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Department of Psychology

Admissions Requirements

The Psychology Department is a direct-receipt program. Therefore, it is important that you carefully follow all of the department’s instructions. Please send ALL of your materials in one packet directly to Department of Psychology - University of South Florida - 4202 East Fowler Avenue, PCD4118G - Attn: Graduate Admissions Coordinator - Tampa, Florida 33620-7200. Please put your full name on all materials.

Our application deadline for both domestic and international applicants to the Clinical area is December 15th (Note will change to December 1 effective December 1, 2010 for the Fall 2011 application cycle). For domestic applicants to the Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social (CNS) Programs and Industrial/Organizational (I/O) program the application deadline is January 15th. For international applicants to the CNS and I/O areas our application deadline is January 2nd. Only application materials received before or on the deadline will be reviewed. We only process applications for the fall term of entry beginning in August. ONLY COMPLETED APPLICATIONS RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE THE DEADLINES WILL BE REVIEWED. MATERIALS POSTMARKED ON THE DUE DATE WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE. McKnight Fellowship applicants should abide by the deadlines set forth by the scholarship, and are encouraged to also apply directly to the department program.

You will receive via the email address listed on your application notification of receipt of your application packet and decision. Due to the heavy volume of applications, please remain patient and do not call the department.

Check List

*Please put your full name on all materials. Please send all materials together.

  1. USF Graduate Admissions Application: Complete the FACTS application on-line at http://www.grad.usf.edu/graduate-admissions.asp. PLEASE NOTE: Graduate Admissions does not accept paper applications. If you are a McNair Scholar applicant, please submit the Application Fee Waiver Verification Request form BEFORE submitting the online application: (http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/forms/admissions/Application_Fee_Waiver_Verification_Form.pdf)

    International Applicants are also required to submit the Financial Statement form, Confirmation of Financial Support form, Visa Transfer form (if applicable), and a copy of your passport. International applicants should refer to the following Graduate Admissions International website for procedures and forms: http://www.grad.usf.edu/graduate-admissions-international.asp

    Application and Concentrations Codes:
    • AS: College Code (College of Arts & Sciences)
    • PhD: Degree Code (PhD program)
    • PSY: Major Code (Psychology)
    • 5828: Institution Code (ETS GRE Scores)
    • 2001: Department Code (ETS GRE Scores)
    Note that you can apply to only ONE area of concentration:
    • PSC: Clinical Psychology
    • PCN: Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social Psychology
    • PSI: Industrial/Organizational Psychology

  2. Application Fee: The application fee is $30 for all applicants. The fee is required with your application, even if you previously attended USF. When you apply online through FACTS.org you can either pay with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) or by E-Check. If you encounter any problems with the on-line submission, please contact Graduate Admissions by email admissions@grad.usf.edu or call 1-866-974-8800 toll free in U.S. only, or (813) 974- 8800. If you are a McNair Scholar applicant, please submit the Application Fee Waiver Verification Request form (http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/forms/admissions/Application_Fee_Waiver_Verification_Form.pdf) BEFORE submitting the online application.

  3. Residency Classification Form: As of July 1, 2009 all non-resident graduate students must have established residency in Florida for 12 consecutive months prior to initial enrollment in an institution of higher learning to be eligible for in-state tuition rates. Applicants desiring classification as a Florida resident for tuition paying purposes must complete the Florida Residency Classification page of the online Graduate Application. Applicants with incomplete forms will be classified as non-Florida residents. Please see the Tuition Waivers section of this brochure, and policies and procedures on the Graduate Admissions and Registrar websites at http://www.registrar.usf.edu/Residency/General_Procedures.php.

  4. GPA Worksheet: A GPA Calculator Worksheet is available at this link (http://download.grad.usf.edu/admissions/gpa.pdf) and is required with your application packet to the Psychology Department. Use only the courses completed after the term during which you earned 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) or after the term during which you completed an Associates of Arts degree (AA). That is, the undergraduate GPA should be calculated only on your upper-level coursework. Please be sure to also enter your calculated upper-level GPA on the online USF application

  5. Transcripts: Two (2) official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended are required with your application packet. Transcripts should be sent directly to you. Submit both copies of the transcripts in the Registrar's sealed envelopes. Certificates, diplomas and transcripts in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified, complete and literal English translation. You do not need to request transcripts from USF if your bachelor degree work was completed at USF. If you have one or two semesters before you obtain your bachelor’s degree, you may apply as long as your upper-level GPA remains at least 3.0. You will need to request additional official transcripts showing that your bachelor’s degree was awarded before being officially accepted by the university.

  6. GRE Scores: Only the General GRE test (Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical writing) is required. Of the three scores, the verbal and quantitative are generally the most important. The subject exam is optional. Allow no less than 6 weeks before the program deadlines to complete the electronic exams. Allow 10-12 weeks before the program deadlines for the written exams. Enter your GRE scores on the USF application. The Psychology Department does not waive the GRE exam for our applicants

    • Electronic ETS Scores: Request that Educational Testing Services http://www.ets.org/gre (or P. O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000) send your scores electronically to USF. The institution code for USF is 5828.
    • GRE Score Report: A hard copy of your official GRE Score Report is required along with the other application packet documents mailed to the Psychology Department. The score report will be sent to you in the mail by ETS. The department needs the copy to show exams percentiles and optional subject scores which are not available electronically.

    Although we have no formal cutoffs for GPA or GRE scores we have a strong preference for GRE V and Q scores each above the 50th percentile. Here are the average GPA and GRE scores of 2009’s entering class to use as a guideline: class as a whole 3.77 and 1302 (V 588, Q 714), in Clinical 3.79 and 1298 (V 607, Q 691), in CNS 3.73 and 1273 (V 558, Q 715), and in I/O 3.76 and 1331 (V 581, Q 750). Many students admitted into our program have scores lower and higher than these scores, and these are not the sole criteria for admission.

  7. Personal Statement: Please provide a brief statement (2-3 pages) indicating your past and current interests and activities relevant to a doctoral program in Psychology. Feel free to list the faculty in our department whose research interests you believe match your own. Also, comment on your career goals. This statement is required with your application packet. (CNS applicants: Please describe your research experiences, explaining the purpose of the studies in which you were involved, your contributions to this research, and the skills you gained. Connect these and other experiences to your current research interests and to your future career goals. In your statement, explicitly state the concentration to which you are applying (Cognition & Cognitive Neuroscience, Behavioral Neuroscience, Social Psychology, Interdisciplinary Program in Speech/Language/Hearing) and the CNS faculty member(s) with whom you wish to work.)

  8. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation: At least three (3) letters of recommendation are required with your application packet (max 5). Letter writers should sign across the sealed flap of their letterhead envelope and send the envelope to you. The USF confidentiality statement is not required, but is recommended (http://psychology.usf.edu/policies/forms/Letter_of_Recommendation.pdf). The three letters must remain sealed in their signed letterhead envelopes and be mailed to the department with your application packet.

  9. Any other supporting materials (e.g., vita, Psychology Subject Test score, writing samples): Do not miss the deadline dates waiting for your Subject exam score, if you choose to take that section. Submit the required General GRE test scores by the deadline, and then later you may supplement your completed packet with the optional subject score when it becomes available.

  10. Submission: The Psychology Department is a direct-receipt program. This means that you must send all application materials directly to the department. Therefore, it is important that you carefully follow all of the instructions listed by the Psychology Department. The admissions policies can vary from year to year, so please carefully review the policies and forms during preparation, and re-check them before you submit your application packet, to ensure you are following the most up-to-date instructions. You will receive via the email address listed on your application notification of receipt of your application packet and decision. Due to the heavy volume of applications, please remain patient and do not call the department.

    Please send ALL of your materials in one packet directly to:
    Department of Psychology
    University of South Florida
    4202 East Fowler Avenue, PCD4118G
    Attn: Graduate Admissions Coordinator
    Tampa, Florida 33620-7200

Late Receipt: Application packets received after the deadline dates will NOT be considered for the current year's term of entry. You may contact the Psychology Department's graduate admissions coordinator in writing before the next year's deadline and request that your previous year's application materials be considered for the next year's term of entry. You will have to submit another application and fee. The General GRE scores remain valid for a five-year period from the date of administration. A new personal goals statement is recommended to update the faculty on your activities during the year. The three previous letters of recommendation can be considered if they are no more than one year old. You may submit more current letters with your written request if desired.

On behalf of the University of South Florida and the Department of Psychology, we welcome you to apply to one of our doctoral programs, and encourage your endeavors in the pursuit of an excellent education and future career.