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Application Checklist

A completed application for M.Ed., M.P.P., and Ed.D. admission includes the following:

    • Submitted online application . (There is no application fee for our master's or Ed.D. programs)
    • Transcript(s) from prior undergraduate and graduate work. Please scan and attach your unofficial transcript(s), or a copy of your official transcript(s), to your application. Official transcripts and test scores should be sent to cdm@vanderbilt.edu or CDM/PMB 407833, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7833. Note: unofficial transcripts are accepted for the application. Admitted students must submit final, official transcripts (and any necessary supporting documentation) prior to class registration. A final, official transcript should list the degree(s) awarded and the month and year of conferment.
    • Two letters of recommendation are required, three preferred for our master's programs. Three letters of recommendation are required for our Ed.D. programs.
      • You may submit your application before all letters of recommendation are received by Vanderbilt University. Recommenders will still be able to submit letters after you officially submit your application. 
    • Statement of purpose
    • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required for all Ed.D. and master's programs. Self-reported scores are accepted at the time of application. Students who are admitted and choose to enroll will need to submit official scpre reports directly from the testing agency before enrolling. The GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years for scores to be valid. Our GRE institutional code is 1871, and there is no department code. You may register for the GRE test directly at the  ETS website . 
      • Note: For the 2023 application cycle only, the GRE is optional for admission to master's programs due to ongoing restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. For the Ed.D., for the 2023 application cycle only, the GRE is optional for admission, although it is strongly recommended. If you have taken the GRE and believe your scores will improve your application, you may submit the GRE with your application.
      • Current Vanderbilt undergraduate students or recent alumni of Vanderbilt University who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 are not required to submit a GRE score. Recent alumni are individuals who received a degree from Vanderbilt no more than five years before the first semester of the master's program.
      • Scores from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) may be submitted in lieu of the GRE for the following M.Ed. programs only: Elementary Education, English Language Learners, Learning, Diversity and Urban Studies, Learning and Design, Reading Education, Secondary Education, and Human Development Counseling. The MAT must have been taken within the last 5 years, and you must have an official score report sent directly from the testing agency. Our MAT institutional code is 2332.

      • Scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) may be submitted in lieu of the GRE for the M.Ed. in Leadership and Organizational Performance. The GMAT must have been taken within the last 5 years, and you must have an official score reports sent directly from the agency. The GMAT testing center does not require a school code. You will only be asked to provide the school name to the GMAT testing center.
    • Supplemental materials may be uploaded to the application in the "additional materials" section. You will not be able to upload materials until AFTER you submit the application. 

International applicants must submit all of the above, plus the following:

    • TOEFL or IELTS scores are required of all international applicants unless you have received a college degree from an accredited institution located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand or from an English-medium university in South Africa. An official score report sent directly from the testing agency is required. Our TOEFL institutional code is 1871, and there is no department code.  A minimum recommended TOEFL score is 100. There is no institutional code for the IELTS and a minimum recommended score is 7.0 for the composite score with no individual band score below 6.5.
      • Note: For the 2023 application cycle only, due to ongoing restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Peabody College will also accept the Duolingo English Test as an alternative to TOEFL and IELTS scores. Test results must include subscores. If you took the test prior to July 15, 2019 when subscores were added, you would need to retake the test to comply with the subscore requirement. A minimum recommended score is 120. The Duolingo English Test is available online and does not require an appointment. Learn more here. 
    • The transcript(s) you submit must have an English translation.
    • Note: International students with degrees from non-U.S. institutions are required to have their transcripts evaluated by an approved credentials evaluation agency and to have an official report sent by the agency to the Vanderbilt University's Registrar's Office before enrollment. The World Education Services (WES) is the preferred agency used by Peabody College. 
    • All new international students at Peabody College are enrolled in the Vanderbilt English Language Center course, US Education Concepts and Communication, in their first semester to help them adapt to academic life at Peabody College. More information.

The priority deadline to submit your application for Summer or Fall admission is December. Applications received after December 31 will be evaluated for admission and financial aid on a space-and-funds-available basis.