Admission

Graduate Student Services

Room 3000, 2121 Berkeley Way
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1650

EMAIL

psychgradadmissions@berkeley.edu

OFFICE HOURS

Monday to Thursday
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Berkeley Image

Thank you for your interest in the Department of Psychology's Ph.D. program. The Department invites applications from students who are primarily interested in research. Undergraduate research experience is helpful to have; this includes formal statistics/methods courses and special class projects, independent study projects, and part-time or volunteer work in research. All of our graduate program areas, including Clinical Science, have a strong research emphasis. We believe that competence in research and scholarship are prerequisites for leadership in teaching and public service in psychology.

All prospective students, including those from out-of-state, international, first-generation, and returning backgrounds are invited to attend The UC Berkeley Graduate Admissions Summer Series. These webinars are designed to support prospective students on their path to grad school. Visit https://bit.ly/adm-summer-series to register!

Graduate Admissions Summer Series, July 2026

  • Wednesday, July 8 at 03:00 PM - Start Your Grad School Journey in California

  • Wednesday, July 15 at 12:00 PM - Step-by-Step: Navigating your Ph.D. Application

  • Thursday, July 16 at 12:00 PM - Step-by-Step: Navigating your Masters or Professional Application

  • Wednesday, July 22 at 12:00 PM - Graduate Funding Explained

  • Wednesday, July 29 at 05:00 PM - Re-Entering Academia at UC Berkeley

Summer 2026 Psychology PhD Admissions Information Session

Thank you to everyone who attended our information session on June 24, 2026 from 5-6pm PST via Zoom!

You can access the full information session (minus the Q&A) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlexOHXxOX4

If you missed our information sessions, we have offered several sessions to help you understand our program and the application process. Please click below to see the resources we have made available for you.

Information Sessions and Application Drop-Ins (Click to expand for more information)

Psychology PhD Program Info Sessions

Thank you to everyone who attended our information session on June 24, 2026 from 5-6pm PST via Zoom!

You can access the full information session (minus the Q&A) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlexOHXxOX4

If you missed our information sessions, we have offered several sessions to help you understand our program and the application process.  You can access the recordings and slidedecks below:

  • UCB Psychology PhD Program Online Info Session: "Is The PhD Right For Me?"
    This information session will give a high level overview of our program. As you think about applying to graduate school, this session is designed to help you answer the question, "Is UC Berkeley's Psychology PhD program right for me and should I apply this year?"
    You can view the recording and slide deck here.
  • UCB Psychology PhD Admissions Online Info Session: "Am I Ready To Apply?"
    This information session will give a high level overview of the application and admissions process for our program. As you plan to apply to graduate school, this session is designed to help you answer the question, "Am I ready to apply to the UC Berkeley Psychology PhD program this year?"
    You can view the recording and slide deck here. 
  • UCB Psychology PhD Admissions Online Info Session: "How Ready Is My Application?"
    This information session will give more details on how to apply to our program in the upcoming cycle. This session is designed to help you answer the question, "How can I be sure my application is received on time and read?"
    You can view the recording and slide deck here.

We also encourage you to connect with the UC Berkeley Office of Graduate Diversity programs.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (Click to expand for more information)

Diversity is a defining feature of the University of California and we embrace it as a source of strength. The Department of Psychology views its diversity to be integral to our achievement of excellence. Our differences — of age, race, gender, religion, ethnicity, ability status, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, skills, ideas, experience, and more — enhance our ability to achieve the university’s core missions of public service, teaching, and research.
Prospective students seeking information specifically related to diversity are encouraged to visit our departmental Diversity page and to consult these resources below:
Join us at the Graduate Diversity Admissions FairThe psychology department typically holds a special information session in the fall semester as part of the fair.  Register on the Graduate Diversity website. (MORE INFO COMING SOON)

Graduate Program Helpful Resources (Click to expand for more information)

Graduate Program Admissions Instructions

External Fellowships

Additional Resources

Prior to contacting our office, please read through our Admissions webpages. Still have a question? Please contact us at psychgradadmissions@berkeley.edu