Virginia Commonwealth University is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia's capital. It is best known for art and design, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, business and engineering, with the top-ranked public art school in the US. Choose it for a creative or health degree in a mid-sized city two hours from Washington, DC.
Richmond, Virginia, United States
Official website: vcu.edu
#851
No. 1 public art and design school in the US (U.S. News)
R1 — very high research activity
A large academic medical centre with a top-ranked hospital
$28,000 – $38,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$15,000 – $20,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on vcu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Business Analytics
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (School of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Electrical and Computer Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MFA Design (VCUarts)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BFA Graphic Design
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
VCUarts — the top-ranked public art and design school in the US.
VCU Health — a large academic medical centre with Virginia's top-ranked hospital.
Brandcenter — one of the leading advertising graduate programmes in the US.
Richmond — a historic river city with a growing creative and finance sector.
Graduates join Capital One, Dominion Energy, CarMax, Altria and Richmond's advertising agencies and hospitals.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Design alumni work at agencies, studios and brands across the East Coast.
Nursing and pharmacy graduates enter VCU Health and hospital systems across Virginia.
Undergrad
15 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
1 Nov 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The Monroe Park campus fills the Fan district just west of downtown Richmond, with the art school, business school and residence halls along Broad Street, and the medical campus downtown.
Richmond is a mid-sized river city with a lively arts and food scene, moderate rent and the James River rapids in the middle of town. Washington, DC is two hours away.
Form I-20 issued by VCU
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
For fall 2027 undergraduate entry, Early Action closes 15 November 2026 and Regular Decision closes 15 January 2027; spring 2027 entry closes 1 November 2026. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most business and engineering master's closing between January and May.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August) or spring (January). Most computer science, engineering and MBA programmes also admit for spring, while business analytics and VCUarts graduate programmes are fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Global Education Office issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, business analytics, the MBA, electrical and computer engineering and design attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes; art programmes require a portfolio. Undergraduate admission is holistic, with an acceptance rate around 90%.
VCU offers limited merit scholarships to international undergraduates, considered automatically if you apply by the Early Action deadline; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in engineering and the sciences, and VCUarts offers merit awards.
