The Ph.D. Program in Experimental Psychology admits students in four broad areas of concentration (known as "clusters" or "subprograms"): Biobehavioral Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, and Behavioral Pharmacology. The Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology places equal emphasis on research and clinical training and is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association.
Students completing the Clinical/Developmental PhD Psychology Program will meet the requirements for both the Clinical Ph.D. Program and the developmental subprogram of the Experimental Ph.D. Program. Students interested in the Clinical/Developmental Psychology Ph.D. Program should apply through the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program application and indicate their interest in the Clinical/Developmental Ph.D. Program in their application materials.
The online application process is administered by the Graduate College. You can create an account to start your application at the Graduate College Application Online.
The Department of Psychological Science is committed to diversity among the student body in terms of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, native language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and social economic status. Prospective applicants who will enhance the diversity of our student body, including those from under-represented racial or ethnic groups and first-generation college students, are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Details
Deadline for applying
December 1
Please note that the Clinical Ph.D. Training Program holds interviews in February. Although these have been in-person previously, these interviews may also be conducted virtually. Additional information will be made available closer to the date. All interviews are by invitation only.
Materials to submit
Online Application: The Application, Statement of Purpose, Resident Status Application, and the Application Fee are all included in the Online Application. Although there is no required length for the Statement of Purpose, most Statements of Purpose are between 1-2 pages in length.
GRE: We have eliminated the GRE from consideration for admission. We will NOT accept or consider GRE scores for applications. Applicants should NOT submit their GRE scores through ETS nor report their scores in the application portal or on their CVs or personal statements.
Curriculum Vitae (CV): It is highly recommended that you submit a curriculum vitae (CV). You can do so through the online application.
Clinical PhD Program Writing Sample: Also refer to Clinical Training Program's Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data for additional information regarding application to this program.
Note: You must submit a writing sample of a research project or paper on which you were the primary author when applying to the Clinical
PhD Program. Emailed copies will not be accepted.
Experimental PhD Program Writing Sample: Although not required, applicants to the Experimental PhD Program are encouraged to submit a writing sample of a research project or paper on which you were the primary author.
TOEFL Scores: If your native or first language is not English, you must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Questions about the TOEFL examination may be directed to the TOEFL/TSE Services, Educational Testing Service, PO Box 6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154; telephone 609-771-7100.
Transcripts: Transcripts must be obtained from each of the post-secondary educational institutions you have attended. UVM students must request the Registrar to send their transcripts to the Graduate College Admissions Office. Unofficial transcripts uploaded by you are sufficient for the review process. However, acceptance into the program is contingent on the receipt of official transcripts.
Letters of Recommendation: Letters of Recommendation from three persons qualified to assess your potential for graduate work are required. Please use the portion of the online application for letters of recommendation, or point them to the printable page. References from college or university placement files are acceptable provided they are forwarded in an unopened envelope. Photocopied references are acceptable with original signatures only. Applicants are encouraged to work with their recommenders to ensure timely submission of letters of recommendation so that these letters are available during the review of applications.
How to apply
- Carefully read the instructions for Applying to the University of Vermont Graduate College
- Read the Directions and Information for specific information regarding the online application process.
- Create your online account
- Access the Application Account Menu to begin the online application process.
- Log onto your account to check the status of your online application.
Faculty Accepting Students
Faculty Accepting Clinical Ph.D. Program Students for Fall 2025
The following faculty members are potentially accepting clinical Ph.D. program graduate students who enter the program in the Fall of 2025:
The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program will hold remote interviews on a date to be announced in the near future. The short list of applicants selected to interview will be sent a link to their interview. We strongly encourage applicants who are interested in our program to reserve this date should they be invited to interview. Accommodations for alternate dates for those who cannot attend on this date are not guaranteed.
Faculty Accepting Experimental Ph.D. Program Students for Fall 2024
The following faculty members are potentially accepting experimental Ph.D. program graduate students who enter the program in the Fall of 2024:
Additional Application Details
Advice to reduce application costs
Here are several tips to reduce the cost of submitting an application to our doctoral programs.
- Submit unofficial transcripts. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application review. You will only need to submit an official transcript if you are offered admission.
- Request an application fee waiver if needed (see Application Fees section below)
Application fee
The nonrefundable application fee is $65 US. Applications are not processed until the application fee is received.
Statement of purpose
In your Statement of Purpose (sometimes called Personal Statement), please identify the names of at least one faculty (up to 3) member you wish to do research with. Particular attention is paid to the match between a student's interests and plans and the expertise of our Department. (See the above listing for faculty accepting students.)
Importance of timely submission
We do not normally review applications that do not contain all the information required and so it is advisable to submit all your materials on time.
Remote interviews via Zoom
The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program will hold remote interviews on February 9th, 2024, using Zoom. The short list of applicants selected to interview will be sent a link to their interview. We look forward to meeting you virtually!
Full-time program
There is no formal part-time program, and students who want to attend on a part-time basis will need to justify this in their application. The prerequisites for application and program requirements are the same whether students are attending on a full-time or part-time basis.
International students
If you are an international student (not a U.S. resident or resident-alien) make sure you visit the Office of International Education for VISA requirements. This VISA process can take many months to complete, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of lead time when applying. Documents not issued in English must be accompanied by a notarized English translation.
Questions?
For questions regarding the application process, contact the Graduate.Admissions@uvm.edu or by phone at 802-656-2699. For questions regarding requirements of the Psychological Science Department, please email Psychology@uvm.edu or call 802-656-2670. (Preferred method is via e-mail.)