Admission

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.

Interested in applying to our program and want to know when we are holding admissions workshops? Please sign up using this form for updates from our Admissions team!

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

  Psychology PhD Program Info Sessions

  More information about these workshops is coming soon. Please fill out this form if you are interested in applying to our program to get updates from our Admissions team!

   

   

  We have offered several information 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.
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  • 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. 
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  • 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.

   

  • UC Berkeley Psychology PhD Admissions online drop-ins: Mondays, 3-4pm PST starting 9/15/2025. Zoom link is 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:

   

  • Social Sciences Graduate Diversity Office
  • Graduate Diversity Program
  • Graduate Assembly of Students in Psychology

   

  Join us at the Graduate Diversity Admissions Fair.  The psychology department is holding a special information session on October 9, 11-12pm PST as part of the fair.  Register on the Graduate Diversity website and use this link to join the information session: https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/7667077855

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

  Graduate Program Admissions Instructions

  • Application Instructions
  • Graduate Division Online Application
  • Special Instructions for Clinical Science Program Applicants

  External Fellowships

  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships: Applicants for the Department of Psychology's doctoral program are encouraged to apply. https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do.
  • Also refer to Graduate Division Fellowships and Awards to review other significant funding opportunities.

  Additional Resources

  • Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process
  • Mitch's Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology

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