Founded in 1873, Vanderbilt has a long history of academic excellence, a strong tradition of community, a dedication to research, and a commitment to diversity.

Founded in 1873, Vanderbilt has a long history of academic excellence, a strong tradition of community, a dedication to research, and a commitment to diversity.

Known for excellent academic programs and an outstanding quality of student life, Vanderbilt is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report and as an internationally recognized teaching and research university with strong partnerships across its four undergraduate and sixgraduate schools, neighboring institutions, and the community. Vanderbilt’s undergraduate international population is rising steadily, comprising 9.7% of the undergraduate student body.

Vanderbilt students take full advantage of student life by immersing themselves in over 420 student organizations, a full range of study abroad programs, Division I athletics, and a variety of research and internship opportunities.

Academics
Vanderbilt students and faculty believe that great ideas require more than one school of thought. This interdisciplinary approach is found in the impressive repertoire of interdisciplinary majors, research across disciplines, and the flexibility that students have to explore subject areas across all four undergraduate schoolswhile delving deeply into at least one major area of study.

Vanderbilt faculty are committed to the undergraduate experience, and the University’s 7:1 student-faculty ratio gives students easy access to faculty members across academic disciplines. More than 50% of undergraduates participate in research alongside faculty, and a spirit of innovation has helped Vanderbilt earn a #10 ranking for “Most Innovative Universities” for two consecutive years (Reuters, 2017 and 2018).

New academic initiatives include an undergraduate Business minor and Immersion Vanderbilt—an initiative that calls for each undergraduate to pursue an intensive learning experience in and beyond the classroom with choices from four pathways: civic and professional, creative expression, international, and research.

Vanderbilt’s 230,000-sq. ft. Engineering and Science building includes classroom and laboratory spaces, a 15,000-sq. ft. clean room, and the University’s epicenter for innovation and entrepreneurship, the Wond’ry. Through collaborative work environments, makerspaces, and cocurricular programming, the Wond’ry is the place where abstract ideas are transformed into concrete realities that make differences in people’s lives.

Study abroad
Vanderbilt students desire to experience the world and spend time in distant countries studying abroad, participating in internships, and engaging in community service. More than 50% of undergraduate students study abroad in 120+ direct-credit programs in more than 35 countries on six continents. Students choose from year-, semester-, or summer-long study abroad experiences.

Our global tradition
At Vanderbilt, you are among a very select group of international students who represent 97 countries in our combined undergraduate and graduate student populations. Vanderbilt has long valued having an international presence on campus, enrolling students from China, Mexico, and Germany in its inaugural class.

Vanderbilt University welcomes students from all over the world, and the University is committed to nurturing a community that is inclusive and respectful of differences.

Today, the Vanderbilt International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office serves as an important resource for international students by providing one point of contact for information and assistance with visas, human resource questions, and other issues. In addition, a wide variety of international student organizations help make Vanderbilt a home away from home.

The Vanderbilt community
Life at Vanderbilt includes rigorous academics combined with deep engagement outside the classroom. We are committed to fostering inquiry, dialogue, and a greater appreciation of the racial, cultural, geographic, and political perspectives that make up the Vanderbiltmosaic.

Your first year at Vanderbilt will be a chance to experience life on TheMartha Rivers Ingram Commons. This living/learning community, based on the Oxford-Cambridge model, consists of 10 residence halls, or “houses,” surrounding a main dining hall and student center. Faculty live on The Ingram Commons, facilitating easy and meaningful interactions between students and professors. Frequent educational and social programming at The Ingram Commons invites students and faculty to explore current events and social issues.

Vanderbilt attracts students from across the country and around the world and sits on a 334-acre campus that is designated an arboretum. Our active campus life, renowned academics, and urban setting work to maintain a high retention rate, as 97% of first-year students return for sophomore year.

Vanderbilt offers students unique and meaningful opportunities within the structure of an academically rigorous institution to discover who they are, who they may become, and how they might contribute to their communities in the future.