Student Services
The Student Services, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships team focuses on providing support to students as they acclimate and adjust to their graduate programs and throughout their education journeys. Through the development of inclusive programming designed to meet students' academic, professional, and social needs, our primary objective echoes the Graduate School's goal of having students thrive, not just survive, during their graduate education experience.
We focus on the importance of connecting students to communities on campus and off by providing frequent opportunities for them to participate in events and environments that maximize their success and support them in completing their degrees.
Together with InclusiveVT; Student Affairs; Career and Professional Development; the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning; the academic colleges and departments; the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, the Graduate Student Assembly in the D.C. metro area, and Roanoke Graduate Student Assembly; and our students themselves, we offer programs and services to ensure that graduate students have every opportunity to thrive and succeed.
The Graduate School as well as other units on campus provide all kinds of professional development opportunities and workshops, including tools and advice for conducting a job search, interviewing, preparing for future careers, supported by your comprehensive fees
A variety of social events are offered for graduate students year-round, including the weekly GLC cafe; review the GLC Weekly newsletter, the D.C. Area weekly newsletter, and the Dean's Weekly Update for information.
The university Dean of Students office serves both graduate and undergraduate students and provides several services, including an emergency fund, emergency contacts and support, and others.
The Graduate School's Diversity, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships team focuses on providing support to students as they get acclimated and adjusted to their graduate programs, and throughout their education journey through the inclusive and diverse programming to meet students' needs. The team's primary objective is to help students thrive, not just survive during their graduate experience. Learn more about the programs and opportunities here.
Often referred to as internship, co-op provides opportunities for students to obtain professional employment experience as part of their academic programs while earning 1 credit.
Each year, Virginia Tech celebrates Graduate Education Week during the fourth week of March. The week includes a range of events and activities, including workshops, the Graduate and Professional Student Senate's Research Symposium, the annual awards dinner, and the Spring Cook-out on the Graduate Life Center lawn.
The Graduate Life Center offers reservable spaces and other amenities for all graduate students. Located near the Newman Library, Squires Student Center, academic buildings, and downtown Blacksburg, the GLC provides spaces, services, housing, and programming that meet the unique needs of graduate and professional students and encourage their active participation in the graduate community. The GLC has won national awards and is a role model for other graduate schools and departments across the nation.
The Graduate School considers students' health and wellbeing to be an important priority. On this page you will find links to health and wellness services for enrolled students, including counseling support; recreational sports teams; and fitness facilities, supported by your comprehensive fees.
Our Housing page provides information about on-campus and off-campus housing, where to find furniture and other home supplies in the Blacksburg area.
Get your documents notarized in the Graduate School, 120 GLC (appointment may be required).
Notarizations may be scheduled ahead of time (recommended), or students may come during Graduate School walk-in hours. Anyone seeking a notarization should bring either a valid unexpired driver's license, state photo ID, or passport. We cannot accept a picture of the ID saved on a phone, and must see and hold the actual physical ID. If notarizing a signature, we expect you to bring the document unsigned with you to the appointment (so that we may observe the signatory act itself).
If you have a large request, such as 5 or more different pages that need to be notarized, please plan to make an appointment ahead of time, and inform us of how many documents you are asking to be notarized. If you have a document that requires witnesses, please note that the Graduate School does not provide witnesses as a service. You will be expected to provide your own witnesses.
A notary cannot also serve as a signatory witness on a document. If the witnesses' signatures are also supposed to be notarized, they need to bring official photo ID as well.
For notary appointments with Matthew Grice, please email matth83@vt.edu or call 540-231-8473.
For notary appointments with Jenn Million, please email jennjw@vt.edu or call 540-231-8636.
The Graduate Ombudsperson provides confidential consultations for managing conflicts and navigating university policies and resources
The Graduate School hosts a new student orientation each semester and provides online resources for new students, as well as a range of welcome events. Visit the Orientation and welcome events page for details.
Graduate students at the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center and the Roanoke Health Sciences and Tachnology Campus are important members of the graduate community. This page provides links to resources for those students.
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) assists students who have or believe they may have disabilities. The department provides numerous accommodations, services, and resources for students with disabilities and temporary injuries or illnesses.
This page provides a wealth of information for students with partners and/or families. Among the topics you'll find are employment resources, child care information, caregiving resources, support groups for dependents, and pet care.
The Statistical Applications and Innovation Group will support your research efforts with statistical advice, analysis, and education through collaboration meetings, walk-in consulting, and short courses.
Free and confidential legal advice is available for currently enrolled Virginia Tech students and Virginia Tech-registered student organizations (RSOs) at the Blacksburg campus, regarding but not limited to leases, criminal charges, traffic violations, contracts, employment, consumer issues, etc.; supported by your comprehensive fees. Visit the Legal Services website for more information.
Find academic and personal support, gain leadership experience, influence university policy, or just become an active member of your graduate student community. Search for organizations based around your academic discipline, professional organization, nationality, or interests.
The Office of Veterans Services at Virginia Tech provides assistance with documentation related to veteran and military student educational benefits. You can find out what financial, academic, and social resources are available to assist your successful transition to and through your course of study at Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech offers many graduate courses and programs online. Students in those programs may not have access to the university's physical campuses, but there are resources and information tailored to their needs on this resources page.
Virginia Tech has a strong presence in Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C. metro area, with a host of graduate programs located on campuses in those communities. Visit this page to learn more supports, services, and other resources available to graduate students in those areas.
Virginia Tech Libraries provide graduate students free support for all types of writing they may need to do in the course of their graduate studies. The Writing Center provides assistance at any stage of the writing process, with tutors available for face-to-face or online synchronous (real time) meetings, or asynchronous guidance.
The Graduate School recognizes that graduate students have concerns about a wide range of issues, from parking, to fees, to childcare, and more. This page offers some resources for making your voice heard. You'll also find links to resources to help stop harassment, intimidation and other forms of discrimination or abuse. Visit the Graduate Ombuds website for information about disrupting academic bullying.
Updated July 18, 2024