Thank you for considering our Psychology Ph.D Program. Please watch our video here:

Application & Admission Process

The process of selecting graduate students to participate in our program involves evaluating a student’s undergraduate grades, any appropriate work past the bachelor’s degree, letters of recommendation, and research experience.

The department only admits students if one (or more) of our faculty members are willing to serve as the student’s mentor. Therefore, we strongly recommend applicants contact individual faculty members with whom they are interested in working to ensure the faculty member will be accepting students for the coming academic year and to evaluate the degree to which the student’s interests map onto the faculty member’s research program. You can search for faculty by name or research area.

Application Requirements

Applicants are not required to have majored in psychology, but the equivalent (in knowledge) of a bachelor’s degree in psychology is recommended. A strong background in biology or biochemistry is essential for students interested in behavioral neuroscience specialization. Beginning with the Fall 2023 admission cycle, the GRE is no longer required for admission to the program.

Applicants with an overall or major GPA of 3.5 or better have a higher rate of admission to our program.

Our department utilizes a mentor model. Therefore, we recommend identifying 1-2 faculty with whom you are most interested in working with and reaching out directly to them to inquire about fit and ask whether they expect to take a student for the next admissions cycle. Note, some faculty do not meet with students before reviewing applications, but they may respond to questions over email.

If you feel that your interests reflect the department’s curriculum, and you have identified one or more potential faculty mentors. We encourage you to complete the official UCR Graduate School Application. This is the “official” application to the Psychology Department’s graduate program. The application will ask which faculty member you are interested in working with, so please fill in this with the faculty member’s name.

Please note:

• Students are admitted for the Fall quarter
• We do not offer a terminal Master’s degree program.
• The application portal will open in early September for Fall Admission
• The deadline to submit your application and all supporting documents for the Psychology Graduate Program is December 1st by 11:59 PM PST.
• Please allow up to 5-7 business days for your application tracker to be updated after submitting your application.

To apply for the graduate program, you must submit the online UCR Graduate School Application and upload all required documents into your application listed below. We cannot offer admission to a prospective graduate student until the application is complete and all required documents are received.

The following information is required for your application to the psychology department graduate program:

A. Transcripts of all post-secondary work
The Psychology Department requires transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.

• Please upload your transcripts to the Scholastic Information section under “Document Upload”.We only require UNOFFICIAL transcripts for the review of your application. If you accept an offer of admission, we will request official transcripts at that time in order to formally admit you to the program.

If you have an issue with uploading your documents, please email Sarah Turnbull at saraht@ucr.edu for further instructions and assistance.

B. The Graduate Statement of Purpose

The Graduate Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to share why you are applying, including your preparation, motivation, and how UCR's faculty and resources support your goals. Please address the following areas:

• Academic and/or Professional Background - academic journey (coursework and major areas of study), and relevant experiences (academic, research, or professional) that prepared you for graduate study.
• Research or Professional Interests - key areas, themes, or problems you want to explore, and how they connect to your field of study.
• Fit with UCR - how your interests or goals align with UCR's faculty, programs, labs, or professional resources.
• Motivation for Graduate Study - what drives you to pursue this degree at this stage of your academic journey or career. Please share any long-term scholarly/professional aspirations.
• Future Goals & Societal Impact - how your work or this degree will help you address professional, academic, or broader societal needs or contribute to the public good. 
• Contributions to the Academic, Professional, and UCR Community - how you hope to engage through leadership, collaboration, mentorship, or outreach.

The statement must not exceed 2,000 words. 

C. A Copy of Your Most Current CV/Resume
Although optional, the department strongly encourages all domestic applicants to complete this supplemental information form to receive full consideration for merit- and diversity-based fellowship opportunities.

D. Three letters of Recommendation
Applicants will be able to enter their recommenders’ information directly into our online application. Recommenders will be notified electronically and provided instructions on how to submit a letter online. All letters of recommendation must be received electronically so they are attached to the applicant’s file for review. Letters should be provided by individuals (typically professors and research supervisors) who can speak to your preparedness to conduct research. Letters of recommendation cannot be released to the applicant and cannot be forwarded elsewhere.

Please Note: We recommend submitting your application at least a week before the December 1st deadline to give your recommenders time to submit their recommendations for the review process.

E. Official TOEFL or IELTS Scores
This applies only to international applicants from countries where English is not the primary language and who have not completed an advanced degree at an institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction. For more information, please visit this website. If required, please upload your unofficial TOEFL or IELTS scores preferably as a PDF format in the Test Scores section under “Document Upload”.

Financial Support

The Department of Psychology supports graduate students who are making satisfactory progress throughout the first five years of study. We will follow this practice in future years to the extent that available resources permit.

Financial support comes in the form of fellowships, scholarships, traineeships, teaching and research assistantships, and out-of-state tuition grants. Students are expected to seek and apply for fellowships and scholarships for which they are eligible. In many cases, students receive additional summer support as teaching or research assistants.

TAs and GSRs appointed for at least 25% time are eligible for fee remissions, which includes tuition, campus fees, and the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP). 

Tuition grants for non-resident fees are available to qualified out-of-state graduate students for the first year only; students are expected to establish residency by the end of their first year.

International students will be supported presuming timely and satisfactory progress in the program.

Please email any questions about the program or application process to the contacts below:

UCR PSYC Dept. – Sarah Turnbull, Graduate Student Advisor
1111B PSYC Building
900 University Avenue
Riverside, CA 92521

Sarah Turnbull, Graduate Student Advisor
Email: saraht@ucr.edu
Phone: 951-827-6306 (email is preferred)

Aerika Loyd, Graduate Advisor for Ph.D. Admissions 
Email: aerika.loyd@ucr.edu
Phone: 951-827-5276