 APPLICATIONS

chart showing Vanderbilt application data for each undergraduate school for fall 2024
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 2024

Africa

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

Asia and Pacific Rim

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

Middle East and Southern Asia

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

Central and Eastern Europe

Bulgaria
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Republic of Moldova
Romania
Russian Federation
Slovenia
Turkey
Ukraine

Western Europe

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

South America

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
Paraguay
Peru
Uruguay

Central and North America

Canada
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama

Caribbean

Bahamas
Barbados
Grenada
Haiti
Jamaica
Trinidad and Tobago