Applications for Fall 2025 will open on August 1, 2024.

How to Apply?

Please click the following link for more information: Psychology Graduate Program Application. All required documents are to be directly uploaded to your account during the application process. Please prepare them beforehand as we will not grant extensions to submit required documents.

Required Materials

1. A completed graduate studies application.
2. An official electronic transcript from each institution attended.
3. One official copy of your general GRE test scores. Please have your GRE scores sent by ETS (Educational Testing Service) to the University of Houston, University Park Campus (Code: 6870). The Department of Psychology will only accept official GRE scores sent from ETS. 
4. Three letters of recommendation. Your recommender must submit the letter via a link sent to them by the University of Houston Graduate School. Do not send letters to the Department of Psychology as they will not be processed. 
5. A 2-3 page career statement, please include two faculty members with whom you wish to work during your graduate school process.
6. A $50.00 non-refundable processing fee is due at the time of your application submission. Fee must be paid online via CollegeNet.

Submission Process for Applicants

Program deadlines for receipt of application materials are as follows for fall admission the following academic year:

For Electronic Copy Submissions:
gradschool@uh.edu 

Mail Address for hard copies:
University of Houston
Graduate Admissions
5000 Gulf Freeway
UH Technology Bridge
Building No. 3, Rm 170
Houston, TX 77204-2105

Submission Process for International Applicants

In addition to the materials listed above, the International Admissions Office requires that you submit the following:

1. An official copy of your TOEFL scores. Check the UH Graduate School website for additional information: UH Graduate School.
2. A $80.00 (US$) processing fee in addition to the departmental processing fee should be paid at the time of your application submission. Fee must be paid online via CollegeNet.
3. A letter of financial backing found on the UH Graduate School website (only required if made an offer of admission).
4. Two passport size photos (only required if made an offer of admission).

All applicants: If you have questions regarding the application process you may contact the Academic Affairs Office (lcanales@uh.edu). Applicants may be nominated for a Presidential Fellowship.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Do you offer an application fee waiver?

A1: The Department of Psychology currently only offers an application fee waiver for McNair Scholars. If you are a McNair Scholar, you can request the waiver two different ways from the UH Graduate School:

Option 1: On page 19 of the online application, you can upload your official participation letter from McNair reconfirming your status.
OR
Option 2: You can forward your McNair Scholars participation form directly to gradschool@uh.edu.

The UH Graduate School will review your form to see if you are eligible for the fee waiver code. They will provide the code to you to add to your application.

If you are a domestic applicant you may reach out to the UH Graduate School at gradschool@uh.edu to see if they will offer any information sessions you can attend. They may give out application waivers for domestic applicants who attend the session.

Unfortunately, our office is not able to waive the application fee based solely on financial hardship or merit. 

Q2: What should my personal statement consist of?

A2: A 2-4 page personal statement is typical. It can be single or double spaced. The statement should indicate why you want to be in the program, what research area you are interested in, and name two faculty members from the program you would like to work with. Provide evidence of your commitment and experience in research and state why you want to pursue the particular line of research you identified.  You can also use this to explain any possible blemishes on your record (e.g., a bad grade in a relevant course).

Q3: How many letters of recommendation can I have?

A3: Three letters of recommendation. You must list your recommenders and their emails on the application and the UH Graduate School will contact your recommenders with the process for submitting their letters. Letters should not be submitted by the applicant and letters should not be sent to the Department of Psychology. No more than three letters will be accepted.

Q4: What is required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement?

A4: Please refer to the UH Graduate School website for the English Language Proficiency requirements: UH Graduate School. 

Q5: I do not see a master's program. Why is it not listed?

A5: We do not offer a terminal master's degree. All of the graduate programs in the Department of Psychology are doctoral programs. 

Q6: My official transcripts are not ready. Can I upload unofficial transcripts?

A6: Unofficial transcripts are fine for the application review process. If you are made an offer of admission we will require you to send official transcripts before the first day of classes or your offer will be revoked.

Q7: Is the GRE required?

A7: There is chart near the top of this page which indicates which programs require the GRE. The Clinical Psychology and I/O Psychology programs require the GRE. We will not waive this requirement.

Q8: If I graduate from the UH Main Campus do I need to send my UH transcripts?

A8: No, your transcripts are already in the system.

Q9: Is the program part-time or can it be complete online?

A9: No, this program is full-time and requires in-person participation for classes and research.

Q10: What funding it available for admitted students?

A10: Below is the financial support information for the 2024-25 application cycle. The funding for the 2025-26 cycle will be similar.

Support Information, 2024-25

1. Funding support for all first-year students is available through Teaching Assistantships (TA) in the Department of Psychology. For 2023-2024 the monthly stipend for a 50% appointment (20 hrs/wk) will be $1912.89, or $22,954.68 for a twelve-month year. Students in TA appointments are assigned to 1 to 3 course sections per semester, depending on the workload of the course(s). Summer support as a TA is typically available when requested. Research Assistantships (RA) are also sometimes available to first year students, if they will be working with a faculty member who has a funded project on which to place the student. Stipends vary, typically ranging from $1913 to $2262/month.
2. Other benefits include the option of a state employee health benefit package with 50% of the cost covered or a student health coverage package, a waiver of non-resident tuition rates for out-of-state students (worth up to $15,600/year) and a graduate tuition fellowship (GTF) that covers the cost of twelve credit hours for the Fall and Spring semesters and up to six credit hours for the Summer semester plus fees (worth $11,139/year). Please note that full-time graduate study for first-year in the Department of Psychology requires twelve credit hours each for the Fall and Spring semesters, and zero to six credit hours for the summer semester (depending on program requirements). Rates may increase slightly before Fall 2023.

Bottom line: For tuition and fees, students should not expect to pay out-of-pocket. In order to qualify for the state employee health benefits and a waiver of out-of-state tuition, students must maintain at least a 50% employment appointment, be registered as a full-time student, and in good standing (GPA > 3.0). To qualify for the GTF, students must be registered as a full-time student and in good standing. Student health insurance information is at Student Health Insurance - University of Houston (uh.edu) and state employee health insurance information is at: Medical Insurance - University of Houston (uh.edu). Graduate students employed at UH at 50% time may use either health insurance plan.

3. After the second year, students may qualify for a Teaching Fellowship (TF). Teaching Fellows are instructors of record for a course. Each TF is expected to instruct 1-2 course sections per semester, depending on course size. The current monthly stipend for a 50% TF appointment is $2048.89 or $24,586.68 for the twelve-month year. Summer support as a TF is typically available when requested.
4. Students in good standing are virtually always successful in securing up to 6 years of funding support through a combination of teaching, research appointments, external internships, or traineeships.
5. Students’ graduate application materials will be used to consider them for university and departmental scholarships.