Before You Apply

Admission to the Clinical Psychology program is competitive. We receive 150-350 applications per year and have 5-6 openings available for incoming students.

The fit between a student and the program philosophy, structure, and faculty interests is essential. See the list of faculty members interested in accepting students for the upcoming academic year.

Visits prior to application are not permitted as this may give an unfair advantage to local individuals.

The Admissions Director, Norah Feeny, is happy to respond to e-mail inquiries regarding specific questions that cannot be answered here.

PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM ON THIS SITE AND OUR FAQ PAGE BEFORE CONTACTING THE PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM OR THE DCT. **Is Clinical Psychology the best type of training for me?** **Your guide to getting in**

Questions related to the program’s accreditation 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 Email: apaaccred@apa.org

How to Apply

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY DECEMBER 1 OF EACH YEAR.

Instructions/FAQ about the online application process can be found here.
Submit the following using the online application process:

  • Application
  • Nonrefundable Application Fee
  • Personal Statement
  • CV
  • Unofficial Transcripts (an official transcript will be required upon admission)
  • Writing samples of submitted publications (optional)
  • Email addresses of your 3 referees. Instructions are automatically e-mailed to your referees.
  • *GRE not required and is not used in application review*

As your application materials are processed, your application portal is updated. It is also updated once your application is complete. The School of Graduate Studies must receive all required materials before any formal action can be taken. It usually takes several weeks for all the application materials to be received and processed.

Interview invitations to interview are sent out by e-mail or phone in January. Interviews will be performed via Zoom on two dates.

For inquiries about our Program, first read our FAQ page. If you still have questions, please e-mail the Program. For important information on our guidelines for graduate school offers and acceptances, please read this.

Students are accepted for fall admission only. To receive full consideration for admission, all application materials must be submitted by the application deadline. Applications completed after this date may not be given full consideration.

 

Applicant Data

Academic year applied for entrance in

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24
Number of Applicants 249 324 256 300
Size of Incoming Class 6 5 6 6
# Incoming Students Receiving Financial Aid 6 5 6 6

We expect our applicants to document a solid undergraduate education and excellent academic abilities, as shown through undergraduate GPAs for example. We also value thoughtful personal statements that clarify the student’s specific interests and background in psychology, along with strong recommendation letters documenting experience relevant to psychology research and clinical service. We aim to match students with an academic advisor who shares similar interests in the field of clinical psychology. We are deeply committed to fostering a positive climate for diversity in our program. We wish to create a welcoming environment for all individuals, including those from underrepresented backgrounds. This includes individuals of differing ages, ethnic/cultural groups, racial groups, gender identities, physical abilities, religious affiliations or beliefs, sexual orientations, and/or socioeconomic statuses. Individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our program.

Admission Requirements

image credit: Alberto G.

To be admitted, students are required to have a completed bachelor’s degree, preferably in psychology.

Students with master’s degrees in psychology are also welcome to apply. For students who already have a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, transfer credits are assessed once an applicant is accepted and enrolled. A master’s degree from another program may meet some of the requirements of our Ph.D. program. There is no guarantee, however, that the courses taken at another college or university will transfer, and a thesis completed elsewhere may not meet the requirements of our program. If you have your master’s degree in a field other than Clinical Psychology, you must receive your master’s (M.A.) degree through our program before you receive your PhD.

The student should have completed a minimum of 18 semester hours of undergraduate psychology courses.

Preferred minimum scores for admission are:

  • GPA: 3.25
  • TOEFL iBT: 90
  • TOEFL PBT: 577
  • PTE: 61

This table provides average GPA scores over the past several years of incoming students

Year entering program

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24
Undergraduate GPA mean 3.77 3.71 3.82 3.82

 

CWRU complies with the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) Guidelines for Graduate School Offers and Acceptances.