Doctoral Admissions

The following rates are in effect for the 2025-2026 academic year, beginning in Fall 2025 and continuing through Summer 2025. Community College full-time faculty and full-time staff receive a 20% discount on tuition for doctoral programs.

Find additional information for 2025-2026 doctorate tuition and fees.

Tuition rates are subject to change.

Tuition

• Per credit - $975
• 6-credit course - $6,120

Active Duty Military Tuition Discount

• Active military receive a $100 per credit hour tuition discount

Retired Military Tuition Discount

• Retired military receive a $50 per credit hour tuition discount

Fees

Admissions

• Doctoral application - $100

Registration Academic Services

• Technology fee - $45 per credit hour
• Citi Exam Fee for Initial Doctoral Course - $50
• Write and Cite Exam Fee for Initial Doctoral Course - $50
• Transact Payment Plan Enrollment Fee - $20
• Transact Late Payment fee - $10
• No registered payment plan Late fee per month - $25
• No registered payment plan Deferment fee per term - $30
• Returned check - $40
• Check stop payment request - $40
• Certificates - $25
• Replacement of Diploma - $75

Graduation(nonrefundable)

• Doctoral program - $150
• Additional degrees - $75

Starting in 2026, the way students get and repay federal financial aid is going to look a lot different. These changes come from a new law called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Here’s a clear breakdown so you know what’s coming and how it might affect you.

Federal Student Loans

Changes effective July 1, 2026

• Graduate PLUS Loans—going away for new borrowers.
• Parent PLUS Loans—capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 total per child.
• Grad/Professional Loans—annual caps of $20,500 (grad) or $50,000 (professional); total caps of $100,000 and $200,000.
• Overall Lifetime Limit—$257,500 across all federal student loans (Parent PLUS not included in this total). Lifetime limits include loans that have been forgiven, discharged, or repaid.
• Loan Proration—loans will match your enrollment level (full-time vs. part-time).
• Loan Deferment and Forbearance—New restrictions on the length of forbearances and the economic hardship and unemployment deferments are going away.

Loan Repayment

• Only two repayment options:
  • New Standard Plan—fixed payments over 10, 15, 20, or 25 years (based on loan size)
  • New Income-Based Repayment Plan (RAP)—payment is 1–10% of income (based on AGI), with discounts for dependents and no interest piling up faster than you can pay, 30-year repayment period.
• Current borrowers can keep their old plans for now, but some plans will be phased out by 2028.
• Parent PLUS loans taken after July 1, 2026, must use the Standard Plan.

FAFSA & Eligibility

• Family Farms, Small Businesses, and Fisheries—assets won’t count against you in aid calculations.
• Foreign Income—must be counted when figuring Pell eligibility.
• Full Scholarships—if outside scholarships (any scholarships that are not federal scholarships) fully cover your cost of attendance, you will not be able to receive a Pell Grant.

If you’ll be in college or grad school in 2026 or later, these changes will affect how much you can borrow and how you will repay your loans. Parents of future students should pay close attention to the new loan caps and repayment rules.

Capitol Technology University’s Financial Aid Office will continue to provide updates on the changes affecting federal student aid as more information becomes available.

You can use the Net Price Calculator and the Scholarship Estimator to get an estimate of how much aid you may be eligible for.

Hometown Heroes Tuition Discount

We honor those who serve their local communities:

• Community College faculty and staff
• High school teachers and administrators
• Emergency Personnel (EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and police)
• Department of Defense Employees

These heroes receive a 20% tuition discount for graduate programs (Master’s and Doctoral Degrees). Discount applicable within the US only.

EdAssist Partner Discount

As a member of EdAssist’s Featured Provider Network, Capitol Technology University offers employees and immediate family members of all EdAssist clients a 20% tuition discount and application fee waiver for undergraduate and graduate programs. EdAssist administers tuition assistance benefits for over 200 companies. Contact your HR department to find out if you’re employer is an EdAssist supported organization.

Loans

The federal government makes low-interest loans available to graduate students. Like all loans, these must be repaid. Students must be enrolled at least half-time (six credits) each semester and can borrow up to their cost of attendance minus all other financial aid received.

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan

Graduate students can take out a low-interest Unsubsidized Direct Loan through a program sponsored by the federal government. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid determines a student’s eligibility. If you file a FAFSA and include the Capitol Technology University school code, 001436, Capitol’s Financial Aid Office will inform you of the loan amount for which you qualify. The maximum amount a Grad student may apply for is $20,500 per academic year based on their eligibility. The interest rate is variable and accrues on the loan during in-school and grace periods. Interest may be paid as it accrues or it can be added to the loan principal. To apply for the Unsubsidized Direct Loan go to http://www.studentloans.gov to complete the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling session.

Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan

The PLUS program, also sponsored by the federal government, is available to graduate students who have borrowed their maximum annual or aggregate loan amount to help pay for education regardless of financial need. Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits).

• The loan is based on credit history. Grad student must have good credit history.
• A FAFSA must be completed.
• Grad student may borrow up to the cost of the education minus any other aid. Grad student must complete the PLUS Master Promissory Note and credit check found online at http://www.studentloans.gov. The credit check must be done each academic year the loan is borrowed.
• Grad students with adverse credit history may be required to complete an online Entrance Counseling Session before the loan can be disbursed.
• Interest accrues upon disbursement. Interest can be paid as accrued or added to the principal of the loan.
• Repayment begins immediately after the final disbursement for the academic year.
• The interest rate for the PLUS is variable, with a maximum rate of 9 percent. The rate is adjusted every July 1, based on the 52-week Treasury Bill on June 1, plus 3.1 percent.

Veterans' Benefits

If you are a veteran or a veteran's dependent, you may be eligible for educational benefits.

Helpful Links

• Cares Act
• Tuition Payment Plans
• FAFSA Tips
• Financial Aid Options
• Financial and Veterans' Forms
• Disbursement Process
• Satisfactory Academic Progress - Retaining Aid Eligibility
• Return of Aid upon Withdrawal

We require you to submit an essay with your application.

In 1000–2000 words, please describe your relevant academic and professional experience relating to your field of study, your personal attributes, and your vision for successfully completing the doctoral program.

Your essay should include a clear description of your initial research interest and dissertation topic, along with an explanation of how it relates to your prior experiences.

Additionally, your statement should demonstrate how your background has prepared you to engage in original, empirical research at the doctoral level.

Write your application essay before starting the admission application, you cannot apply without the essay.

Apply for a Doctoral Degree at Capitol Tech through the Admissions Online Application Form

Within the application you can attach both essay and resume.

2 recommendations are required and sent automatically from the application. You may access recommendation form to send to directly to your recommenders. The form must be returned to doctorate@captechu.edu

To complete the application, please submit a $100 non-refundable fee.

*EdAssist partners please email Doctoral Admissions at Capitol Tech BEFORE payment of application fee.

Please have Official Transcripts sent directly to Capitol Technology University.

They can be sent electronically via email to the Doctoral Admissions at Capitol Tech (preferred method for time-sensitivity)

Or they can be mailed to:
Office of Admissions
11301 Springfield Road
Laurel, MD 20708

*Please note:

If you've attended a college/university outside of the U.S. you must have your academic records evaluated by an independent accrediting agency.

You can find a list of agencies at https://www.naces.org/members. Regardless of citizenship, language, or home country, you must have your academic records evaluated by a NACES organization member National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization member.  Capitol Tech has partnered with The Evaluation Company (TEC) and you may choose this system by completing the evaluation request form.

When selecting the type of evaluation, please be sure to select Course by Course Evaluation.

*Evaluations must be submitted directly from the evaluating agency

The DSc in Cybersecurity requires an industry certification such as the CISSP, GSE, CGEIT or CISM. If you have additional questions about the certification requirement email Doctoral Admissions at Capitol Tech.

Once your file is complete, it will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review.

Include your non-refundable application fee of $100.

Contact the college or university where you received your degree and have the official sealed transcript sent directly to:

Graduate Office of Admissions
Capitol Technology University
11301 Springfield Road, Laurel, MD 20708.

For those applicants who have attended a post-secondary college and/or university outside of the United States, you must have your academic records evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization member . Regardless of citizenship, language or home country, you must have your academic records evaluated by a NACES organization member. When selecting the type of evaluation, please be sure to select Course by Course Evaluation.

The DSc in Cybersecurity requires an industry certification. The CISSP, GSE, CGEIT or CISM will qualify. There are others that may also qualify. If you have additional questions about the certification requirement email Doctoral Admissions at Capitol Tech.

Have your current resume in Microsoft Word or PDF email to Doctoral Admissions at Capitol Tech. Make sure the file name contains your first and last name and put graduate admissions resume in the subject line.

Download the recommendation form from the admissions page of the myCapitol portal and have 2 recommendation forms send to the above address.

Once your file is complete, it will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review.

Fall 2025: All application materials must be submitted by August 18 (classes begin September 2)

Spring 2026: All application materials must be submitted by December 22 (classes begin January 5)

Summer 2026: All application materials must be submitted by April 20 (classes begin May 4)

Please note, the PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science and DSc in Cybersecurity do not have cohorts starting in the summer.