Private research university in Nashville honoring Cornelius Vanderbilt's $1M endowment to heal Civil War wounds.
Vanderbilt comprises 11 schools and colleges offering more than 65 undergraduate majors and a full range of graduate and professional degrees. The university is a globally renowned center for scholarly research with a faculty of over 2,400 full-time members. Notable schools include the College of Arts and Science, School of Engineering, Law School, School of Medicine, Owen Graduate School of Management, and the newly established College of Connected Computing. All undergraduate students participate in Immersion Vanderbilt, an experiential program combining study abroad, field research, creative projects, and professional exposure.
The 340-acre main campus in Nashville features an accredited arboretum and is located 1.5 miles from downtown. Vanderbilt operates a distinctive residential college system designed to create an immersive academic community. The university maintains additional campuses in Brentwood, and as of 2025–2026, has expanded to New York City, San Francisco, and West Palm Beach. Student life emphasizes belonging and community engagement, with 98% of on-campus residents actively participating in campus activities.
Vanderbilt offers undergraduate and graduate admissions pathways. The university's Opportunity program is nationally renowned, replacing student loans with grants and scholarships to minimize financial barriers. The institution enrolls students from the US and 70 foreign countries, maintaining a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Specific admission statistics and application deadlines are available through the Undergraduate and Graduate & Professional Admissions offices.
Vanderbilt is classified as a top 25 private university for research and innovation by the National Science Foundation. The university supports numerous interdisciplinary centers and institutes, including the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, the Wond'ry Innovation Center, and the Data Science Institute. Historical research contributions include pioneering work on viral cultivation methods (1930s), traumatic shock treatment (WWII era), and the Luria–Delbrück experiment on bacterial mutation (1969 Nobel Prize).