Ph.D. Leadership and Policy

An applicant who is not a United States citizen or permanent resident must follow the same admissions procedures as applicants who are U.S. citizens in addition to other specific requirements. Click the button below to visit our Graduate Admissions site for more information.

International Student Admissions Information

Guided Elective Courses in Leadership

(15 hours of guided electives required from one subject area below)

• Educational Leadership (COE: Ed.S./EDLD courses will satisfy)
• Leadership and Public Service (CLPS) - (begins August 2024)

Guided Elective Courses in Policy

(15 hours of guided electives required from one subject area below)

• Education Policy (COE)
• Public Policy (CLPS) - (begins August 2024)

All applications will be automatically considered for scholarships. 

In-Service Scholarship

Students working as professionals in education or public service qualify for a 25% in-service discount, which brings the tuition rate to $715 per credit hour.

Employee Scholarship 

Lipscomb University is proud to offer a 40% in-service scholarship for employees. Contact Kristin Blankenship at kristin.blankenship [at] lipscomb.edu (subject: Ph.D.%20in%20Leadership%20and%20Policy%20Studies%20Employee%20Scholarship%20Inquiry)  for additional information.  

As a graduate student, you are still able to file the FAFSA—and you should! By filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you may be eligible for a number of student loans. 

Federal Stafford Loan

A borrower must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment for at least six semester hours and must be working toward a degree or certificate. Loans must be actively accepted in myLipscomb in order to be applied as an expected payment to the student bill. Stafford Loans will not pay until the student has completed both Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note at studentloans.gov. Loans will not be credited to accounts until 30 days after classes begin or when a student begins the sixth credit hour, whichever comes last.

Graduate PLUS Loan

The Graduate PLUS Loan is available to independent graduate students. Both loans require credit approval by the Department of Education, as well as a FAFSA submission. Apply.

Private Loans

In addition to the federal loans outlined here, you may consider private loans made by banks and other financial institutions. It is recommended that private loans only be considered in instances where funding is needed in addition to any federal loans, as interest rates may be higher. Eligibility for these loans requires a credit check and students are often required to have a cosigner to qualify.

Through an agreement with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Lipscomb University will guarantee some level of graduate tuition funding, applicable to all Lipscomb University graduate programs, for graduate students who qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Depending on program tuition rates, the graduate tuition funding may or may not cover the total tuition cost of the program.

The Yellow Ribbon Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post- 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses. View eligibility requirements.

Any questions concerning eligibility or benefits should be directed to the Office of Veteran Affairs school-certifying official located in the lower level of Bennett Campus Center, Suite 140, or visit the Yellow Ribbon Program website.