Admission Requirements
- You must apply and be accepted to VCU's Graduate School to participate in our CPE Program: (Thus, applicants must submit both an ACPE department application and an application to the Graduate School at VCU) VCU Graduate School Application - SLATE. All applicants must create an account in SLATE to apply.
- All unofficial transcripts should be uploaded to the VCU Graduate School Application. Upon acceptance all official undergraduate and graduate level transcripts should be mailed directly to Graduate School Admissions Office
VCU Graduate School
408 W. Franklin Street
Box 843051
Richmond, VA 23284 - Submission of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores or at least one year of graduate education with a grade-point of "B" or better.
- A personal interview with a faculty admissions committee.
Please print and use this Application Checklist as a reference to complete your application process. For more information regarding the application process, please contact Brenda Brown brownbl@vcu.edu or cpepatc@vcu.edu.
VCU Graduate School Application Fee
All VCU Graduate School applications require an application fee, which is payable online to the Graduate School at the time the application is submitted. The amount of this fee is established yearly and will be communicated in all correspondence with prospective students. The current application fee is $75.00. This fee is non-refundable unless the program to which you are applying is canceled. If you prefer to pay by check, send a check or money order, payable to VCU, to the VCU Graduate School. Please include the student's full name in the memo line of the check or money order.
VCU Graduate School
408 W. Franklin Street
Box 843051
Richmond, VA 23284
International Applicants
International applicants must first reach out to the International Admissions Office to discuss steps for graduate admissions. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the Initial I-20 and DS-2019 Issuance. Please direct all inquiries and issuance requests to the Graduate Education Office's (GEO) Immigration Services team at GEOIS@vcu.edu. Additionally, applicants will need to provide the International Admissions team with all international transcripts for evaluation of credentials.
VCU International Graduate School
Contact: Wayan Mastriyana, wmastriyana@vcu.edu
408 W. Franklin Street
Box 843051
Richmond, VA 23284
804-828-6016
Applicants holding degrees from recognized foreign institutions should display an acceptable level of English proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL paper-based examination or 100 on the Internet-based examination. Ability to communicate orally and in writing must be presented to the Department of Patient Counseling Admissions Committee.
Apply now for the Master of Science Program
Join us for five contiguous semesters where you will gain experience in a unique academic and clinical setting, gaining innovative spiritual care skills.
The Master of Science Program in Patient Counseling Concentration in Chaplain Certification offers the opportunity for 4 units of CPE and a Master of Science degree over the course of five contiguous semesters.
Applications open beginning December 1, 2025 for the cohort beginning August 2026. This highly competitive opportunity will not remain open for long; make sure to apply now for consideration to the Fall 2026 student cohort.