Frequently Asked Questions
Updated: 8/27/09
Program Questions
- Do you have a Master's Degree Program?
- Do I need an undergraduate degree in Psychology to apply?
- How long does the program take to complete?
- If I already have a Master's degree, will the program be shorter for me?
- Can I do this program on a part-time basis, or during evenings and weekends?
- Do you have an on-line or distance-learning program?
- Is this the right program for you? Is submitting an application worth your time and effort?
- Will I be able to obtain a license to practice psychology after completing this program?
- Do you accept transfer credit?
- Do you accept Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM) students?
Admissions Questions
- Where do I mail my application?
- What is the application deadline and what if I miss it?
- If December 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, what do I do?
- Can you tell me if you received my application/GREs/transcripts/etc?
- Is my application complete?
- An item I submitted/mailed is marked as "not received" on my application, is this okay?
- How many applicants do you typically receive and how many do you admit?
- Can I see admissions statistics?
- Can I apply to more than one area and how do I do that?
- What criteria do you use in making admissions decisions?
- When will I know if I have been selected for an interview?
How will I be funded? How do I apply for assistantships? - When will I know if I have been accepted or denied?
- If I get in, can I defer enrollment one year to gain more experience?
- What is the earliest I can apply?
- Can you mail me an application/information on the program?
- Can I visit the Department of Psychology or schedule an advising appointment?
Application Questions
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Regarding Online Graduate School Application
- Where is the link to the online Graduate School application?
- I started my application before the updated version was available, what do I do?
- I have completed all the steps and printed the application, but it still won't let me pay and submit!
- How do I apply for an application fee waiver?
- I have an update to my application after I submitted it, can I fix it?
- What are the institution/department codes for sending my GRE/TOEFL scores?
- Do you require the psychology subject test in the GRE?
- What if I took the GRE/TOEFL test late?
- Do you accept other language exams besides TOEFL?
- What are the language requirements for international applicants?
- Do you accept old exam scores?
- If I've taken the exam more than once, what scores do you look at?
- Do I have to take the GRE/TOEFL? Can it be waived?
- Should I include a writing sample, such as a paper or article I wrote?
- What's the difference between the "Statement of Purpose" and "Personal Statement?"
- Do you have forms for the letters of recommendation?
- How many letters of recommendation do I need?
- Letters of recommendation can be submitted online, what does this mean?
- My recommender did not receive the request email to submit an online letter.
- When will my recommender get the email request?
- Do I have to wait until I'm completely done with my application to designate recommenders?
- What if I use service that collects my letters, can they still be sent to you?
- My recommender does not want to submit a letter online, can it be mailed?
- Advice to share with your recommenders regarding the online request.
- What transcripts are required?
- I earned two Bachelor's degrees, how do I enter this in the online application for the two major GPAs?
- My school doesn't have official online transcripts.
- What if I haven't graduated and earned my Bachelor's/Master's degree by the application deadline?
- I just received new grades/degree, can I send you an updated transcript?
- Do I still need to mail a transcript if I'm currently a student at the University of Washington?
- Can transcripts be mailed directly to the Department or can I mail them to you?
- How do I calculate my GPA?
How do I convert semester credits to quarter credits (and vice versa)? - How do I reapply? What materials do you keep?
- What if I can't get electronic copies of my exam scores, transcripts, or letters of recommendation, etc?
- What happens to separate or late materials?
- What if I have other questions?
- How do I make a PDF?
Regarding Exams: GRE, TOEFL, etc.
Regarding Writing Samples
Regarding Letters of Recommendation
Regarding Transcripts & GPA
Regarding Reapplication Procedures
Regarding other Questions or Concerns
Graduate Program Questions
- Do you have a Master's Degree Program?
No, we do not. However, accepted students to our program may earn a Master's on the way to a Ph.D. The Master's is optional to our program.
- Do I need an undergraduate degree in Psychology to apply?
No, it is not required to have a prior degree in Psychology to apply to our graduate program. We do strongly advise that applicants have prior experience with psychological research. It is important whether applicants have realistically assessed their interests and motivation to pursue a career along the lines available in our graduate program. It is unfortunate for everyone when a graduate student discovers that he or she has undertaken a career whose real rewards simply do not fit the needs of that student. Applicants with relevant previous experience, especially, participating in studies at some level, however rudimentary, are more attractive because we can be more confident that the applicant understands both the rewards and frustrations to be encountered in his or her chosen career.
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How long does the program take to complete?
Our program generally takes 5 to 7 years to complete. Because you are preparing to become a research scientist, courses after the first year are typically chosen with the advice of your advisors and supervisory committee with your individual career goals in mind. Students in Adult or Child Clinical tracks will also be required to complete a one-year predoctoral internship.
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If I already have a Master's degree, will the program be shorter for me?
It is unlikely that having a Master's degree before entering our program will significantly impact how long it takes you to complete your degree here. Nor is it required for one to have a Master's degree before applying to our PhD program. Everyone who begins our program, will start on the same page.
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Can I do this program on a part-time basis, or during evenings and weekends?
It is not possible to participate in our program on a part-time basis. This is generally a more than full time commitment which includes coursework, lab work, participation in seminars and lab meetings as well as the 20 hrs/wk appointment as a Teaching or Research Assistant.
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Do you have an on-line or distance-learning program?
Because of the scientific nature of the program which includes a great deal of lab participation, it is not possible to do this program without being here in person.
Is this the right program for you? Is submitting an application worth your time and effort?
The faculty of the Psychology Graduate Program is committed, above all else, to research that promotes the advancement of psychology as a science. First, we attempt to select individuals for whom the scientific investigation of psychological questions is an integral part of their career goals. In all fairness, we want to discourage applications from people who, for any of a variety of reasons, will be disappointed by participation in a science and research oriented program. Second, we believe that psychological research benefits from the involvement of people with diverse backgrounds. We encourage applications from people who represent diverse educational, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
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Will I be able to obtain a license to practice psychology after completing this program?
Yes. Our program provides excellent training in both clinical and research competencies, and all Clinical students complete a one-year predoctoral clinical internship in the final year of their training. Internships are listed in the APPIC book or website. Many (but not all) states also require additional supervised postdoctoral training in order to qualify for licensure. Statistics on obtaining licensure is beyond the breadth of the Graduate Program Office's responsibility. However, this website provides a listing of licensing boards and other relevant information (Note: We do not endorse this website, but merely suggest it as a resource. Please use or not use the previous website at your own caution). Historically, our students have done very well on national and state licensing examinations.
Students from the other non-clinical areas do not take internships, and are not qualified to apply for one. Students from other areas cannot move into the clinical areas after they are accepted. Clinical faculty accept only those they can support, financially, in class time, in lab time, and mentoring time. If you are interested in clinical psychology then please apply to one of clinical tracks.
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Do you accept transfer credit?
No. The Graduate School does not accept transfer credits for any doctoral programs.
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Do you accept Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM) students?
Maybe. Please email us directly, so we can properly advise you.
Graduate Admissions Questions
- Where do I mail my application?
As of 2009, we will only be accepting official transcripts in the mail. Please mail only your transcripts to our department address by December 15. No other paper materials will be accepted. U.S. Applicants are not required to mail additional materials to the UW Graduate School unless a degree was earned outside the United States. International Applicants will be required to mail additional materials (will be listed in the check list provided on our site and the UW Graduate School Application) to the UW Graduate School.
Department of Psychology UW Graduate School Using regular postal service Graduate Selections Committee
Department of Psychology
University of Washington
Box 351525
Seattle, Washington 98195-1525UW Graduate School
Graduate Admissions Office
301 Loew Hall
P.O. Box 84808
Seattle, WA 98124-6108Using UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc, when a street address is needed Department of Psychology
University of Washington
Guthrie Hall, Room 119
Seattle, WA 98195Room 119 is the Department's Main Office, where packages are received, please do not mail items directly to the Graduate Program Office/Advisor or change the address as listed above, thank you.
Same as above - What is the application deadline and what if I miss it?
For U.S. applicants, the online UW Graduate School application must be completed by 11:59pm (PST) on December 15.
For International applicants, the UW Graduate School application and its required additional components are requested by November 1. The earlier deadline was chosen to provide the Graduate School with ample time to sort through the additional materials required of international applicants (information found here and here). If you are unable to submit your UW Graduate School application by November 1, please do it as soon as possible, and no later than December 15. It is not necessary to email the Graduate Program Office to ask about an extension on the November 1 deadline if you submit your application by December 15.
We only accept applications once a year, for the following academic year which begins late September. If you miss the deadline, we will hold onto your materials for one year. If you choose to apply the following year, please notify us by email to reactivate your file and what materials you plan to reuse before the application deadline. You will have to create another application profile in order to see any changes made to the application process, submit any new/updated materials, re-request any letters of recommendation, and your payment. (In other words, please do not reuse your online profile from the previous year, because you will miss any changes we've made. If you need assistance in retrieving your materials from the previous year, please email us.)
If you have a feeling that you might submit your application late despite your best efforts, please contact us BEFORE the deadline. We will try to work with you as long as we hear from you. - If December 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, what do I do?
If December 15 falls on a Saturday, then the deadline will be the next business day, Monday the 17th. If you need to provide a street address, please refer to answer #1 immediately above.
If December 15 falls on a Sunday, your postmark is due the next immediate day, Monday the 16th.
Please plan accordingly, in order to get your postmark. Our office is closed Saturday and Sunday, so there will be no one to receive your package if you pay to have it arrive on Saturday.
- Can you tell me if you received my application/GREs/transcripts/etc?
You can log into your online application to check the receipt of items as they arrive. Please avoid contacting the Graduate Program Office to ask these types of questions during admissions. If it turns out that you are missing an item, and we were unable to inform you earlier, we will give you time to fix it and you will not be penalized for it.
- Is my application complete?
We will update your application and the materials received on your behalf as they arrive, please log into your application profile periodically to see when your status has changed. Your application will be marked "complete" when all items you list in your profile arrive and are checked off. (Exception: if you listed 4 letters of recommendation and we have only received 3, we will not mark your application as complete even though you have enough letters to meet our requirement. The same goes for any non-degree schools you listed and did not send transcripts from, these are optional items.) Please be sure to check receipt dates for individual items (especially the required components) rather than the "complete" status!
- Why is something on my application showing as "not received?"
It takes the Graduate Program Office several days after the deadline to go through all the mail and update the items received.
In regards to the optional items (for 2010: Financial Support, Ronald E. McNair Eligibility, Academic Resume/CV, and Personal Statement), if you did not submit something that was optional, the "not received" status will remain, but will not affect the completeness of your application. Log into your online application periodically to check the receipt status of your materials, especially the required components.
- How many applicants do you typically receive and how many do you admit?
This varies from area to area within the department, and from year to year. Overall, the department receives more than 600 applications for approximately 20 open positions.
- Can I see admissions statistics?
Sure, statistics for the past three years (2007-2009) are located here.
- Can I apply to more than one area and how do I do that?
Maybe. Generally, it is not recommended to apply to more than one area. But if you do apply to 2 areas, they have to be either 1 clinical and 1 non-clinical or both non-clinical. One cannot apply to both adult and child clinical programs at the same time. If you apply to 2 areas and identify faculty in both areas, you will be considered an IRIS (Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives) applicant and your materials will be reviewed by the 2 areas. When completing your application, you will still be required to select 1 area to apply for, but you can list your across-area faculty in the Faculty Match question.
- What criteria do you use in making admissions decisions?
Our evaluation will be based on the application as a whole. We do not have rigid cut-off points on conventional criteria such as GRE scores or GPA. However, the bulk of our accepted applicants are strong on these criteria. We have provided admissions statistics for GRE/GPA because this is a popular inquiry (see #8 above for the statistics). Because standardized tests were designed for the standard student and may not reflect the capabilities of applicants from less traditional backgrounds, we would also like to encourage applicants with unusual qualifications to submit supplementary materials (e.g., non academic recommendations, summary of work experience) which they feel will more truly demonstrate their competence.
In general, we are looking for students whose capabilities and motivation will allow them to contribute significantly to the advancement of psychological science. These capabilities include the obvious intellectual strengths, the ability to reason clearly and insightfully, creative imagination, the ability to articulate one's ideas, and mathematical and computational skills. It also includes diversity of perspectives, and the strength of motivation to pursue difficult problems.
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When will I know if I have been selected for an interview?
Each area within the Psychology Department has a different timetable for reviewing applications. Most areas begin to make selections in January and will contact applicants by phone or e-mail for interviews beginning in February, although some could happen in March or even early April. We encourage applicants to visit if they have been invited to do so, and can sometimes, but not always, assist in at least partial funding of travel expenses. The Graduate Program Office does not know who will receive invites until after the applicants have been contacted by faculty or research staff directly. Please resist contacting the Graduate Program Office to ask when invitations go out because we do not know (sorry!).
- How will I be funded? How do I apply for assistantships?
We do not make offers to U.S. or International applicants unless we can fund them with either a Teaching or a Research Assistantship for half time (expected workload of 20 hrs/wk). Your application to our program makes you eligible for this support. There is no additional application to apply for departmental funding, your consideration is automatic.
This appointment comes with a full tuition waiver, a modest monthly stipend (For 2009-2010 year, the stipend for TA/RA is $1,741/mo. After the general exam is completed, $1,872/mo.), and health benefits including medical, dental and vision coverage (GAIP). After the waivers are applied, students can expect to pay ~$250 per quarter.
The funding package is usually enough to cover the needs of most students including international students. Some students may require additional funding for books, childcare, etc. If so, you may consider applying for financial aid through the UW's Office of Student Financial Aid or various other outside funding agencies. These sources are not generally available to international students.
International applicants: In order to qualify for TA funding, a speaking language exam must be taken (either TSE, TOEFLiBT speaking portion, or the UW offers the VERSANT test). More information can be found on "conditions of appointments for TAs who are not U.S. citizens." Please also view the Section entitled "Graduate Application Questions" beginning with Answer 6 below for additional information on testing.
- When will I know if I have been accepted or denied?
Since each area within the Psychology Department has a different timetable for reviewing applications, we will notify applicants of decisions as soon as they are confirmed by the area. This does not usually begin until sometime in March. Offers are not typically made without contacting the applicant for a phone or in-person interview. Denials are sent via email. Please make sure you have a current email address for any correspondence.
The last day for making offers or accepting students to our graduate program is April 15. This is also the last day for applicants to notify us whether they intend to accept our offer.
- If I get in, can I defer enrollment one year to gain more experience?
Due to the highly competitive nature of our program, we do not allow enrollment deferments—new students must enter in the following September.
- What is the earliest I can apply?
The earliest you can apply would be September before the December 15 deadline. Any earlier, you would fall into the previous year's admission profile, miss valuable revisions to the application process, and would need to complete another online UW Graduate School application and payment for your intended year of enrollment. Please contact us if you are unsure if it is too soon to apply.
- Can you mail me an application?
Our application and its procedures are only available online on our "Apply" page. We no longer mail paper materials to save time and resources.
- Can I visit the Department of Psychology or schedule an advising appointment?
The Department of Psychology hosts invitation only interview weekends for prospective graduate students. Applicants who have been selected for interview will be notified personally, so please be sure to get your application completed on time and have current contact information.
Applicants who wish to visit at other times should contact faculty with whom they are interested in doing research before they arrive in Seattle to schedule individual meetings. Meetings with faculty or current students (Faculty might refer you to one of their students) are most beneficial for visitors who are deciding if the UW Psychology Graduate Program is right for you. You will be able to speak about research currently being done here and also possibly tour a lab or attend a journal club meeting.
Applicants may also contact the Graduate Program Advisor by email to schedule a meeting to discuss general admissions questions only. We will not review transcripts or critique writing statements. More in-depth questions about the various labs and research being conducted is better answered by faculty or their graduate students. Please note during the months of November-January, the Graduate Program Office will be extremely busy with admissions and email is the preferred method of communication. Please contact us for an appointment, read our website thoroughly, and have your questions ready before you plan to visit.
Graduate Application Questions
- Where is the link to the online Graduate School application?
https://www.grad.washington.edu/applForAdmiss/Please remember to return to our application page and download the current application materials for applying to our department. Thank you!
- I started my application before the updated version was available, what do I do?
If you started your application before the Graduate Program Office had completed updating the materials and process for the current year, then you will have to redo your whole application. This means that anything that you have uploaded and any recommendations received online will need to be done again. If you have any doubt that you might be starting your application early, please email us. - I have completed all the steps and printed the application, but it still won't let me pay and submit?
Be sure to use the "Click here to print this application" link on the screen and not File/Print or Ctrl-P otherwise the system will not recognize you as having completed this step. - How do I apply for an application fee waiver?
There are a few application fee waivers available. More information on requesting one is available on the payment step of the online application. If you are waiting to hear back from your fee waiver request, please let the Graduate Program Office know in case the waiver is processed after our application deadline.
- I have an update to my application after I submitted it, can I fix it?
We cannot accept any revisions to your application once it has been submitted.
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What are the institution/department codes for sending my GRE/TOEFL scores?
ETS will send your scores electronically to the UW Graduate School as long as you use the UW's institution code, 4854. A department code is not necessary. We can look them up once you have submitted your application to the Graduate School, provided that you use the institution code as shown above. If you are applying to another UW department at the same time, there is no need to request two scores, both departments can have shared access to your scores.
In the event that you reapply to us the following year (or later), please check with us because we may still have your scores so you don't need to re-send them.
- Do you require the psychology subject test in the GRE?
No, we do not. Only the general test—verbal and quantitative—is required. We do not keep statistics on whether successful applicants have taken the psychology subject test.
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What if I took the GRE/TOEFL test late?
It is recommended that you take the GRE no later than the October exam, possibly even November. Scores will be sent to the Graduate School two to three weeks after you take the exam but there may be delays due to the increased enrollment for graduate admissions across the country. You may self-report scores to us within your online UW Graduate School Application. If you must take the exam in December, scores received after January 1 run the risk of missing important selections committee review meetings. If you cannot take your exam by our December 15 deadline, then we recommend you apply next year, because your materials will be marked late and incomplete.
- Do you accept other language exams besides TOEFL?
Please see the next question for all the exams and their minimum scores which may be accepted by the Graduate School.
- What are the language requirements for international applicants?
International applicants are required to take either TOEFL (minimum score 580), TOEFLC (minimum score 237), TOEFLiBT (minimum score 92 includes all 4 sections), MLT (minimum score 90), or IELTS (minimum score 7.0).
As the TSE has been discontinued, it has been determined that a score of 26 or higher on the speaking portion of the TOEFLiBT is equivalent to a 55 on the TSE, which will allow international and permanent resident graduate students to assume teaching duties required of a teaching assistantship. The UW also provides the VERSANT test for a fee which is can be used for this requirement (it is only accepted at UW though).
The language requirement is waived for individuals who are citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the United Kingdom or have earned a bachelor's or higher from the U.S. or the countries listed above. However if you are a degree-holder but not a citizen of the above countries and wish to be qualified for TA funding, you will need to provide a TSE or iBT speaking score (or VERSANT) and participate in the Center for Instructional Development and Research, International Teaching Assistant Program.
More details can be found on the Graduate School website, Memoranda no.8 and no.15.
- Do you accept old exam scores? (GRE/TOEFL)
We accept GRE scores that are within 5yrs of the test date. ETS may not keep scores as long though, so you should contact them immediately if you have taken the GRE close to 5yrs ago. If you have taken it multiple times, we look at the single highest exam sitting. Please see the next question for more details.
International applicants: Language exams are accepted within 2yrs of the test date and the most RECENT exam is used for admission.
Contact Educational Testing Service (ETS) for questions about your exam.
- If I've taken the exam more than once, what scores do you look at?
We look at the single best exam if you have taken the GRE more than once. This means that we won't pick the higher Verbal score in test 1 and the higher Quant score in test 2. We will pick between test 1 and test 2 as a whole. If the scores are tied, then we refer to the percentiles to decide which exam will be used in making decisions. Beyond this, we will go with the more recent exam.
International applicants: Regarding the language exams, we will only review the most recent scores. Only tests taken within the past 2yrs are valid.
- Do I have to take the GRE/TOEFL? Can it be waived?
The GRE is only waived if you have earned a doctorate-level degree from an accredited institution in the United States previously. More information on Graduate Admissions is located here.
The TOEFL/lanugage exam is waived for non-U.S. applicants who have earned a degree (Bachelor's or higher) in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand. However, a speaking score is required to qualify for Teaching Assistantships if your citizenship is not of the countries listed. The speaking score can either be the TSE, TOEFLiBT speaking section, or the UW offers the VERSANT exam. The speaking score is not required to qualify for a Research Assistantship, however all our students will teach at some point so it is best to meet this requirement as soon as possible. More details can be found on the Graduate School website, Memoranda no. 8 and no. 15.
Return to Top - Should I include a writing sample, such as a paper or article I wrote?
We consider the Statement of Purpose a writing sample. You may mention your other written accomplishments in your statement or CV, but a complete copy is not necessary or desirable, unless requested by a reviewer. It is not necessary to mail (or email) us your writing sample.
- What's the difference between the "Statement of Purpose" and "Personal Statement?"
Statement of Purpose (required): Typically, the statement of purpose describes what motivates you to pursue a career in psychology. What theoretical issues, research problems, clinical problems, or application areas are your central interests? Why are these issues especially interesting and important? Include in your statement the following: description of research experience, reason for applying to our graduate program, and the name(s) of faculty members who are pursuing similar research in our department with whom you may wish to work.
Statement of Purpose are on average 2-5 pages, double spaced (or equivalent formatting)
Personal Statement (optional): You may also include a brief section on any of the following topics that may apply to your situation: first generation to attend graduate school, low-income background, overcoming adversity in your educational or other development. This information is voluntary and will be used only to identify students who may qualify for diversity funding.
You may combine the two statements into one document as long as you stay within the page limit and upload it as a "Statement of Purpose."
- Do you have forms for the online letters of recommendation?
No, we do not require or provide forms for the online letters of recommendation. We only accept letters online through the UW Graduate Application. The letters should address your academic and research abilities as much as possible.
- How many online letters of recommendation do I need?
We require three online letters of recommendation. If you have a couple extra that would be acceptable, but excessive numbers of letters (more than 5) are not helpful.
- Letters of recommendation can be submitted online, what does this mean?
Letters of recommendation will ONLY be accepted online, as part of the online UW Graduate School application. We are no longer accepting paper letters. While completing your UW Graduate School online application, you will be given the opportunity to designate (or list) who your recommenders will be. Your recommenders will be notified via email that they have agreed to submit a letter for you. It is your responsibility to ensure the email addresses are correct. Please contact us if you have any difficulty with this step.
- My recommender did not receive the request email to submit an online letter.
The email request may have been identified as spam or bulk mail. Have your recommender add our email address to their addressbook and then re-send the request. You may log into your online UW Graduate School application profile and select the option to re-send any requests. We are also happy to assist you with re-sending the email request. We have, on occasion, accepted an emailed recommendation from the writer directly. Due to the volumes of emails we receive during admissions this is not recommended as your second chance, instead, only go this route if you have truly exhausted your other options.
Note: Our office has been quite good at notifying applicants that we received a bounced email from a recommender.
- When will my recommender get the email request
?
The email request is sent immediately, once you enter the information in "Recommendation Detail" and then click "Save and Continue."
- Do I have to wait until I'm completely done with my application to designate recommenders?
You do not have to wait until you are done (have submitted your application) to do this step. Please designate your recommenders early, check in with them, and take your time with the rest of your application (while submitting everything by December 15, of course). Recommendations can still be received after our deadline, but could get missed being reviewed along with your other materials.
What if I use service that collects my letters, can they still be sent to you?
If you have your letters of recommendation stored with a letter service, then we can accept those via mail or email (if available). You are still required to designate the letters in the packet in your online application, just mark the "postal mail" option instead. Once we receive the letter packet, it will be scanned and uploaded to each placeholder you created by designating.
My recommender does not want to submit a letter online, can it be mailed?
If your recommender prefers not to submit an online recommendation, then the letter can be mailed to us. Please still designate this person as a recommender in the online system and check the "postal mail" option. Once we receive the paper letter, it will be scanned and uploaded to the placeholder you created by designating.
Advice to share with your recommenders regarding the online request.
Recommenders should still continue to write your letter of recommendation in a Word document (or other file type) and save it to his/her computer (this is the same process as with paper recommendations). Upon receiving the email request for the recommendation, s/he is lead to a webpage with a form where s/he can either copy/paste a previously written letter or upload a previously written letter. It is not recommended to type the letter directly into the text box as the individual can 'time out' and lose any information entered, especially if the letter is an original version. Once the recommendation is uploaded, s/he will not be able to review what was submitted, this is why it's very important to inform your writers to compose their letters in a Word document (or other file type) and save to his/her computer before uploading.
- What transcripts are required?
U.S. Applicants: One set of transcripts from all collegiate institutions from which you earned a Bachelor's degree or higher to the Department of Psychology. This means we do not need transcripts from community colleges or your previous institution if you transferred in. These credits will be reflected on your degree-earning transcript under "transfer" or "outside." If you studied abroad, we do not need that transcript, either. If you earned a degree outside of the U.S., an additional transcript and degree statement must be sent to the UW Graduate School. If you have taken additional, relevant coursework since earning your degree, we would like to see that transcript (helpful for those who did not have psychology undergraduate degrees or for those who have been out of school for a few years).
International Applicants: Please mail a complete set of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to the Department of Psychology AND the UW Graduate School (2 complete sets total). More information is located here on the materials required of the UW Graduate School.
- I earned two Bachelor's degrees, how do I enter this in the online application for the two major GPAs?
Enter your undergraduate institution twice, one for each degree you earned and its corresponding major GPA.
- My school doesn't have official online transcripts.
At this time, most schools do not have official online transcripts, this is not required. However if you are referring to unofficial online transcripts, you can always order a paper copy and scan it yourself. Please know that the application system does not accept image files of your transcripts. You can insert the transcript image into a Word document, but please make sure it can be read. If we cannot read your unofficial online transcript, then we cannot evaluate your application.
- What if I haven't graduated and earned my Bachelor's/Master's degree by the application deadline?
You will still need to send us a transcript, please. If you are admitted to our program, the UW Graduate School will request an official, final transcript showing that you have earned your degree.
- I just received new grades, can I send you an updated transcript?
No, but thanks for the offer!
- Do I still need to mail a transcript if I'm currently a student at the University of Washington?
Yes. You still need to send us an official paper transcript even if you are currently a UW student, thanks!
- Can transcripts be mailed directly to the Department or can I mail them to you?
Yes to both. Your institution can mail transcripts directly to us, or you can mail them to us. You are also required to upload an unofficial transcript as part of the online Graduate Application. Unofficial transcripts are typically available in the student portal of your University's website, you can copy and paste the entire page into a Word document, then save the file. Or you can scan a paper transcript and upload the file. Please make sure that your unofficial electronic transcript, if scanned, can actually be read. If we cannot read it, then we cannot use it to evaluate your application.
- How do I calculate my GPA?
The UW Graduate School requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for at the last two years (90 quarter credits or 60 semester credits) of study where you earned your degree (Bachelor's or higher). Exceptionally strong applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may still be considered. If you have taken classes after graduating but did not earn a degree at this second institution, please do not factor the grades you earned at this second institution. Only use the GPA from the program where you earned your degree (Bachelor's or higher). If your institution grades by letter, you can estimate your grades by using the scale located here. If you cannot figure out your GPA or your school does not provide grades (letters or numbers), you may skip this step.
- How do I convert semester credits to quarter credits (and vice versa)?
Colleges and universities that operate on a semester system award semester credit. The UW awards quarter credit. To convert semester to quarter credits, multiply by 1.5. For example, a student who earns 30 credits in an institution on a semester calendar would have earned 45 quarter credits at the UW.
Note: This is not required of our application process, but we have been asked this a few times. :)
- How do I reapply? What materials do you keep?
We keep application materials for one year. If you are reapplying to our program, please check in with us in the fall when the admissions cycle begins again. We will be able to properly advise you on a reapplication.
Be prepared to know what materials you intend on keeping or replacing for your application. You will have to complete another online UW Graduate School application and submit the application fee. Application materials older than one year are destroyed/purged in the summer (e.g., Materials for entry in 2006-2007, which were received in 2005, were destroyed in August 2007).
Please do not retrieve your application from the previous year and overwrite it with your new materials. You must start a brand new application from the beginning in order to see the updated materials .
- What if I can't get electronic copies of my exam scores, transcripts, or letters of recommendation, etc?
We understand that not all materials are easily obtained electronically. Unofficial transcripts can usually be found on the student portal site of your university's website. Copy and paste the entire page into a Word document and save it. Otherwise, you can use a document scanner and scan a paper transcript so that you can upload it into the application.
Exam scores are sent to the University of Washington electronically upon your request to ETS, but a self-reported score entered in your online application will assist us as we begin our reviews.
Although the process of submitting online recommendations may sound complicated, it is no more complicated than having to write a letter in the first place. Please read item #24 above to understand the online process and convey this information to your recommenders. Receiving materials online is immediate, which benefits everyone by allowing us to make decisions that much sooner. We appreciate your cooperation.
- What happens to separate or late materials?
Late items will be processed after items received on-time. While we will make every effort to see that the late materials catch-up with their respective applications, applicants will run the risk of missing important selections committee review meetings.
- What if I have other questions?
You may contact us via email. This is the best (and for you the least expensive) method of communication. As a last resort, you may call the Graduate Program Office at 206-543-8687, and, while we will do our best to be available, we cannot guarantee that your call will be answered. We also cannot return any long distance calls.
During the admissions months of November-January, it is unlikely that we will be able to answer ANY calls, email is recommended at this time. We usually reply within 2 business days (often sooner).
- Other: How do I make a PDF?
You may visit PDF Online and use their free and easy PDF converter for your Word Documents and other file types as well.