Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University Overview

Virginia Commonwealth University is a public, state school in an urban setting in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 and the school presently has around 28,594 students per year, which includes 21,394 undergrad students. VCU provides on-campus housing for up to 5,267 students. The majority of students live on campus but first-year students are not required to live in the dorms.

📆 Mark your calendar! January 18, 2023 is the final deadline to submit an application for the Fall 2023 semester. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should hear from VCU by April 1.

Student Activities at VCU

Interested in music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of VCU's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? VCU students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Excited for Greek life? VCU has both fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? VCU has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at VCU on the Student Life page.

Is VCU a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" can mean different things for different people. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a look at these factors to get a better view of what VCU offers and if the college could be the right college for you.

VCU Acceptance Rate 2022

The university admitted 93% of all applicants in 2022. Last year, 17,726 students applied to VCU and 16,433 were admitted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at VCU

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. It gauges how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Approximately 84% of students who start at VCU come back the next year. VCU's six-year graduation rate for undergrads is 68%. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outlook VCU Graduates

Job placement stats are a good resource for understanding the value of a degree from VCU by providing a look on how job placement has gone for other grads.

Check with VCU directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Virginia Commonwealth University's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

As of 2022, the total market value of Virginia Commonwealth University's endowment was $200.4 million. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. For each full-time student, VCU spends about $13,735 a year.

Tuition and Financial Aid at VCU

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

VCU meets 54.95% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend VCU full-time are awarded $16,604.96 a year in financial aid, on average.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2022 was around $31,737 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at VCU.

Based on this information, is VCU the school for you? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for another! So ask yourself: Is VCU a good school for you?

If Virginia Commonwealth University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Then use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting accepted at some of the most selective colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is VCU?

VCU is located in the city of Richmond, Virginia.

If you would like to see VCU for yourself, be sure to plan a visit! The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 to Richmond, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Richmond International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what VCU and Richmond are like without leaving home.

Considering Colleges in Virginia?

See a full list of colleges in Virginia and save your favorites to your college list.