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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 does Fielding Graduate University offer in terms of athletics?

Fielding is not organized around varsity athletics, and prospective students should not expect an NCAA recruiting or game-day experience. Its graduate, geographically dispersed student body makes conventional campus team sports a poor point of comparison.

Students who want regular recreation will generally need to consider options near home or near a required meeting location. Athletic scholarships, club teams, and intramural competitions should not be assumed to be part of a Fielding degree.

What student groups and Associations are available at Fielding Graduate University?

At Fielding, academic and professional connections are more relevant to student involvement than the large club systems common at residential colleges. Students can build relationships through their degree cohort, faculty projects, and program gatherings.

An applicant seeking a particular recognized association, student governance role, identity-based group, or professional chapter should confirm its current activity and eligibility rules with the program. Informal peer networks and university-sponsored academic events may offer useful connections, but they are not interchangeable with a formally recognized student organization.

Who studies at Fielding Graduate University?

Fielding's student body is predominantly composed of adult graduate learners. In its 2024-25 age reporting, the largest group was students ages 40-49, followed by those ages 50-64. The institution reported no first-time degree-seeking undergraduate enrollment.

The age counts also included students in their twenties, thirties, and over 65, so "adult learner" does not describe a single career stage. For a prospective student, the practical implication is that classmates may bring substantial professional experience, while their schedules and reasons for pursuing a degree may vary. The age distribution alone does not establish how often students meet in person or how much time they devote to study.

How does student life look like at Fielding Graduate University?

Student life at Fielding centers on graduate coursework, faculty relationships, peer collaboration, and scheduled gatherings rather than everyday residence-hall activity. Much of the routine interaction in a distributed program takes place while students are living and working in different communities.

This can suit someone who wants to remain employed or avoid relocating, but it places more weight on planned participation. Applicants can ask a program how often cohorts meet, how students receive academic advising, what orientation covers, and how they obtain support between in-person sessions. These details are more informative here than a conventional description of campus social life.

What libraries are available to students at Fielding Graduate University?

Fielding students need research support that works away from a physical campus. For graduate work, the most consequential library resources are access to scholarly databases and journals, assistance with literature searches, and a way to obtain materials outside existing subscriptions.

Applicants should check how their intended program provides remote authentication, research consultations, document delivery or interlibrary loan, and help with citation and dissertation research. A count of physical campus libraries does not, by itself, describe the research materials available to a distributed graduate student.

Fielding Graduate University Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

915

Veterans affair office

No

Fielding Graduate University Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Graduate: 915

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 737
Part-time: 178

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.