Tuition & Fees

2021-22 TUITION AND FEES

Additional Information

• The annual estimates include all tuition and fees, as well as local hospitality and meals during residential sessions. Does not cover the cost of textbooks, lodging, and travel to the residency site.
• The tuition rate is the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. 
• Beginning in the fourth year, tuition is significantly reduced to encourage students to take the time needed to complete a high-quality, publishable piece of research for their dissertation. Students in their fourth year or beyond are required to register for just three credits in the fall and spring semesters.
• Tuition is billed on a prorated basis. 30% of the annual total is billed each of the fall, spring, and summer semesters.
• Please note the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors establishes the tuition and fees annually, typically in the spring. Therefore, please use the above figures as a guide in considering the cost of the program for the upcoming cohort, but note that tuition is subject to annual changes. The tuition rate set during the student's initial term is guaranteed for the duration of the program regardless of future annual increases.
• A limited number of merit scholarships are available for particularly strong candidates with financial need. These are awarded based on an academic performance evaluation that is conducted at the end of the fall semester each year.  

SUMMER INTENSIVE

Students are required to attend a mandatory summer intensive of seven in-person residencies prior to the official fall start of the program. There is a non-refundable $5,000 fee for the intensive which serves as a student's seat deposit and is adjusted against the student’s first-year tuition costs. Thus, the summer intensive program is effectively free for all students who begin the program each fall.