Admissions

Quick links

At Peabody College, we're invested in the greater good and passionate about creating opportunities for human flourishing. With a Peabody education, you'll be inspired to be a leader and change agent in your future career. We look forward to reviewing your admission application.

Professional Admissions (Master’s and Ed.D. Applicants)

Our professional student community includes nearly 1,300 students in 23 unique on-campus and online Master's and Ed.D. programs. Whether your interests are in community engagement, curriculum design, organizational performance, or beyond, we have a program to meet your needs and advance your career.

In fall 2024, Peabody also launched five new professional certificates that can be earned while completing certain master's degrees, and can enhance career prospects. Learn about them here.

As you explore all Peabody has to offer, we encourage you to:

Review our Master’s and Ed.D. program pages to find the program that fits your interests and goals.
Request more information about your program of interest
Visit our How to Apply page to learn more about the application process, Vanderbilt admission requirements, and how to apply to grad school.
Learn how to fund your education through graduate, research or teaching assistantships, Peabody college scholarships, and more.
Schedule a campus visit or attend a virtual event to learn more about Peabody.

Looking for a graduate program but not sure which one is right for you? Take our Program Quiz to find out which degree perfectly fits your career goals.

Take the Quiz

Peabody Application Dates: Master's and Ed.D.

Priority Decision 1

January 3*
Priority Decision 2

February 3
Rolling Decision

After February 3

*The Applied Behavior Analysis, Child Studies, Cognitive Psychology in Context, Human Development Counseling, Integrated Early Childhood Education, and Special Education (M.Ed.), programs all have a Priority Decision 1 date of December 1.

Applying to our Master's and Ed.D. programs is free, and all applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.

Priority Decision: Most of our professional programs have two priority decision application submission dates. Applications submitted by the Priority Decision 1 date will receive decisions back sooner and ensure applicants have access to all admitted student events and communications. Students are highly encouraged to submit their application and all required materials before Priority Decision 1.
Rolling Decision: Most Peabody programs review complete applications on an ongoing basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit an application even if the priority decision dates have passed.

Graduate Admissions (Ph.D. Applicants)

Our community boasts nearly 200 graduate students across five programs. As a graduate student at Peabody, you will tackle new and emerging issues in education, psychology, and human development while working on leading research alongside faculty.

Envision yourself at Peabody as you consider where to continue your education. As you do so, we encourage you to:

Review our Ph.D. program page to find the program that fits your interests and goals.
Request more information about your program of interest.
Visit our How to Apply page to learn more about the application process and view our application checklist.
Learn more about full tuition funding for all Peabody graduate (Ph.D.) students.
Schedule a campus visit or attend a virtual event to learn more about Peabody.

Peabody Graduate Admissions Application Date

The application submission date for Ph.D. programs is December 1.

*Ph.D. applications require a $95 fee at submission and submission of GRE scores. Ph.D. students at Peabody receive full funding for their tuition, as well as a stipend for living expenses.

Undergraduate Admissions

More than 1,200 Vanderbilt undergraduate students study across 8 majors within Peabody College, including the university's most popular undergraduate major, Human and Organizational Development.

All undergraduate applicants interested in Peabody College must apply through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. We encourage you to review the available programs and contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information regarding visits, events, the Vanderbilt early decision date and more.

Field Experiences and Flexible Scheduling

Many academic programs include off-campus field experiences as part of their curriculum. Students are responsible for securing reliable transportation to these sites. Additionally, classes may be scheduled during mornings, afternoons, evenings, and some weekends. Most campus-based programs require a flexible schedule to accommodate varied learning experiences. (Several programs are designed to accommodate the scheduling needs of working professionals.) For specific questions about class times or scheduling, please contact your program director.

Alumni Impact Stories

Peabody alumni are leaders creating positive change in public and charter schools, government offices, hospitals, colleges, universities, start-ups and tech companies. We're profiled a few of our nearly 35,000 graduates who have gone from here to follow their passions and build outstanding careers.

Read their stories on our Alumni Impact Stories page.