James Madison University offers 139 degree programs to its international students. The growing research university has a fair acceptance rate of 77% and an early acceptance rate of 68%. Admission in the JMU takes place on a rolling basis in three seasons of application, spring, fall and summer. The application fee of JMU is 70 USD and the students can expect an annual cost of attendance of 45,000 USD.

The university has ranked #3 among the Regional Universities in South, 2023 according to US News and World Report. It records 96% satisfaction rate of the graduates, students at JMU rate it a whooping 9 on a scale of 10 for its placements. The median starting salary of the JMU graduates is around 56,000 USD. The highest paid students among the university alumni earns around 120,000 USD per annum.

James Madison University Rankings

  • #1 in The Most Recommended University in the United States by The Wall Street
  • #3 in Regional Universities South by US News and World Report
  • #2 in Most Innovative Universities by US News
  • #1 in the Most Innovative University by US News
  • #52 in Best Value Universities by US News
  • #4 in Best Undergraduate Teaching by US News
  • #2 in Top Public Universities by US News
  • #25 by Money Magazine as the Best Public College by US News
  • #1 in the Best Safety Universities by US News

James Madison University Highlights

Year Founded 1908
College Type Public, Coed
Student: Faculty ratio 16:1
Exams Accepted SAT/ ACT/ GRE/ GMAT
Total Programs offered 139
Academic Calendar Semester Based
Popular Courses B.A, M.A, B.S, M.S, BBA, MBA
Average Class Size 25
Acceptance Rate 77%
Official Website https://www.jmu.edu
Freshman Retention Rate 90%
Graduation Rate 82%

James Madison University Campus

James Madison University campus has over 450 clubs and organizations to practice their skills. The university comprises a movie theatre to watch movies and shows on the weekends called “Never a Dull Moment”.

James Madison University has over 25 different dining options like food trucks and buffet style. It also offers nut-free, gluten-free and vegetarian options to students who are on a strict dietary schedule. The university has its own “Stay Active Program” with a gym named University Recreation Center.

All the athletic teams in James Madison University are known as the “Dukes”. The various sports offered by the university are football, basketball, baseball, tennis, swimming, diving and golf. JMU is a part of the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision.

James Madison University Residence

80% of JMU students live in the university’s 25 residence halls throughout their academic sessions due to the affordable amenities. These halls are located in 5 areas: Skyline, Bluestone, Village, Lakeside and Hillside. The cost of living on campus is 5,564 USD (equivalent to 4,00,000 INR) per year.

All the residence halls in James Madison University have a TV lounge with air conditioning, a kitchen area and vending machines. The most famous residence hall, the Shenandoah Hall has facilities like study rooms on each floor, a common area for watching TV, a kitchen area and air conditioning.

James Madison University Programs

James Madison University offers over 139 programs to its students. Undergraduate students in JMU can choose from more than 70 majors. The most popular programs at JMU are listed below:

The university also has an excellent study abroad program offering study opportunities which are semester wise in places like Belgium, Italy, London, Scotland and Spain. Due to the ongoing Covid 19 Pandemic, Only Countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain and London are accepting program application forms.

James Madison University Admission Process

Where to apply? University website or Common Application.

  • Summer Term - February 15th
  • Fall Term - June 1st
  • Spring Term - October 1st

James Madison University expects its graduate students to submit the application form 2 weeks prior to the application deadline.

Note: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the dates for admission in JMU are extended. All the updates regarding the admissions will be notified to the students via the university’s portal, Mymadison and also via Email as well.

James Madison University Admission Requirements

Any student who has obtained a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution outside of the U.S. can apply for graduate admissions. SAT or ACT scores are optional for the admission of undergraduate students. The university does not conduct personal interviews for students. Below are the admission requirements in JMU for the undergraduate students:

  • High school transcript
  • Dual enrollment or online classes
  • Second semester year courses
  • TOEFL iBT-81
  • IELTS-6.5, ELS-112
  • CAE (Certificate of Advanced English)- 176
  • Duolingo-105, PTE-58
  • CBT- 1210
  • SAT/ACT scores are optional

Admissions for graduate applicants require the following:

  • Official college transcripts
  • LOR
  • SAT/ACT Scores
  • Additional requirements as per course
  • GRE/GMAT Scores (If required for that respective program)

James Madison University Cost of Attendance

To study in the US, it is important to understand the overall costs involved while pursuing the degree of your choice. Here is a detailed list of expenses you will incur while pursuing higher education at James Madison University:

Expenses Annual Costs
Tuition Fees 29,468
Personal Costs 2,004
Room and Board 10,884
Loan Fees 76
Travel 1,940
Annual Cost of Books 1,082
Total Cost 45,454

James Madison University Scholarship

The students in JMU require excellent academic scores to be eligible for scholarships. JMU offers both academic and sports scholarships to the outstanding students. For all merit based scholarships, JMU’s colleges are responsible for their respective selections.

JMU offers 3 scholarship programs to its international students. Given below are the details of the scholarships:

  • The Madison Scholarship: This is the largest scholarship program offered by JMU. There is no requirement for a separate application form. All international students are eligible for this scholarship. The amount varies based on departments.
  • The Thomas A. Dingledine Scholarship: This scholarship requires a separate application form to be filled by the applicant and submitted to the respective JMU departments. All the international students are eligible for this scholarship. The scholarship amount is variable.
  • The Second Century Scholarship: The Second Century Scholarship is a scholarship offered to all international students of STEM groups (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). The students will receive a 75% fee waiver as their scholarship reward.

Below is the cost by household income:

Household Income in USD Average Cost After Aid in USD
Less than 30,000 13,426
30,001 to 48,000 15,052
48,001 to 75,000 18,412
75,001 to 110,000 24,050
More than 110,001 25,676

Notable Alumni of JMU

  • Football Player Daniel Brown
  • ESPN Anchor Lindsay Czarniak
  • Baseball Player Mike Venafro
  • DJ Robert Abisi
  • Actress Sarah Baker
  • TV Producer Barbara Hall
  • Author Glennon Doyle Melton
  • Journalist Alison Parker
  • Virginia State Delegate Dawn Adams
  • CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta
  • Sports Writer Jon Finkel

James Madison University Placements

James Madison University has the highest graduation rate of 82%. The highest paid students at the university are the students of Consulting, Accounting and Professional services group who earn a salary up to 120,000 USD annually. The students of Marketing, Product and Communications group earn a salary up to 73,000 USD annually. The B.A. students earn an average salary of 75,000 USD annually. The B.Sc. Students earn an average salary of 120,000 USD annually.

The university provides various internships to its students to build their own future careers. The variety of programs offered and the recent acceptance rates attract the international students to take admission in the university.

FAQs

Ques. What are the popular programs of James Madison University?

Ans: JMU is known for its most popular programs such as Health Professions, Marketing, Communication, Business, Management, General Studies, Humanities, Social Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Ques. What GPA do you need to get into JMU?

Ans: JMU expects its students to maintain a GPA of 3.5 (equivalent to 87-89%).

Ques. Is JMU easy or hard to get into?

Ans: Admissions to JMU is not that difficult with an acceptance rate around 77% in recent years. For the 2023 batch, JMU accepted approximately 82% of applicants, out of a pool of 4,750 total applications.

Ques. What are the top rankings of James Madison University?

Ans: The University is currently ranked #1 by The Wall Street as the most recommended university in the United States, 2023 and is also ranked #3 by U.S News in Regional Universities South, 2023.

Ques. Does JMU give merit scholarships?

Ans: Yes, JMU offers need-based and merit-based scholarships. The primary aim for merit-based scholarships is great and excellent performance in academics.

Ques. Does JMU have an honors college?

Ans: Yes, JMU has an honors college which requires a separate application. All the students will receive an email by JMU after you submit your JMU application asking if they would like to apply. Students can also access the application on the Honors College website.

Ques. Is JMU Online?

Ans: Currently due to the Covid 19 pandemic, JMU is moving its classes online. The faculty is now revising their classes using online tools. The JMU Libraries are cooperating with the faculty to design their classes online.

Ques. Is the JMU test optional in 2023?

Ans: ACT/ SAT are optional admission requirements. Due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic, James Madison University has extended the application deadlines for admissions.