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Fielding Graduate University

#2708 in US ranking Santa Barbara, CA
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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What is the accreditation of Fielding Graduate University?

Fielding Graduate University is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, commonly called WSCUC. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation of an individual professional program.

Fielding's clinical psychology doctoral program has American Psychological Association accreditation. Applicants pursuing psychologist licensure should verify the current accreditation status of the specific program, as well as the educational, supervised-experience, and examination rules of the state where they intend to practice. Neither institutional nor programmatic accreditation automatically guarantees licensure.

Institutional accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid and may matter when another institution evaluates credits. It does not require another school to accept transferred coursework: that decision belongs to the receiving institution and often depends on course content and degree requirements.

What are the admission requirements at Fielding Graduate University?

Admission to Fielding is graduate admission: applicants need the prior degree required by their chosen program, rather than first-year undergraduate credentials. Fielding does not operate an open-admission policy.

Applicants should expect to submit an application and official records of previous college study. Programs may also assess a statement of purpose, recommendations, a résumé or curriculum vitae, relevant experience, and an interview. Doctoral programs can place particular weight on the fit between an applicant's interests and the program's research or professional training model. International applicants should check the program's credential-evaluation and English-proficiency instructions.

There is no useful institution-wide SAT or ACT benchmark for this graduate university. Deadlines, test policies, prerequisite coursework, and requirements for professional practice can differ by degree. An applicant should use the admissions instructions for the intended program and entry term, especially before arranging recommendations or an interview.

What are the application fees and waivers at Fielding Graduate University?

Application fees are separate from tuition and any enrollment deposit. Fielding applicants should check the charge shown for their specific program and entry term before submitting an application.

If paying the charge would be a barrier, the practical step is to ask graduate admissions about fee-waiver eligibility and the request procedure before payment. Applicants should not assume that a waiver can be applied after submission or that a waiver offered for one program applies to another.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Fielding Graduate University?

ROTC is not a conventional enrollment pathway at Fielding, which serves graduate students rather than a resident undergraduate cadet population. An applicant should not assume that attendance at Fielding provides access to an Army, Air Force, or Navy ROTC unit.

Military education benefits are a different matter from ROTC. Eligible graduate students may be able to use veterans' or other approved education benefits, subject to both program eligibility and the benefit administrator's rules. A service member considering Fielding should verify degree approval, benefit coverage, and any required in-person attendance before enrolling.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Fielding Graduate University?

At Fielding, "transfer" usually means seeking credit toward a graduate program for coursework completed elsewhere; it does not mean entering as an undergraduate transfer student. Its reported first-time and transfer-in undergraduate enrollments were both zero in the 2024-25 IPEDS reporting period.

Graduate applicants should provide official transcripts and ask the intended program for a formal review of prior coursework. Admission and credit acceptance are separate decisions: a course may support an application without replacing a required Fielding course. The program must determine whether previous work is sufficiently recent, graduate-level, and comparable, and whether a residency or minimum-credit rule limits how much can count toward its degree. Applicants should obtain the evaluation in writing before relying on it to estimate time to completion or tuition.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Fielding Graduate University?

Fielding's distributed graduate study should not be confused with a traditional semester-abroad program. A student who plans to conduct research, complete fieldwork, or study while outside the United States needs approval under the requirements of the particular degree.

For a proposed international activity, the relevant questions are whether a supervisor and program will approve the site, whether the work can earn credit, and what research-ethics, travel, insurance, and financial-aid rules apply. Clinical placements and work involving human participants may require additional approvals. Applicants seeking an organized exchange should confirm that their intended program actually offers one before building it into a degree plan.

Fielding Graduate University Admission Requirements

Open admission policy

No

Dual credit

Yes

Credit for life experiences

No

Advanced placement (AP) credits

No

Special learning opportunities

Student can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization

No

Preparation at another institution required

No

Approved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher

No

Data last updated on November 2, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.