Admitted Students

Register here.

The Graduate School requires all new students to participate in convocation, our signature celebration of welcome to the Vanderbilt community. This event will introduce students to leadership at the Graduate School, key campus support services, the Graduate Student Council, and other key offices. 

Convocation will occur August 19 from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Student Life Center (SLC) and Alumni Hall.

At the SLC, you will hear remarks from academic leaders on campus. The welcome presentation will be followed by lunch and an information fair at Alumni Hall. The fair provides students with additional information about numerous services available to them at Vanderbilt. 

Register here!

You are invited to join our ’24 Admitted Vanderbilt Graduate School Students' group. This group is designed to provide you with assistance as you navigate the transition to graduate school, Vanderbilt, and Nashville! Join our community to learn more about student life, and academic resources, and connect with fellow admitted students. 

Connect with us on social! Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Please refer to our Application Process page.

TRANSFER CREDIT:  If you intend to transfer graduate credit from a previously attended institution, your Vanderbilt department or program must submit a formal request to the Graduate School, as described in the Graduate School Catalog. Some departments do not process transfer credits until after the successful completion of at least one semester of coursework.  

View the Grad School Catalog. 

REGISTRATION: You should meet with your program’s Director of Graduate Studies prior to the first day of classes to select your courses and complete your registration. You may receive additional instructions from your department or program regarding academic advising procedures. 

There are two steps required in order to register:  

1. Register for courses (opens July 17), using Your Enrollment Services (YES), Vanderbilt’s Online enrollment system, as directed by your advisor. 
2. Complete a Student Account Agreement Form and make arrangements to pay your student bill (see the "Student Accounts" tab for more information).   

ID CARD: You should obtain a student identification card prior to the first day of classes. You will need to upload a photo of yourself for use on your student ID card (photo guidelines are on the website, below), and claim your digital card on your Android or Apple device. Most students use a digital card instead of a plastic ID card – you may also need a magstripe-only card for the transit system and for vending machines. For details on the ID card process and a list of frequently asked questions, please see the Card Services website.

More information on card services for First Year students is available here at 615-322-2273.

FINANCES: You will receive an e-bill notification on the first of August for any charges posted by that time. Payment is due by August 31, 2024, for any charges that will not be covered by departmental grants or awards and/or financial aid. Payment for any charges owed by you may be made online or mailed to the Office of Student Accounts.  Students with an outstanding balance will not be allowed to register nor attend classes or receive transcripts and/or diplomas until the account has been paid in full. Any balance not paid by the end of the calendar month in which the statement was issued will be assessed a late fee of one and one-half (1.5%) percent per month (minimum $5.00). Please note that parking permits, traffic fines, overdue books, etc. will also appear on this bill, so be sure to review it closely each month.

NOTE: All Vanderbilt University students will be required to acknowledge the terms and conditions of an online Student Account Agreement form when logging into the YES portal. Please note that the acceptance of these terms and conditions is mandatory, and will be required on an annual basis. Failure to agree to these terms will prevent access to the YES landing page. Once the terms have been accepted, a copy of the most recently accepted form will be available for viewing and printing with the YES portal.  All students must acknowledge this form regardless of funding. If you have questions about adding a spouse, parent, or guardian, please e-mail the Office of Student Accounts or visit their website. Also, note that there is a separate stand-alone document for adding a guarantor(s) to an individual student account. You can download the Guarantor Authorization and Debt Repayment Agreement form. This paper document is required in order to disclose any financial information to anyone other than the student and existing guarantors.

Third-Party Billing: If a third party (i.e. outside agency, corporation, or State Prepaid Tuition Plan) will be paying all or part of your tuition and fees and they require an invoice, please go to the Student Accounts website and click on 3rd Party Billing/Sponsored Students. You will find all the third-party billing requirements there.

All Vanderbilt students who will be paid a stipend by or hold a job with the university must complete federal form I-9 on or before the first day of class, teaching, research, training, or work for a stipend of any other pay.

Here are steps to complete the I-9:

1. Please submit a request to receive your I-9, using the I-9 request web form.
2. You will receive an email with a link to complete Section 1 of federal form I-9 within 48 hours from our I-9 vendor, Hire Right.  We ask that you check all inboxes (Inbox, Spam, Junk) for the email. Section 1 must be completed prior to your first day of class, teaching, research, training, or work.
3. Human Resources (HR) staff may be working remotely. In order to complete section 2 of the I-9 process, you will utilize a remote agent of your choosing. This person will verify your authorization document on behalf of Vanderbilt University. This should be someone that you trust and that can be physically present with you to complete section 2. After you have completed section 1, you will be asked to provide the name and email address of the person that you have chosen to complete section 2 with you. This can be a family member, friend, roommate, neighbor, etc., or someone from your home department here on campus. We ask that you choose someone that is comfortable with technology and can complete an online form. Section 1 and 2 instructions are sent in one email. Please visit https://hr.vanderbilt.edu/i9/index.php for a list of acceptable documents for completing Section 2. Only original documents can be accepted, copies of any kind cannot be accepted. Section 2 can now be completed either with a remote agent, in person at the HR Front Desk office, or through Zoom Verification.
4. The I-9 must be completed on or before your first day of class, teaching, research, training, or work/pay. Dates will not be backdated if I-9 is not completed within this time frame.

   Vanderbilt Human Resources is located at the Baker Building, 10th Floor, 110 21st Avenue South. You can contact them at human.resources@vanderbilt.edu, and, for questions about the I-9 form at I9@vanderbilt.edu.

Onsite HR assistance is available in the Baker Building office every Monday-Thursday to complete Section 2 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. if students can’t find a remote verifier. Please see the availability to meet in person with a member of HR. The HR Front Desk’s hours change depending on the needs of the University. During the summer their hours are: Monday – Thursday from 9:00 A.M. (CT) – 3:00 P.M. (CT) (closed from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch). Friday 9:00 A.M.-12:00P.M. (CT). 

Parking: Free parking is available in the Baker Building garage between the 2nd and 3rd floors in spaces designated for visitor parking.

Documents Needed: Please click the following link to view a list of acceptable documents (Please bring either 1 document from List A OR 1 document from List B AND 1 document from List C) https://hr.vanderbilt.edu/i9/I9-List-of-Acceptable-Documents.pdf

IMMUNIZATION AND TUBERCULOSIS COMPLIANCE:  All incoming students are required to provide state-mandated vaccination records and complete a Tuberculosis Assessment Survey, with testing if applicable, prior to course registration.  

Visit the Student Health Website and follow the New Student Checklist. The TB Assessment Survey link and the “Graduate Student Immunization Requirements Form” are on this page. You may also submit existing vaccination – or – titer records (laboratory blood test) from an official source instead of the Graduate Student Form, if you are unable to visit a provider to have this form completed. 

Please send your medical information as soon as possible.   

As noted on the Student Health website, these documents should be submitted to the Student Health Center by uploading to the Student Health Portal at http://vanderbilt.studenthealthportal.com/.  You will need your VUnet ID to log into the portal.  You will receive a message from Student Health about compliance or the next steps within 7 business days of uploading your documents.  

Questions: Contact studenthealth@vumc.org

HEALTH INSURANCE: All degree and non-degree-seeking students enrolled in 4+ credit hours, a 0-credit research/dissertation course, or any other course that is considered to equate to full-time enrollment are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Students must be covered by either (a) the Vanderbilt Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan or (b) a policy of the student’s choice that provides comparable coverage. Information about Vanderbilt’s 12-month student insurance policy is available at https://vanderbilt.myahpcare.com/.

Your student account will be automatically billed an insurance fee for the Vanderbilt policy (one-half of the premium will be billed along with your tuition and other fees at the beginning of each semester). 

If you already have comparable health coverage for the 2024-2025 academic year, you must request a waiver from SHIP no later than August 1, 2024, by going to https://vanderbilt.myahpcare.com/waiver. Once you have successfully submitted your waiver request you should receive an automated email to your Vanderbilt account confirming receipt of your request. Please keep the confirmation email for your records. Should there be any problems with your waiver, you will need this confirmation email and your waiver request code. This automated email does not constitute the granting of a waiver; all waiver requests will be reviewed to ensure waiver requirements are met. An email will be sent from Academic Health Plans within approximately one week with your waiver request results. It is your responsibility to follow up on your waiver status and to ensure that all information is received by AHP by the August 1, 2024 waiver deadline. If you successfully waive coverage, the fee for SHIP will be removed from your student account.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you take a leave of absence within the first 31 days of class, you will be automatically terminated from SHIP (and no longer have SHIP coverage).* After 31 days, if you withdraw or leave the University for any reason after enrolling in SHIP, you will still be covered and you will still be responsible for payment of the premium for the full 12 months of coverage. If you do not complete the online waiver by August 1, 2024, you will be automatically enrolled for a 12-month policy and you will be responsible for the insurance premium, which you must pay in two equal installments (in August and December). Students who graduate or obtain comparable coverage prior to January 31, 2025, may complete a termination/disenrollment request for the spring/summer semesters by visiting https://vanderbilt.myahpcare.com/.

*If you are on an approved leave of absence within the first 31 days of coverage, please contact ship@vanderbilt.edu to discuss your insurance options.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: If you require an F-1 or J-1 visa to study in the US, or if you are currently in F-1 or J-1 status, you will need an I-20 or DS-2019 from Vanderbilt. You should have received instructions on this process from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). If you are currently in F or J status at another institution, you need an I-20 or DS-2019 issued by Vanderbilt before your program begins. Please contact ISSS directly at isss@vanderbilt.edu with questions.

New International Student Check-In and Orientation: All new F-1 and J-1 international graduate and professional students will need to complete a SEVIS check-in upon arrival to the US and/or campus. The virtual mandatory check-in requires you to submit electronic copies of your documents on the ISSS Portal. This must be completed before you can apply for a Social Security Number or driver’s license.

You are required to attend virtual pre-arrival sessions for new international graduate during the summer. Dates and times of specific sessions are subject to change, so check the ISSS pre-arrival website for updates and sign-up links. Check your Vanderbilt email throughout the summer for important messages and updates from ISSS.

All new international graduate students (including students who transferred their SEVIS record) are required to attend an in-person orientation. The orientation will cover essential information about obtaining F and J student status. Additionally, students will have the chance to learn more about different resources on- and off-campus. 

If you are receiving a graduate research or teaching assistantship or a stipend from Vanderbilt you must complete a profile in our nonresident tax compliance system, to create an international tax record. Your home/hiring department will request a nonresident tax profile be set up for you by completing a nonresident tax compliance system Access/PHN form. You will receive an email with access and record completion instructions from the International Tax Team and be required to provide them with your tax record documents and immigration document copies prior to receiving payment. In addition, Graduate Researchers and Teaching Assistants are required to apply for a Social Security Number upon employment. Stipend recipients will apply for an ITIN instead of an SSN.  The ITIN application is processed with your tax return for the current year.  Please contact the Vanderbilt International Tax Office (ITO) with any questions you have regarding the nonresident tax software at ito@vanderbilt.edu.

International Students who obtain on-campus jobs or who will also be compensated or receive a stipend for their role as a Graduate Research or Teaching Assistant should speak with their home/hiring department about the forms that must be completed.

DISABILITY SERVICES: If you are a student with a disability and anticipate the need for an accommodation, please contact Student Access, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Sarratt 216, 615-343-9727.  or studentaccess@vanderbilt.edu. Students with disabilities should contact Student Access as early as possible to begin the accommodation facilitation process. All accommodation requests are reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis considering the student’s limitations and the barriers within the educational environment. You can find more information on the Student Access website. 

E-MAIL: E-mail service is provided to all enrolled students at Vanderbilt. After your acceptance of the admission offer has been processed, you will receive an email from the Office of the University Registrar with instructions for activating your VUnetID. (Please allow 3-5 days.) Activating the VUnetID sets up the username and password required to access a number of network services. These include email and YES (online course registration). Please add NoReply@vanderbilt.edu to your email address book or SafeSender’s list to ensure that you receive the notifications.  Also, check your spam or junk folder for missing emails from Vanderbilt University. If you experience a problem establishing your VUnetID using the email instructions from the Office of the University Registrar, please contact registrar@vanderbilt.edu.

Note: If you are a prior student or Vanderbilt University employee or have already activated a VUnetID, you will use that VUnetID.  

If you have questions, concerns or problems after establishing your VUnet services, including your email, please contact Information Technology Services at it@vanderbilt.edu.

Please refer to our Prospective Students page.

PARKING (and sustainable commuting options): There are many sustainable transportation options in Nashville to help students get to and around campus. Please visit the Parking and Transportation website to learn more about VandyRide, bicycling, walking, carpooling, riding the bus, and other options. University staff are available to assist with planning your daily commute by emailing MoveVU@vanderbilt.edu or contacting the Commute Concierge.

All Graduate School students can ride for FREE on WeGo Public Transit buses and commuter rail. To utilize this service, starting July 17 a Vanderbilt-registered “QuickTicket by WeGo” app (or card) is required for boarding the bus. All users will receive a unique registration code sent to their Vanderbilt email address. This email will come from "QuickTicket by WeGo No Reply noreply-quickticket@nashville.gov."  WeGo riders can continue to use their physical Commodore Cards to ride until they register their QuickTicket accounts or September 1, whichever comes first.  You can travel anywhere the WeGo system takes you, and not just for trips to and from campus. Door-to-door paratransit service is also available on WeGo Access throughout Davidson County for eligible riders with short-term, long-term, and permanent disabilities. 

Parking permits are required for motor vehicles parked on campus at any time. There are different options that may meet your parking needs:

1. Daily Parking Permit:  Daily parking allows access to a limited number of garages on campus with a daily fee. Graduate and professional students load funds onto their Commodore Cash account to pay for parking charges or can add charges to their student accounts via the GET app. Students interested in daily parking must complete Parking Application in the MoveVU Commute Hub by noon on Wednesdays in order to gain access to the daily parking garages by the end of the week. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, you do not need to reapply once enrolled. Daily parking participants are eligible to earn commute incentives by using sustainable commuting options (e.g., walking, biking, riding public transit, carpooling); vehicle ownership is not required to participate.  
2. Annual Permit: Please request your virtual permit online. If you would like to set up monthly recurring charges, please go to the VUPS Parking Services office located at 111 28th Avenue South, Nashville. The annual permit is valid from the date of issue to August 31, 2025. Proper identification (student ID card or other photo ID), vehicle registration, valid phone number, and your campus address are required. 

Additional Parking and Commuting Options: Additional parking and commuting options can be found online and includes information about hourly parking with the ParkMobile app, electric vehicle charging stations, and the Chestnut lot.

TEACHING ASSISTANT ORIENTATION: All new graduate student TAs are invited to the Teaching Assistant (TA) Orientation held annually by AdvanceED’s Office of Educational Design and Development (OEDD).  The event offers preparation in effective teaching strategies for the varied teaching duties assumed by TAs, as well as information on campus resources relevant to TA positions. Workshops and practice teaching sessions at the event are led by experienced TAs, trained and mentored by OEDD senior staff. If you are a new TA starting in the fall, please contact the Office of Educational Design and Development at advanced-teaching@vanderbilt.edu for more information. 

The Office of Educational Design and Development will be holding this year's Teaching Assistant Orientation (TAO) on Wednesday, August 14, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. in Featheringill - Jacobs Hall. TAO is for all graduate students beginning their TA duties for the first time in the academic year 2024-2025.

In May 2024, you will be added to an online Orientation module in Brightspace. This module is required for all incoming students. The module will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete and should be completed before August 31, 2024.

Admission deferrals are provided on a limited basis for specific circumstances. To learn more about this process please visit the Reapplication, Deferrals, and Non-Degree page.