psychology phd acceptance rates

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Applying to Graduate Programs

• Applicant Qualifications, Admissions Criteria, and Acceptance Rates

What are the characteristics of successful applicants?  Each program has its own set of requirements and standards; some are publicly stated, some are not.  For instance, this department’s graduate program in experimental psychology provides a list of eligibility requirements , plus provides a FAQ with the average GPA and GRE scores of successful applicants .  On this page we provide a general idea of what graduate programs may be seeking, plus admissions statistics by area of specialization in psychology. 

Note: for the most definitive information on the characteristics of successful applicants, we recommend that you directly check with program websites, the programs themselves, and individuals at those programs (such as graduate coordinators, graduate program officers, graduate students, or faculty).

Graduate Programs Are Highly Competitive

Most mid- to top-tier graduate programs, and particularly those programs that provide funding to their graduate students, are highly selective.  For example, this department’s graduate program typically receives around 300-400 applicants annually, of which admission offers are commonly extended to around 20 (around half accept, depending on the year).  Successful applicants not only meet the eligibility requirements; they exceed those requirements in key ways.  These may include research experience, academic achievements, and more. 

Consequently, it is helpful for students to carefully research the characteristics of successful applicants, to work toward achieving similar qualifications at the baccalaureate or post baccalaureate level, and to clearly emphasize their strengths in their applications. 

It is important to emphasize that graduate admissions criteria substantially differ from those used at undergraduate and other levels.  It is not necessarily the case that applicants with the highest GPA and highest test scores have the greatest chance of being accepted.  Instead, more idiosyncratic factors such as “program fit” and compatible research interests may play a greater role.  Thus, students who are accustomed to judging their progress solely on grades need to adjust their thinking; this is a different playing field and the rules are different .

Basic Qualifications of Successful Applicants 

To score an interview – in other words, to be seriously considered – applicants are typically expected to have a record which includes the following characteristics: 1,2

Prerequisite undergraduate coursework completed

The courses that you are expected to have taken vary according to the graduate program you are applying to.  Some may have very specific requirements, others do not.  Some may prefer that the applicant have a well-rounded record including a diversity of rigorous courses both within and outside of psychology. 

The mean of successful applicants to PhD programs in psychology, on the 4.0 scale, is 3.6 overall and 3.7 in psychology courses; for Master’s programs it is 3.4 overall and 3.5 in psychology courses. 1   The GPA should be, at minimum , typically 3.0 or higher.

Good GRE scores

Minimum requirements (also known as “cutoffs”) vary depending on program .  Some programs, such as the one in this department, have dropped minimum scores.  However, GRE scores can be used to choose between two closely matched applicants.  The mean GRE scores of first-year graduate students in psychology, using the scale begun in late 2011, is 158 verbal and 149 quantitative for psychology PhD programs; it is 153 verbal and 146 quantitative for Master’s programs.  For the GRE Psychology subject test, the mean is 633 for PhD programs and 577 for Master’s programs. 1  Please note that some programs, such as the one in this department, do not require the subject test.

Research experience

Research experience is a must.  This can take a variety of different forms, but publications and presentations are typically the most valued evidence of research experience.  For further information about gaining research experience as an undergraduate, please visit our research opportunities page.

Practical or clinical experience

This may be important for those applying to programs with a clinical or public service component.  For example, the number of hours you have volunteered at an outpatient clinic could be valuable for a clinical psychology graduate application.  However, it should be noted that guides to clinical psychology programs typically emphasize research experience as even more important.

Extracurricular activities

Optional and varies; should be relevant to the graduate program.  May include membership in psychological organizations, any leadership activities you have participated in, science communication, or charitable works .

How Applicant Qualifications Are Weighted

Each of the aforementioned qualifications, plus other components of the application materials, can make or break an applicant’s chances of being invited for an interview and ultimately receiving an offer of admission.  There typically are at least two stages of review.  The first involves choosing applicants that will be invited to interview.  At that stage, selection criteria may include (please note that each program may weigh each aspect differently): 1,2

• GPA and GRE scores – many programs only interview those that are above a certain threshold.
• Letters of recommendation – many programs solicit three letters of recommendation. Although letters are subjective, in many programs these are given as much weight as GPA and GRE scores.
• Research experience – there needs to be evidence that the applicant has the potential to succeed in the primary occupation of graduate school, which is conducting research.
• Statement of purpose – this is taken as evidence of the applicant’s writing ability, their own stated research interests, their thoughts about program fit, and more.
• Coursework completed – transcripts are examined to determine whether the applicant has taken the necessary courses to qualify for the program, that they have the relevant background knowledge, and that they can handle academically rigorous coursework. 

After the interviews, the final selection criteria often includes the following (in order of importance). 1,2 It should be noted that the applicant’s interview performance, statement of purpose, and recommendation letters can heavily inform these criteria and ultimately final selection decisions.

• Publications or paper presentations – resulting from the applicant’s existing research activities
• Applicant’s skills and interests match the program – as indicated in the application essays and as revealed in interviews
• Match with faculty member that is interested in working with the applicant – particularly as evidenced by the faculty member’s interview with the applicant and shared research interests; moreover, the faculty member has to be accepting students that year
• Statement of purpose – how clear and focused was the applicant able to write the essay; writing skills as evident in the essay
• Prior research experience – more generally, how much prior research experience the applicant had, and what that experience was, etc.

Other criteria may also be considered depending on the program.  Finally, it should be noted that among the least important criteria for selection typically include: multilingual fluency, contribution to geographic diversity, and whether the applicant is related to another student that was or is in the program .

Admissions Statistics

Acceptance rates at graduate programs in psychology range between 32-78% for Master’s programs and 12-48% for PhD programs (non-clinical); for clinical programs generally, acceptance rates vary from 7-50%. 1  Data on the mean acceptance rates in different areas of psychology, compiled by the APA in 2010, are as follows: 1

Workshops and Downloadable Resources

• For in-person discussion of the process of applying to graduate programs in psychology, neuroscience, and related fields, please consider attending this department’s “Paths to PhDs” workshop and other related events (for dates and times, please check the undergraduate workshops calendar).
• Tips for Applying to Graduate Programs in Psychology (a brief summary) [ PDF ]

Further Resources

How-To Videos     

• Applying to Grad School Videos

Recommended Reading

• American Psychological Association (2007). Getting in: a step-by-step plan for gaining admission to graduate school in psychology .  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Keith-Spiegel, P., & Wiederman, M. W. (2000). The complete guide to graduate school admission: psychology, counseling, and related professions . Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

APA Videos on Graduate Applications

• Preparing and applying for graduate school in psychology [12-part video series]
• Preparing and applying for graduate school in psychology [video slides in PDF format]
• Avoiding common mistakes that students make when applying from APA Division 2 [PPT]
• Choosing a graduate program from the Association for Psychological Science
• Smart shopping for psychology doctoral programs [PDF]

1  Norcross, J. C., & Hogan, T. P. (2016).  Preparing and applying for graduate school in psychology: 12 modules. American Psychological Association [video workshop].

2  american psychological association (2007).  getting in: a step-by-step plan for gaining admission to graduate school in psychology . , 3  american psychological association (2010).  graduate applications, acceptances, enrollments, and degrees awarded in master’s- and doctoral-level students in the u.s. and canadian graduate departments of psychology: 2008-2009., prepared by s. c. pan for ucsd psychology, graphic adapted with permission under the expat license..

• Finding and Choosing Graduate Programs of Interest
• Timelines for the Graduate Application Process
• Writing Statements of Purpose and Other Application Essays
• Requesting Letters of Recommendation
• Preparing for the Graduate Record Examination
• Graduate Admissions Interviews
• Applying to Clinical Psychology Programs
• Applying to Medical School and Professional Health Programs
• Accepting Graduate Admissions Offers

Applying to Clinical PhD Psychology Programs

How many applications to send.

Posted July 22, 2018

Now is the time that many individuals are going to be thinking about their future career . For many, their career journey includes graduate program in a clinical psychology PhD program. For these individuals, the next few months will involve carefully researching various programs to determine which programs might be best for them. One big question that will hit all of these potential applicants concerns the optimal number of applications to send.

It might seem like someone or some computer program has figured out the number of applications to send, but like most aspects of the application process for PhD clinical psychology programs, determining this number is complex. To begin, it is likely the case that most applicants know that getting accepted to a clinical psychology PhD program is very difficult. To illustrate this in concrete terms, we looked at the acceptance and matriculation rates of PhD programs that are members of the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology. These rates are publicly available for these programs website under the link “Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data”. We were able to locate data for 100 programs, and found that the acceptance rate was most often 4%, and the matriculation rate (those who actually enrolled) was most often 2%.

These extremely low values reflect the high standards of all clinical psychology PhD programs, the high number of applicants that apply to each program, and the low number of open slots at each program for an incoming class. One other point should be kept in mind related to the above points: The applicants to PhD programs are at the “highest level.” This means that if you are applying to a PhD program in clinical psychology, you really need to be a strong candidate. There is no hard and fast rule on what constitutes a strong candidate, but rest assured it is a combination of very high GRE scores (on all three components of the exam), a very high GPA in rigorous courses (forget those gym courses and basket-weaving courses!), research experience (remember that a PhD is a research degree), excellent letters of recommendation, and a great fit with a potential mentor.

Besides showing that it is really difficult to be accepted into a particular PhD program, the acceptance and matriculation (enrollment) rates raise other interesting issues that are important to the question of how many programs you should apply to. First, acceptance rates are higher than matriculation rates. This is because not every person who gets accepted to a clinical psychology PhD program ends up attending. For example, an applicant may realize that that being a clinician is not for them. This applicant’s slot is then open for another applicant. Second, applicants to clinical psychology PhD programs almost always apply to multiple programs. This leads to a lot of movement with regard to who gets accepted. Let’s take the example of a fictitious applicant Susan who applies to 15 clinical psychology PhD programs. She receives acceptances from five programs—Michigan State, UKentucky, UDenver, Alabama, and UTexas. Of course, she can only matriculate at one program—she picks UKentucky (not for the basketball!). Her matriculation decision means that the four other slots that were originally reserved for Susan must go unused or go to other applicants in the applicant pool, who may or may not enroll at each of the remaining four programs.

Given the above information, we can now focus on how many programs you should consider applying to. Right up front we should note that there does not appear to be any publicly accessible data that shows the number of applications per clinical psychology PhD applicant. This is different than other types of post-graduate applicants, where data is available on the number of applications per applicant for medical program (16 applications) and law program (6 applications).

Nonetheless, there is some guidance from the Internet on determining how many programs an applicant should apply to:

1) Although neither the American Psychological Association (APA) nor one of the most widely cited websites about applying to clinical psychology graduate program (“Mitch’s Guide”) recommends a specific number, these resources (and others) discuss applications in terms of “fit”. That is, an applicant should apply to programs where there is a fit between a student’s credentials and the characteristics of a particular program, including location, training emphasis, and potential mentor(s).

2) Some sites offer more specific recommendations. These sites discuss applying to different levels of programs. These types are typically defined based on the GPA and GRE data listed in a program’s link to Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data. At the top level are “Dream” or “Reach” programs (programs where your credentials are lower than the data), “Match” programs (programs where your credentials match the data for that program), and “Safety” or “Back-up” programs (programs where your credentials exceed the data). Sites recommending that you apply based on level of program will typically argue that an applicant should apply to perhaps two or three at each level.

3) Some Internet sites offer recommendations on how many programs to apply without mentioning level of program. These sites recommend varying numbers, often as high as 10-20 programs.

The lack of clarity on the number of applications to clinical psychology PhD programs means you may have to adjust your thinking as you move forward with your plans to apply to clinical psychology PhD programs. You will have to decide whether applying to different levels makes sense for you. While some students may need to use the levels approach because of specific gaps in their credentials, others may have a record so strong that the levels approach does not really apply to them—these students are competitive at all programs.

In addition, if you are a highly competitive applicant, it is probably worth you increasing your number of applications. Figuring out additional programs to apply to will involve more work, and it might involve considering multiple research areas you are willing to pursue, but it will likely increase your overall chances to be accepted to a program. You must always keep in mind that your chances of being accepted anywhere is still a function of your credentials, the competition (always an unknown), and what programs are considering. Moreover, each application has an application fee, and takes time and effort to complete. Therefore, you should probably only apply to those programs that you feel you would be willing to attend. With all of the above in mind, good luck as you move forward with your applications!

Please note that the comments of Dr. Golding and the others who post on this blog express their own opinion and not that of the University of Kentucky.

Check out career possibilities for psychology majors at scoutiescareersinpsychology.org

Learn tips to succeed in college at beginnersguidetocollegesuccess.com

Jonathan Golding, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. Anne Lippert, Ph.D. , is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Kentucky.

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Please check out our  PRO-TiP  (PhD Resources and Online Tips Page)!  PRO-TiP provides easy and open access to resources that help demystify the process of applying to graduate programs in Psychology.

What kind of program does Harvard offer?

The Harvard Psychology Department offers a research-oriented Ph.D. program in four areas: Experimental Psychopathology & Clinical Science, Developmental, Social, and Cognition, Brain, and Behavior (CBB). The Department does not offer a terminal master’s degree in psychology, though students admitted to the Ph.D. program can earn a master’s along the way. Some graduates of the program seek positions as research psychologists in an academic setting. Other graduates get positions in government, consulting firms, tech startups or larger tech companies, hospitals or social service agencies, and other network or private clinical settings.  The Department offers two tracks, Clinical Science and a Common Curriculum. The common curriculum is composed of three sub-fields: Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Cognition, Brain, and Behavior (CBB). The Common Curriculum, described in the program section of the graduate program website ,   is taken by all students except those in Clinical Science. Though these area boundaries exist, collaboration is an important aspect of our academic community. As such, faculty and students collaborate within and across these area boundaries.

How do I get information about Harvard doctoral program admissions?

The Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions website includes information about how to apply, required application materials, test score requirements, deadlines, and FAQs.  The application process is online .  This link connects you to the Psychology Program of Study page on the GSAS Admissions website. You can refer to our PRO-TiP page to find faculty answers to frequently asked questions.

Prospective applicants will want to read carefully about departmental faculty research interests   to decide whether this department is a good match. "Fit" of interests is an important criterion when the Department makes admissions decisions.

This list of theses and dissertations completed by current and previous students in the doctoral program may be useful in figuring out if this department would provide a good fit for your research goals.   

Do I need an undergraduate degree in Psychology to be eligible for the PhD program?

A psychology major is not required, but it is recommended that applicants take some basic psychology courses and obtain research experience. Admitted applicants have excellent grades, test scores, letters of recommendation, research experience and are a good match in terms of research interests with one or more members of the faculty, who serve as advisors.

Do I need to submit GRE scores, and how do I submit them?

*The submission of GRE scores is optional for Fall 2024 admission.*  GRE scores are valid for five years from the test date. If you have personal score reports available from tests taken within the last five years, you can upload them to your online application for consideration by the admissions committee. However, you will still need to ensure that  Educational Testing Service  (ETS) sends an official score report. Be sure to register for the tests well before administration dates and request that your scores be sent to Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using code 3451 (department code is not required).

Does the Psychology Department offer a master's degree?

No, we do not offer a terminal master’s degree in psychology, though students admitted to the PhD program can earn a master’s along the way.   

How long does the program take?

Some students find four years is sufficient to complete the program, although most take five and a few take six years. Financial aid is generally offered for up to six years. 

Who may act as a PhD advisor?

Only tenure-track faculty members in the Department of Psychology may serve as primary advisors to PhD students in Psychology. Affiliated faculty cannot serve as primary mentors for PhD students. Students are welcome to form collaborations with affiliated faculty, but these individuals do not participate in our PhD program admissions.

Can I get training in clinical psychology at Harvard?

The Department offers a research-oriented program in Clinical Science. Our program was designed and is perhaps best suited for individuals who aspire toward careers in clinical scientific research and teaching. As compared with some more clinically oriented programs, we place relatively more emphasis on research training and experience in our program admissions and our training program for admitted graduate students. That said, the clinical training opportunities afforded by the program provide excellent training in clinical intervention and assessment as well. The Clinical Program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).

Is there a part-time or distance learning option?

This is a full-time, in-person program. In unusual circumstances, the Department may grant permission for an enrolled student to temporarily register for a part-time schedule. It is required that students be in residence for at least two years in the program, and almost all students are in residence for the entire program. It is possible to receive permission to be a "traveling scholar" and do research or writing away from Cambridge, but this is most typical for students at an advanced stage of the program who have finished data collection. There is no online or distance-learning program.

Can I apply if I already have a master's degree?

Yes. Students that have completed prior graduate work can petition, after a semester of satisfactory work in the Department, to receive credit for up to eight relevant half-courses, the equivalent of a year's worth of work. However, many students in the program don't bother to apply for this credit since it is rare for a student to be exempted from any courses required by the department. In addition, the bulk of time in the doctoral program is spent on research projects, and the department very rarely exempts students from these. Even students coming in with a master's degree take between 4-6 years to complete the program, though an incoming student with more education may naturally be more focused at an earlier point in their program. By the time a student has finished all requirements for the doctorate, including research requirements, they will have many more than the required minimum number of credits.

Is there financial aid available?

Funding is in the form of grants in the early years and teaching or research fellowships in later years. Typically all admitted students are offered a funding package consisting of up to six years of full tuition, three years of living stipend, and two years of guaranteed teaching fellowships (which would provide a similar level of living support). Additional teaching is usually available in the fifth year. Both international and U.S. applicants are eligible for this financial package. Because funds are limited, applicants are urged to apply for any outside fellowships they may be eligible for.  NSF graduate fellowships  and those from the  Department of Defense  are examples of national fellowship competitions open to U.S. citizens. There are also the  Ford Foundation Fellowships , available specifically for URM scholars.  Receiving an outside fellowship may allow you to have a higher stipend, to decrease your teaching commitment or to have an additional year to complete your degree. Receiving an outside fellowship is also a professional honor that will help you in applying for jobs after graduate school.

How can I maximize my chances of being admitted?

We use a holistic approach in evaluating applicants and admitting graduate students to the program. Among the factors considered are grades from undergraduate coursework, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, application essays, prior research experience, and focused research interests, with an emphasis on those that are compatible with those of faculty members. The department is also actively committing to building an inclusive field. Part of that commitment is prioritizing diversity and support for diverse individuals within our own department.

While we do not require an undergraduate concentration in psychology, some social science coursework is recommended. Because the program is heavily quantitatively oriented, college-level math and statistics are also advised. Research experience is extremely helpful: successful applicants have often worked for professors, done research projects as part of college courses, written an undergraduate thesis, or volunteered in a psychology research lab.

Candidates’ research interests and compatibility with the program are determined in large part by the candidate's application essay, the Statement of Purpose. Here is some advice from a professor for writing a good application essay:

Over the past 12 years, I have been reading graduate school admissions’ essays. These include essays from students applying to work with me as well as those from my own students who are preparing to apply to other graduate programs. When my own students apply to graduate school, I give them very specific advice about the nature of the essay, what I think most candidate schools and advisors are looking for. I have always had a particular view about what makes for a good read , of course from a personal perspective. I have been struck by the fact that many of the incoming essays lack the kind of content that I am looking for, having the appearance of an undergraduate application essay. This seems unfortunate because I often use the essay more than almost anything else to get a sense of the applicant’s intellectual potential and passion. Many students that apply have stellar GPAs and GREs, but only a few present carefully reasoned essays that really motivate the reasons for going to graduate school. In essence, essays that capture my attention are ones that develop ideas, propose experiments, point to holes in the literature, and do these things with passion and excitement. These very general comments, which will certainly not capture every advisor’s perspective, or even the majority, can be distilled to a few essential ingredients, presented below as questions:

• Why continue on with your education? Why do you need to learn more? What skills, theories, and knowledge do you lack?
• What are the kinds of discoveries and theories that sparked your interest in the chosen discipline?
• In graduate school, what kinds of questions do you hope to address? Why do you think that these questions are important? Given the set of questions that you will focus on, what kinds of methods do you hope to apply? What skills do you bring forward as you enter graduate school and which skills do you hope to acquire?
• What holes do you see in the current discipline [big picture stuff]? In what ways do you think that they can be addressed during your graduate career?
• What kind of graduate environment are you looking for? Are you particularly keen on working with one faculty advisor, and if so, why this particular person? If you are leaning more toward a cluster of advisors, as well as the department more generally, why? Hint: faculty are engaged by students who have read some of their work, have thought critically about it, and wish to develop some of the issues addressed. Further, it helps with admissions to have one or more faculty championing your case.

Essays that have the above ingredients are truly informative. They tell each faculty member why the candidate wants to go to graduate school, what problems they hope to tackle, what skills they bring, and which skills they hope to acquire. Following this format is, of course, not a ticket of admission, but it will certainly make your application more interesting and informative.

More information from faculty in this program can be found on our PRO-TiP page .

Can I take courses without being admitted to the degree program?

The only way to take Harvard FAS courses, unless you are enrolled in another Harvard graduate program or MIT, is to be admitted as a  Special Student , which allows you to take between one and four courses a semester. Foreign national students  have  to take a full-time load in order to get a student visa. Students are issued a transcript, but no degree or certificate, for their work in the Special Student program.

Admitted Special Student applicants should be aware that the Department does not have the resources to provide the same support, academic and otherwise, to Special Students as it does to PhD students. Special Students are not assigned advisors, office space, research space, research funds, financial aid, library keys, or computer lab accounts. They are restricted from taking the Department's proseminar (PSY 2010), and other courses at the discretion of the instructor. 

Many Special Students hope eventually to enroll in a psychology graduate program; some plan to apply to Harvard's Ph.D. program. However, applicants should consider the Special Student year an opportunity to take courses, rather than a way to get an early start on the PhD program. While Special Students are certainly eligible to apply, potential applicants should be aware that admission as a Special Student does not guarantee admission to the PhD program. Special Students who are later admitted to the doctoral program receive credit for appropriate graduate-level courses taken during the Special Student term(s).

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Clinical Psychology

College: PP

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The Graduate School of Professional Psychology has offered a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) since 1976. It was one of the first PsyD programs in the nation and has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1979. The mission of the PsyD program is to train doctoral-level practitioner/scholars who have foundational interpersonal and scientific skills, a functional mastery of psychological assessment and intervention, and can apply this knowledge and skill in a range of settings.

We aim to train psychologists who contribute to the common good through their interpersonal awareness and skill. Students graduate from GSPP as psychologists with a solid grounding in psychology's scientific, ethical and professional foundations, with skills in assessment and intervention that can be applied to many contexts and communities.

Specialties

We offer a variety specialties including Latinx psychology, military psychology, oncology psychology, infant and early childhood mental health, and substance use disorder psychology.

Foundations of Diversity

Our required multicultural sequence ensures students are prepared to work with diverse populations.

Clinical Experience from Day One

Clinical practice begins in the first quarter of the program at DU's community-based psychological center. Additional fieldwork opportunities take advantage of our 130 different practicum sites.

Exemplary Breadth

We offer extensive clinical training to complement our students' deep, broad base of knowledge along with their analytical and research skills.

Career Preparation

We connect our students with internships, mentorships and professional development opportunities to help ensure professional success.

Featured Courses

Program requirements.

• Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.
• Grade point average: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree. An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution supersedes the minimum standards for the baccalaureate. For applicants with graduate coursework but who have not earned a master’s degree or higher, the GPA from the graduate work may be used to meet the requirement. The minimum GPA is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework undertaken.
• Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Applicants without a psychology background (major or minor) must meet the department's psychology prerequisite prior to matriculation. The psychology prerequisite can be met either through psychology coursework or by obtaining a score of at least 660 or higher on the psychology subject GRE exam. Applicants should state how they plan to meet the psychology prerequisite in their application. For the psychology coursework prerequisite, applicants must complete four (4) psychology courses earning a 'B' or better in these classes from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants offered admission should be aware that all psychology classes must be completed before registration in September.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. Scores must be received directly from the appropriate testing agency by the deadline. The institution code for the University of Denver is 4842.

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/CAE test score requirements for this degree program are:

• Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80
• Minimum TOEFL Score (Paper-based test): 550
• Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5
• Minimum CAE Score: 169

English Conditional Admission: No, this program does not offer English Conditional Admission.

Prospective Clinical Area Applicants

Note to Prospective Clinical Area Applicants:

In the UCLA clinical psychology program, admissions decisions are made by an admissions committee, not by individual faculty members. However, admissions decisions do take into consideration the match between the interests of those faculty and the relevant interests and experience of applicants and which faculty have openings for new students.  It is strongly recommended that applicants visit the  Faculty  page to learn more about faculty interests as well as the  Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data  page to review GRE and GPA statistics for students who successfully entered our program in recent years.

Interview dates for the upcoming 2024 admissions cycle are January 16, 2024 through January 19, 2024. Department Recruitment Day: February 23, 2024

The following Clinical Area faculty anticipate having an opening for new students in their labs for Fall 2024 Admission:

Denise Chavira, Ph.D. Bruce Chorpita, Ph.D. Michelle Craske, Ph.D. Tiffany Ho, Ph.D. Katherine Karlsgodt, Ph.D. Anna Lau, Ph.D. Lara Ray, Ph.D.

Clinical Area Application Requirements

Consistent with the policy of the UCLA Department of Psychology, applicants to the clinical psychology doctoral program at UCLA will not be required to take the GRE.

• GRE General Test:  Applicants for admission to our graduate program are not required to submit a GRE score report as part of their application package. Applicants may voluntarily submit GRE test scores and they will be reviewed as one part of the holistic application consideration. The applications with GRE scores will not be given greater weight than those that do not include scores. During the 2020 and 2021 admission cycles combined, 25% of applicants to the UCLA Psychology graduate program submitted GRE General Test scores. The number of applicants that applied, submitted GRE scores, and the percentage of applicants that submitted GRE scores, organized by Area, can be found in the table below.

• GRE Psychology Subject Test:  The GRE Psychology Subject Test is not required and will not be used to make admissions decisions. However, students who score above the 70 th  percentile can use the GRE Subject Test to partially fulfill Discipline-Specific Knowledge requirements (e.g., cognitive, social) that are part of accreditation by the American Psychological Association. In this way, admitted students may be able to reduce the amount of, or more flexibly select, coursework needed to complete program requirements. Students may elect to take the GRE Subject Test after their admission into our program and all program requirements can be fulfilled without taking the test.
• Please note that your admission to the program is conditional on your passing  Live Scan background check , which is required for your participation in clinical practica and internship. We can help facilitate the process when you arrive at UCLA.

Psychology and Neuroscience: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics

What are you looking for?

Suggested search, student admissions, outcomes, and other data, faculty with openings for new students 2024-2025:.

The following core clinical faculty are interested in recruiting students for the 2024-25 academic year:

Drs.  Chris Beam , Iony Ezawa , Duke Han** , Bruna Martins-Klein , and Jon Stange .

**Duke Han will be joining the core clinical faculty in January 2024

Additionally, non-clinical faculty members Dan Nation , and Amy West will be reviewing applications from prospective clinical students.

The following core clinical faculty are not ​ planning to admit students in 2024: Beasley, Davison, Huey, Lopez, Margolin, Saxbe, Shapiro.

Fall 2024 Clinical Science Application

The priority deadline for clinical program applicants is November 10 th , 2023 and the clinical area will begin reviewing applications at that time. Final Deadline is December 1 st , 2023. We are not  currently planning to require GRE scores from applicants.

Clinical Program Student Data

We provide these data in an effort to help applicants make informed decisions about graduate training programs and to comply with recommendations of the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) accreditation principles, and the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP). CUDCP provides a list of full disclosure websites of member programs. APA also provides a list of accredited doctoral programs*. PCSAS accredited programs can be found here.

Successful outcomes in our program are exemplified by the achievements of our current students and by the graduates of the program. We continuously monitor our program’s success in preparing students to do publishable research and to take research-related positions or other positions toward the goal of disseminating clinical science.

At the time of our recent PCSAS accreditation review, 69% of our graduates over the past 10 years met the criteria of producing and/or disseminating clinical science. Of all graduates, 28% have tenure-track positions at universities and colleges; graduates also produce and disseminate clinical science through research post-doctoral positions and other non-academic research positions, through teaching and supervision, and through positions of leadership in which clinical science training informs decision-making and public policy. On average, our graduates publish 1.3 articles per year post-Ph.D.; 37.5 have been PI or Co-I on major grants, and the vast majority conducts research and does work with underserved populations. The progress and productivity of our current students is another key indicator of the quality of our program. By the time students leave for an internship, virtually all students have published, with the average number of publications exceeding 4. Data from students show an upward progression in the mean number of publications with each year (.6 in the first year, 1.6 in the second year, 1.8 in 3rd year, 2.2 in 4th year, 4.5 in the fifth year, and beyond). A number of our current students also hold prestigious pre-doctoral awards, including NIH NRSA Fellowships, NSF Predoctoral Fellowships, and the APA Minority Fellowship.

The clinical psychology program at USC has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1948. Our next site review will occur in 2027.

graduates have met the criteria of producing and/or disseminating clinical science

graduates have tenure-track positions at universities and colleges

graduates have been PI or Co-I on major grants

Clinical Program Details and Information

Here, we’ve gathered essential information for individuals eager to pursue a degree in clinical science at the University of Southern California, covering key aspects, you’ll find the answers you need as you prepare for this application cycle.

Admission to USC is competitive. We favor applicants who demonstrate strong potential for research careers through their academic record (indicated by choice of course work and GPA), have considerable experience conducting research, have strong letters of endorsement from faculty who have known them well, and who express career goals consistent with our own model and mission to train clinical scientists. We also consider a research match – whether an applicant’s research interests are a good fit given the research interests of faculty in the clinical area. The entire record contributes to the admissions decision.

View data here : P rogram Disclosures

All students in the 2023-2024 entering class have been offered five years of funding, including two years of fellowship. The remaining years may consist of research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or paid clinical placements. These awards come with at least 12 units of tuition remission per semester. Students do not have to pay tuition as long as they are under the terms of their five-year package and in good standing. View data here:  Program Costs

(Please note that these are estimated figures. Further information on standard fees assessed by USC can be found on the USC website: https://financialaid.usc.edu/graduates/prospective/how-much-wil-my-education-cost.html)

For the past ten completed academic years (students graduating August 2013 through August 2023), the average time to completion was 6.8 years including internship. Students entering the program with a master’s degree are not offered advanced standing in the program and must complete the same requirements. There is no change in expected time-to-completion based on the degree a student has at the time of entering the program. View data here: Time to Completion for all students entering the program

In the table below, frequency (number) and percent of students obtaining internships are given. Percentage, in each case, is calculated by dividing the relevant number (such as the number obtaining an internship) by the total number of students who applied for an internship in that year. For each entry, the time interval refers to the year in which students applied for an internship (internship typically runs on a calendar similar to but not precisely overlapping an academic year). View data here: Internships

Note: This information reflects program data as of August 2022-23. View data here:   Attrition

In compliance with APA regulations, we provide the proportion seeking and obtaining licensure based on students graduating between 2013 and 2023. Some students enter the program intending careers in which licensure is not helpful (e.g., full-time academic research careers not involving any clinical supervision), and licensure laws vary from one state to another. In some states, it takes considerable time beyond the Ph.D. to accrue sufficient post-doctoral experience to obtain a license, so these numbers should be examined with that in mind. This statistic was last updated in August 2023. View data here:  Licensure

Admission Statistics

Admission to USC is competitive. We favor applicants who demonstrate strong potential for research careers through their academic record (indicated by choice of course work and GPA), have experience conducting research at a high level of independence, have strong letters of endorsement from faculty who have known them well, express career goals consistent with our own model and mission to train clinical scientists, and who have strong GRE scores. We also consider the research match – whether an applicant’s research interests are a good fit for a faculty mentor. The entire record contributes to the admissions decision.

Students are admitted to the clinical science program as a whole and are not directly admitted by individual faculty members. It is possible for students to work with more than one mentor over the course of their time at USC, although one faculty member is typically responsible for the primary research mentorship of each clinical student. There should be a close fit of research interest between the applicant and the potential research mentor

Please note : Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Phone: (202) 336-5979 /E-mail:  [email protected]   / Web:  www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

*You can also find a list of APA’s list of accredited doctoral programs here .

• University of Pennsylvania
• School of Arts and Sciences
• Penn Calendar

Search form

Information for Applicants

The Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania will be accepting applications for the PhD program for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle beginning October 1, 2024. The deadline for applicants who wish to matriculate in Fall 2025 is December 1, 2024 11:59 pm P.S.T. (Note that this deadline is earlier than the one indicated on the School of Arts and Sciences webpage.)

Please note, we only accept applications for a PhD in Psychology. We do not admit students to pursue a terminal Master’s degree.

1. Before submitting an application , we strongly encourage applicants to contact faculty with whom they are interested in working to discuss their research interests and confirm that working with the faculty member would be a good fit. 

A full listing of our graduate group members may be found here . All members of our graduate group are eligible to advise students in our program, and a list of those indicating they will look at applications for Fall 2025 will be added to this webpage before the application opens on October 1, 2024.

2. Once you have contacted a faculty member and determined that the lab and the program are a good fit, you should proceed with your application ( APPLY HERE ).

3. The GRE General test is optional for application to Penn Psychology’s graduate program. We believe that the results of the test can provide valuable information in a student’s dossier--information that is different from the other elements and might allow a student to reveal intellectual distinction that would set them apart. At the same time, we are aware that the GRE is expensive and can present a barrier to application to PhD programs. It is in the interest of removing this barrier that we have made the GRE optional. If you do choose to submit GRE scores, they must be sent before the Dec. 1, 2024 admissions deadline. Please be aware that ETS (who makes the GRE) has a fee reduction program that halves the cost of the GRE for students who may not have the means to pay for the test: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/fees/reductions/

4. Applicants whose native language is not English must prove English proficiency through the following approved tests, unless they graduated from an English-speaking university (i.e., a university in an English-speaking country): TOEFL iBT Test (standard/in-person), TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, TOEFL ITP Plus for China solution, or IELTS. TOEFL must be submitted electronically through ETS using the institution code 2926. An official copy of the IELTS scores must be mailed directly from IELTS to the Graduate Division, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 322A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228.

5. Personal Statement: All applicants must include a personal statement that addresses the following question:   Please describe how your background and academic experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and led you to apply to Penn. Your essay should detail your specific research interests and intellectual goals within  your chosen field. Please provide information about your educational trajectory, intellectual curiosity and academic ambitions. If you have overcome adversity and/or experienced limited access to resources or opportunities in your field of study, please feel free to share how that has affected the course of your education. We are interested in your lived experiences and how your particular perspective might contribute to the inclusive and dynamic learning community that Penn values and strives to create.   For more information about the personal statement, please visit our Personal Statement Information page.

6. You must arrange to have 3 letters of recommendation sent to Penn and submit all components of the application before the December 1, 2024 deadline ( APPLY HERE ). These include a personal statement, a transcript, and a CV. See here , for additional information about the personal statement.

7. Pay your application fee. Penn offers application fee waivers for some applicants. All fee waiver requests for hardships, McNair Scholars, etc., should be sent to the Graduate Division of Arts and Sciences for their review. Requests may be sent by email to [email protected] . Please note that application fee waivers are not provided for international applicants.

8. You will hear from us in mid-January if you will be invited to interview . Interviews will be held virtually.  Interviews are usually in late January/early February. Admissions offers are usually made in mid-February.

Is Penn’s program right for you? – See this handy decisions tree , reposted from the University of Houston Psychology website, to help you determine a route to your desired Psychology career.

Additional questions? A list of frequently asked questions about the application process can be found here .

For further questions, please contact Paul Newlon at [email protected] .

Graduate School

Admission Statistics

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• General Admission

Applications for the Fall 2024 admission cohort are now closed.  The deadline for submission was December 4, 2023 at 8:59pm PST.  

Our department does not offer admission for the Spring semester. The next application cycle will begin in Fall of 2024 for the Fall 2025 admission cohort. Please check back in September for updated information.

IMPORTANT : The GRE is not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. Not submitting GRE scores will not be counted against an applicant. Please disregard any information that states that the GRE is required for Psychology graduate admission.  Scores from the GRE Psychology subject test are not requested or considered in the application process.

For international students who must submit evidence of language proficiency , applicants should take their exam so that we receive the scores by our application deadline. You can read more about the English Language Proficiency Requirement on the Graduate Division website. 

Check with Educational Testing Service to be sure your scores will be submitted on time.

Faculty taking students in the current application cycle by area: 

• Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience: Profs. Lance Kriegsfeld and Linda Wilbrecht
• Clinical Science: Profs. Keanan Joyner , and Hedy Kober
• Cognition: Prof. Anne Collins
• Cognitive Neuroscience: Profs. Silvia Bunge , Matt Walker , and David Whitney
• Developmental: Profs. Arianne Eason , Jan Engelmann , Mahesh Srinivasan , Fei Xu , and Qing Zhou
• Social-Personality: Profs. Serena Chen , Arianne Eason , Dacher Keltner , and Iris Mauss

Faculty contact regarding admission Applicants may try to contact faculty with whom they wish to do research before they apply, but this is not encouraged.  Many faculty do not communicate with or meet applicants outside of the official application process. 

To determine which faculty member’s research matches your interest, visit Research Overview and Faculty on our website.

Applicants may not upload materials after the application deadline. Applications must be completed by the deadline. You may continue updating materials in your application up to the point of submission. Once you have submitted the application, you may no longer make changes, so be sure your application is 100% complete before submitting.

Ph.D. - We only admit students who intend to earn a Ph.D. degree

Not Offered 

Master's. - Our department does not offer a terminal Master’s degree program. Students admitted to our graduate program do, however, have the option of earning the M.A. degree while working toward the Ph.D. degree.

Psy.D. - We do not offer a Psy.D. degree program. Our Clinical Science area offers only the Ph.D. degree and is highly focused on research.

Here are some tips to become a competitive candidate:

First , regarding courses, there are not any specific classes that you need to complete for admission to our program, but we strongly recommend that you take an introductory psychology course, several advanced courses in psychology, research methods and statistics.

Second , the admissions committee seeks students who have laboratory or field research experience, a general knowledge of psychology (and their particular subfield), and the ability to conduct high-level research in that subfield.

Third , writing a strong personal statement and having extremely good letters of recommendation are both essential. Also, it is beneficial for applicants to our Clinical Science program to have volunteer or paid clinical experience (e.g., hospital internships, suicide/crisis hotlines, educational work with children, etc.).

Competitive candidates for our program will have a Bachelor's degree in Psychology (or a closely related field) from an accredited 4 year institution. Those with a Bachelor's degree in field other than Psychology, should consider acquiring a Post Baccalaureate degree in Psychology, such as the one offered through UC Berkeley Extension .

How competitive is the program?

The admission rate to our graduate program for the 2023 entering class is approximately 2%. 735 people applied and 18 were offered admission. Clinical Science is our most competitive area, with an admission rate of less than 1%.

Students entering the program in 2023 received undergraduate degrees from the following institutions:

• Arizona State University 
• Beijing Normal University 
• Boston College 
• Brown University 
• Colorado College 
• Columbia University 
• Northwestern University
• Stanford University
• University of California Berkeley
• University of California Los Angeles
• University of California San Diego
• University of California Santa Barbara
• University College London
• University of Manchester

Courses completed to be considered for admission

There is no set number of courses that are required. In general, a broad-based education in psychology is preferred in addition to introductory psychology, research methods and statistics. Advanced courses in the area to which you will apply are helpful but not required.

Where to take psychology courses if already obtained an undergraduate degree in a different field:

The courses should be advanced courses, so taking courses at a 4-year institution is appropriate. Enrolling in a post-baccalaureate program is an option (Berkeley Psychology Postbac program). You may take courses through a continuing education program or during the summer. Online courses may not be the best option.

If you already have a B.A. or Master's in psychology:

Bachelor’s degree in psychology

A bachelor’s degree in psychology is not required for admission to our graduate program, though most of our admitted students have an undergraduate degree in psychology. Whatever your major, it is important to have a strong background related to the area of psychology to which you will apply. Degrees in a biological, cognitive, or social science are often closely related to areas of psychology in our graduate program.

Master’s degree in psychology

A master’s degree in psychology is not required for admission to our graduate program; most of our admitted students do not enter with a master’s degree. Students who enter with a master’s degree in psychology start at year one of our program, just like students with a bachelor’s degree.

Needed research experience in psychology

It is essential to have laboratory or field research experience in psychology before you apply. Successful candidates have a minimum of one year of research experience, either as undergraduates or following a bachelor’s degree (e.g., postbac program, research assistant position); most have substantially more experience.

Tips on how to get research experience:

If you do not have laboratory or field research experience in the area (of psychology) of interest to you, then you must attain such experience before applying. To find research opportunities, review the research interests of professors in psychology departments at universities or colleges (4-year institutions) near you and then contact the specific faculty members whose research interests you, asking if they have research positions (volunteer or paid) to which you may apply. Postbac programs are another option for obtaining this research experience.

Consideration of experience

Academic research experience is highly valued, particularly in the context of a psychology or neuroscience laboratory, but also in other academic settings. Other work experience, including jobs and internships, are also valuable, particularly if it has helped you to 1) hone one or more of the following essential skills: critical thinking, teaching, writing, leadership and/or teamwork, and time management and 2) develop into a mature young adult with a strong work ethic.

Who to ask for letters of recommendation:

Letters of recommendation should be from individuals with whom you have worked closely in an academic, clinical, research or professional setting so they can comment positively on your accomplishments, and your potential to succeed in a graduate program.

Required letters of recommendation

We require three letters of recommendation; a fourth is acceptable. At least two should be from professors and/or research supervisors.

Statement of purpose

In your statement of purpose, please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific.

Some questions to consider are:

• What sparked your interest in psychology?
• What are your academic achievements?
• What are your general and specific areas of research interest?
• Why would UC Berkeley be a good intellectual fit for you? You also should discuss why you are interested in your emphasis and the specific faculty members you selected.

Personal History statement

The personal history statement should discuss how your personal background influences your decision to pursue a graduate degree in psychology. For example, please include information on how you have overcome barriers; evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically under represented in higher education; evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality, or evidence of your leadership among such groups.

• What hardships have you overcome?
• What have been your successes?
• What obstacles came up? Show how you persevered.
• How did you become interested in psychology?
• Were you in some way different from the majority of students in your class?
• Was your family supportive in your decision to choose psychology as a career field?
• Were you influenced by your parents’ education and career?
• Were you in a single parent family?
• Was much of your time spent taking care of your siblings?
• Did you work while going to school?
• Is psychology a common career field for people of your cultural background?

Submission of transcript from host university if studied abroad

In some cases, the transcript of the home university only contains credits/units from the host university. In these cases, it is necessary for the applicant to submit the transcript from the host university. You do not need to submit the transcript from the host university in cases where the credits/units, grades, course names and course numbers appear on your home university’s transcript.

• Application Instructions
• About the Program
• Funding & Residency
• Career & Licensure Opportunities
• Graduate Program
• Current Graduate Students
• Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
• Psychology Dept. Ph.D. Graduates

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1-2% acceptance rates - how many applicants are actually qualified?

I just finished my undergraduate degree and am interested in pursuing either a PsyD or PhD in Counseling/Clinical psychology in the coming years. Clinical psychology programs are notoriously hard to get in to, and most have about a 1-2% acceptance rate. Usually 300-500 applicants, with only a handful accepted. This seems incredibly daunting and sometimes discourages me.

My question is: out of these several hundred applicants, how many are appropriately qualified to apply?

Do the vast majority of these students have over a 3.5, research and/or clinical experience, a publication or two, GRE scores above the 70th percentile, thoughtful SOP, good letters of recommendation? These are generally the requirements that make one competitive. What portion of these applications are actually "competitive"?

Im not sure if this is the proper sub for this, or if this question can even be reliably answered. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated though. Thanks!

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University of South Florida

Department of Psychology

Tampa | St. Petersburg | Sarasota-Manatee

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Prospective graduate students, application information.

Please note that applications to the clinical area must be received on or before our Priority Deadline date of December 1 (domestic and international applicants). This year’s Open Houses will be held virtually and are scheduled for Friday, January 26 th , 2024, and Friday, February 2 nd , 2024.  

GRE scores optional for Clinical Concentration (see GRE section below).

Psychology is one of the most common majors on most college campuses. In addition, many psychology majors hope to become clinical psychologists. However, entry into a clinical psychology Ph.D. program is difficult as acceptance rates vary from 1 to 20%. In general, if you are very interested in attending a Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology, you should seriously consider applying to at least several programs (13-15 would not be unreasonable). Following this strategy will increase your chances of acceptance into at least one program.

The competition for acceptance into the USF Clinical Psychology program is, unfortunately, intense. Approximately 300 students apply each year but only about 7-10 are admitted. Students admitted to the Clinical Psychology program at the University of South Florida frequently excel in a number of different areas:

Many qualified students are not admitted because acceptance is determined not only by credentials but also by past experiences. Nearly all entering students have worked as research assistants and many have had experience in a mental health facility, usually as a volunteer. Although both types of experiences will enhance your chances for admission, psychological research experience is most important. The majority of our entering students have presented their research at a conference or have published their research. Another reason that experience will help you when you apply to our program is that you will need three letters of recommendation. Optimally, these letters will be from academic psychologists with whom you have worked in the past and who know something about you personally. For example, professors with whom you have worked as a research assistant would be good references.

Academic Excellence

Other than the minimum criteria set by the university for all graduate programs, we have no formal cutoffs for GPA. Nevertheless, there are some guidelines you can use to evaluate your chances for admission. The entering classes for the last three years had a median GPA of 3.88. Please realize, however, that many students admitted into our program have GPAs lower (and higher) than this as GPA is not the sole criteria for admission. A GPA around 3.5 for the last two years is recommended. We also prefer that students have an undergraduate degree in Psychology. However, we have occasionally made an exception for applicants who are particularly strong in other areas (e.g., research experiences). Still, it is highly desirable for a student to have at least a minimal background in Psychology (e.g., Introductory Psychology, Abnormal Psychology) and in Research Methods (e.g. Experimental Design, Statistics, etc.).

GRE Scores Policy

The USF Clinical Program is committed to improving access to graduate training. While the Psychology Department recommends applicants submit GRE scores, they are currently optional for Clinical applicants. Applications will be deemed complete even without GRE scores.

Applications are assessed holistically. For different applicants, GRE scores may or may not enhance their application.

For example, applicants who have a high undergraduate GPA and extensive research experience – especially postbaccalaureate research experience – may decide GRE scores do not enhance their application.

In some cases, applicants may want to consider submitting GRE scores.

• GRE scores increase competitiveness for USF fellowships .
• Applicants with less research experience or a lower undergraduate GPA may benefit from including GRE scores as part of their application.

For applicants who may be interested in submitting GREs as part of their application, the entering classes for the last three years had a median GRE (Verbal and Quantitative combined) score of 321, Analytic Writing 4.75 (on the newer version). Please realize, however, that many students admitted into our program have scores lower (and higher) than these scores, as applications are assessed holistically.

Match on Research Interests

Many qualified students are not admitted because acceptance is determined not only by credentials and past experiences but also by match with the research interests of our faculty. We are an apprenticeship model (also known as a mentorship model) program, which means that students work closely with at least one primary research mentor. Admission decisions are made with mentorship matches in mind, so it is important for applicants to identify at least one potential mentor among the clinical faculty. It is a good idea to mention your preferred mentor(s) in your personal statement. Note that not all faculty members expect to admit students into their laboratories next Fall. Those who expect to admit students are identified by asterisks.

Based on review of qualifications relative to the aforementioned areas, approximately 30-35 applicants are invited to one of two Open House interview events each year. The clinical area usually tries to accept between 7-10 students into the program. Some candidates who do not get an offer initially are put on a waiting list. Consistent with APA guidelines, all applicants will be informed of their status in the admissions process by April 1 st . Also, consistent with APA guidelines, applicants have until April 15 th to decide on an offer. If they decline the offer before April 15 th , then applicants on the waiting list may receive an offer (which again can be held until April 15 th ).

Please see the Student Statistics/Full Disclosure for more information on the students who have been recruited over the last few years and the USF Clinical Psychology Faculty page for information about who is recruiting students this year.

Applicants with a Master's Degree

Many incoming students already have a Master’s degree. Students entering with a Master’s degree can waive previously taken graduate courses that are judged to be equivalent to requirements in our Ph.D. program, and can potentially transfer up to 15 credits toward the Ph.D. However, all of the course requirements from our Masters Along the Way must be met either by waiving the requirement based on courses already taken in the previous Master’s degree or by taking the courses en route to the Ph.D. Decisions about course waivers and credit transfers can only be made after review once an applicant has been accepted into the program. Each individual case must be evaluated by the concentration after admission. Likewise, it is sometimes possible to count a completed Master’s thesis if it is judged equivalent in quality to theses conducted by students in our major. After acceptance into the major, a faculty committee will review your thesis to determine whether it can meet our requirements.

Tips on Applying

There are a number of excellent books that can help with the application process. Books that our students have recommended are the following: Getting In: a Step-by-step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology, Graduate Study in Psychology (both of which can be ordered from the American Psychological Association : 1-800-374-2721), and Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical Psychology (by Norcross, Mayne & Sayette, published by Guilford Press). We hope these references help you become more educated about the application process.

If you have general questions about the application process or about careers in the field of psychology, we encourage you to read some of the resources noted above. If you have specific questions about our Clinical program after reading the material on this webpage, please feel free to contact our clinical admissions advisor. This advisor is an advanced clinical student who will keep regular telephone hours throughout the academic term. Here is advisor's email address . In the meantime, we wish you good luck in making your decision and hope that you will seriously consider applying to our program.

A Note on Interviews, Visits, and Contacting Faculty: Because of the volume of applications each year, we cannot arrange visits or interviews with prospective applicants until February, at which point we invite about 35 applicants to the University of South Florida Open Houses to interview. If you are interested in the program and have questions, you should contact faculty whose work looks like the best match for you and who are taking students for the current year, or contact Alex Rivera, our clinical admissions advisor .

Brief USF Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program Description

Our program is a full-time, APA-Accredited, Ph.D. program. It is also a member program of the Academy for Psychological Clinical Science, which indicates our commitment to research training. Although an M.A. degree is awarded on the way toward receiving the Ph.D., you should not enter the program with the intention of obtaining only a masters. If you cannot commit to the Ph.D. program, you should investigate the large number of schools that offer a terminal masters program in Clinical Psychology.

The entire Ph.D. program usually takes four or five years of academic work, followed by a one-year clinical internship. All students complete two independent research projects, a masters thesis and a doctoral dissertation. In order to be eligible for graduation, students are required to complete 90 hours of course work. In addition to intense involvement in research activities, students are involved in clinical practica throughout their training.

Diversity Philosophy

Please follow this link .

Clinical Faculty Research

The research interests of the Clinical faculty are described below. Our faculty members have diverse interests within clinical psychology, and we urge applicants to read the descriptions carefully before deciding whether to apply to our program. In addition to the research foci of the individual faculty members, we would like to highlight a few general areas that cut across faculty, and are therefore particular strengths of the clinical training program at USF. Please note, however, that these general themes do not represent all of the areas of research carried out by our faculty and students.

Health Psychology

This is the fastest-growing area within the field of clinical psychology, and it is a clear strength of our department. Areas of health psychology studied by our faculty include addictive disorders (Bornovalova, Brandon), eating disorders and obesity (Rancourt), behavioral oncology and risk factors for cancer (Brandon, Simmons, Vidrine), and psychsocial issues in HIV (Chenneville, Gabbidon). Research in health psychology is enhanced by the presence of a medical school and large medical center on campus. Among the hospitals in the medical center are the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and the James A. Haley Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Both of these facilities often serve as placement sites for our clinical students.

Substance Abuse

Substance use issues are some of the most prevalent behavioral problems in our country today, impacting society in a multitude of ways. Although mentioned above as a sub area within health psychology, research on addictive behaviors can also be considered a strength of our department in its own right.

Clinical faculty conducting research in this area include Marina Bornovalova (drug use disorders and comorbidity with externalizing psychopathology), Thomas Brandon (tobacco use and cessation), Robert Schlauch (individual differences in alcohol and drug use), Vani Simmons (Tobacco cessation and relapse prevention), Edelyn Verona (drug use and criminal justice involvement), and Jennifer Vidrine (tobacco cessation and eliminating health disparities). 

Psychopathology

The study of mental illness and disordered behaviors continues to serve as a foundation for much of clinical psychology. Faculty whose research falls in this area include Marina Bornovalova (externalizing disorders and behaviors), Peter Clayson (adaptive control in healthy and clinical populations), Marc Karver (self-harm and suicidal behavior), Vicky Phares (developmental psychopathology), Diana Rancourt (eating disorders), Jon Rottenberg (individual differences in the experience of emotions, especially depression), and Edelyn Verona (psychopathy, externalizing and antisocial behaviors, aggression/violence.

Clinical Child Psychology

Clinical child psychology has been one of the most popular and expanding areas of study over the past decade. Department research spans the prevention-treatment continuum from studies of etiology, assessment, and treatment of child/adolescent disorders to primary and secondary prevention efforts to reduce rates of disorder and promote healthy functioning. Clinical faculty conducting research in this general area include Mark Durand (autism spectrum disorders), James McHale (infant-family mental health), Marc Karver (treatment processes and suicidal adolescents), Vicky Phares (developmental psychopathology, parenting), and Diana Rancourt (peer influence and adolescents’ weight-related behaviors). Research and practicum sites include the USF Psychological Services Center, three local school districts, and the Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry in the USF Department of Pediatrics.

Financial Obligations and Living Arrangements

Tuition and Fees

For the 2023-2024 academic year, tuition rates are $431.43 per credit-hour for Florida residents and $877.17 per hour for non-residents. The typical entering clinical student will register for 9 credit hours each fall and spring.

The large majority of graduate students receive tuition waivers. For example, most TA and RA positions come with a tuition waiver. The tuition waiver covers 100% of tuition costs and students are responsible for additional student fees.

The cost of living in Tampa is affordable compared with most large cities. Many nice apartment complexes are located close to campus. For more information about housing and Tampa in general, take a look at any of several Tampa Bay area guides on the internet.

Alternatives to a Clinical Psychology Degree

In choosing a career path, you should be aware of graduate programs in other mental health fields. For example, at USF, there are excellent programs in School Psychology (813-974-3246), Social Work (813-974-2063), Rehabilitation Counseling (813-974-2855), Counselor Education (813-974-3515), and Aging Studies (813-974-2414). Other universities offer additional programs at the masters and doctoral levels.

Clinical Admissions Chair Marc S. Karver, Ph.D.

Director of Clinical Training Diana Rancourt, Ph.D.