Divine Mercy University

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit Catholic graduate institution
• Founded in 1997 and renamed Divine Mercy University in 2015
• Accredited to award master's and doctoral degrees
• Specialized in psychology, counseling, counselor education, and spiritual direction
• Current campus is in Sterling, Virginia

Student Life & Environment

Student life reflects a small graduate institution serving both campus-based and distance learners. The Office of Student Services supports on-site and online students through academic advising, disability services, health and wellness resources, technology assistance, registration, financial aid, and student-success services. Students receive faculty advisers during their programs, with advising intended to cover academic progress, professional development, research opportunities, and participation in professional organizations. Writing support includes tutoring, statistical assistance, APA-style resources, and originality checking through the university's online learning environment. Campus ministry and chaplaincy provide prayer, reflection, small-group, and retreat opportunities consistent with the university's Catholic identity. Students should expect religion to be part of institutional life rather than merely a historical affiliation. Divine Mercy University does not present itself as a residential undergraduate campus. It provides external housing-search resources for students attending in person, but students arrange their own accommodation and should independently assess properties, costs, transportation, and safety. Career assistance is individualized through faculty advisers and the alumni association, including help with résumés, interviews, and opportunities in psychology, counseling, and related human-service fields. No current placement rate or salary outcome was verified.

Location & Surroundings

Divine Mercy University operates at 45154 Underwood Lane in Sterling, Virginia, in Loudoun County. This is a material change from the Arlington location in the supplied database record. The university acquired the Sterling property as its new campus and dedicated the location in 2019 after previously occupying leased space in Arlington. Sterling is part of Northern Virginia and lies near Washington Dulles International Airport. The university identifies Ashburn, Dulles, and Herndon as communities within roughly ten miles of campus, making them practical areas to include in a housing search. The setting differs from a central Washington, D.C., or Arlington campus: students should assess commuting time, access to clinical placements, and the usefulness of a car for their particular schedule. There is no university residence-hall system described on the current student-life page. Instead, DMU links students to commercial rental platforms and roommate resources while disclaiming responsibility for individual listings. On-site Psy.D. applicants should therefore budget separately for Northern Virginia housing and transportation. Online and hybrid students should also account for any required visits, residencies, or clinical work associated with their program.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, Divine Mercy University publishes tuition by program and credit rather than a single institutional price. The listed rates are $1,277 per credit for the 122-credit Psy.D., $1,030 for the 60-credit counselor-education doctorate, $927 for the 33-credit online M.S. in Psychology, and $998 for the 66-credit M.S. in Counseling. These figures do not include every mandatory fee, living expense, book, travel, insurance, or clinical-placement cost. The university also notes that tuition and fees are reviewed annually and that a tuition increase typically occurs each fall. The 2026–2027 schedule lists a $55 degree-program application fee and separate charges that may include technology, library, student-activity, laboratory, late-registration, payment-plan, and graduation fees, depending on the program or circumstance. Because DMU does not provide institutional housing, on-site students should build their own Northern Virginia rent, food, utilities, and transportation estimates. The university offers a net-price calculator, payment plans, institutional aid, scholarships, and federal financial-aid guidance. International students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid but may be considered for internal scholarships, institutional assistance, and outside funding. Career support focuses on psychology, counseling, and related human-service work. Faculty advisers and the alumni association assist with job searches, résumés, interviews, and professional opportunities. However, a degree alone does not confer professional licensure. Psy.D. and counseling applicants should compare the curriculum and placements with the rules of the jurisdiction where they intend to practice, including any state-specific additional courses. No verified current earnings or placement-rate data were found, so cost-benefit decisions should use licensing prospects and individualized financing rather than assumed salary outcomes.