Application checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you've completed everything needed for your application to CSL. Please note that applications cannot be processed until they are complete. Only complete applications will be reviewed. Once your application is received, admission decisions usually take four to six weeks.

• Completed application form
• Personal statement
• Application fee ($70, paid online by credit card or mailed in as a check)
• Official transcript(s) from undergraduate schools and any postgraduate institutions
• Three letters of recommendation
• Completed residency form
• Current resume

Reminders

• GRE or MAT scores are not required but will be accepted to supplement your application
• International students should consult the VCU Graduate School website for additional requirements needed to apply.
• Students with all different degrees and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. You do not need a specific undergraduate degree in physical education, sports management or other similar major. 
• You do not need to have completed any specific prerequisite courses to be accepted to the CSL, although we may recommend you complete certain coursework before entering the program based on your individual background.

Deadlines

Full-time applicants

Full-time students may only apply for fall admission into the Center for Sport Leadership at VCU program.

• Nov. 15: Deadline for first wave of applications
• Jan. 15: Deadline for second wave of applications
• March 15: Deadline for third wave of applications
• May 15: Final application deadline

Distance-learning applicants

• Fall semester: April 15
• Spring semester: Nov. 15
• Summer semester: May 15

Students who are unable to enroll for the semester for which they are accepted may request a deferment. Submit the request in writing as soon as possible to be considered.

Application materials

Application

Applicants must complete the Center for Sport Leadership at VCU application. 

Personal statement

We want to understand your motivations for applying to the CSL. In your personal statement, please address questions that include:

• In your opinion, what is the most critical issue in the sports industry?
• How could your experience at the Center for Sport leadership help you solve this issue?
  
  
  Please complete your personal statement in no more than two single-spaced pages.

Application fee

A $65 application fee must accompany your application. Cash is not accepted. Please pay with a credit card when you submit your online application or include a check when mailing your physical application.

Official transcripts

CSL applicants must provide official copies of transcripts documenting all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework. This includes transcripts from junior or community colleges or any transfer credits applied toward your degree. Transcripts must be submitted in an appropriately sealed envelope and show the degree and date conferred.

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in their last 60 semester hours of study.

NOTE: The lack of a 3.0 GPA will not automatically eliminate your chance of admission, but it factors heavily in the admission process.

Recommendations

Applicants must include three letters of recommendation in their admission packet. These letters must be from persons who are qualified to give information concerning the applicant's probable success in the CSL. Recommendations should be submitted in a sealed envelope and mailed to the CSL or completed in your online application.

Residency form

In-state applicants must complete the application for Virginia in-state tuition. This form is used to track residency status at the university level and to determine university fees. However, the base CSL tuition rate is the same for in- and out-of-state students.

Test scores

GRE and MAT test scores are NO LONGER required for admission into the CSL, but will be accepted to supplement your application.

Register online to take the GRE, or call the VCU MAT Test Center at (804) 828-6277 or the National MAT Test Center at (800) 622-3231 to take the MAT.