Psychology PhD Application FAQs

Of those admitted in recent years, the average GPA was 3.77, the average GRE Verbal score was 161 and average GRE Quantitative score was 161.

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the results of an English language proficiency test. The university will accept the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL-iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to determine admission eligibility.

• The minimum total iBT score for admission (including all four sections): 79
• The minimum total iBT score for exemption from the English as a Second Language Placement Test (EPT) for admission (including all four sections): 103

The minimum IELTS (academic test) score used to determine admission eligibility:

• Minimum total score for admission: 6.5, including a minimum subscore of 6 on all four modules. Students receiving scores below 7 will be required to take the EPT for placement in English as Second Language courses.

The University of Illinois is required by state law and university policy to give teaching appointments only to international graduate students who have passed an English language proficiency test. Applicants have the following options to satisfy this requirement:

• Minimum score of 24 on the speaking section of the TOEFL-iBT
• Minimum score of 8 on the speaking section of the IELTS
• Continuation of minimum TSE score of 50 or a minimum SPEAK score of 50

It is very beneficial to establish teaching eligibility prior to admission.  As we offer a support guarantee, this becomes important if no research funding is available in the first semester.  Exemptions to the Oral English Proficiency Requirements for Teaching Assistants are rarely approved. 

Examination scores are valid for up to 5 years.  Applicants with expired scores must retake the exam if the area requires.

Essays remain set at 250 words maximum with essays #1-2 required and #3-4 optional.

Question #1: Please describe pivotal experiences, opportunities, and/or challenges (including any financial or access barriers) that have influenced your educational and professional development.

Question #2: At Illinois, we value a student’s ability to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where our graduate students can learn and collaborate productively and positively. Please provide an example of how you contributed to or engaged with a community of students or colleagues with different perspectives, abilities, and experiences to achieve a positive outcome, and reflect on what you learned from this experience.

Question #3: If you believe that your academic record does not demonstrate your true capabilities, please explain why. You may also discuss any gaps in your academic and professional experience.

Question #4: If there is something that you would like to share with the admissions committee that you have yet to discuss in other areas of the application, please do so here. If needed, you may also use this space to expand upon the topics discussed in the above essays.

AI Guidance: Applicants are expected to write authentic responses to these prompts. While AI and search engine services can provide guidance and suggestions, admissions committees are looking for your unique experiences and perspectives. Responses generated exclusively by AI should not be submitted.

Applicants to our psychology programs are NOT responsible for any program-specific questions/essays or writing samples.  However, if you feel strongly about attaching writing samples to your application, you may do so at your discretion.

Students of high ability transferring to psychology from other disciplines may be accepted even though they lack a background in psychology.  We recommend approximately 15 hours of previous coursework in psychology (including a lab-based course) and a previous statistics course, though these experiences are not required in order to apply.

No.  Applicants must have earned at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college in the United States or a comparable degree from a recognized institution of higher learning abroad. Students finishing their bachelor's degree program are eligible to apply as long as the degree will be awarded before studies in the graduate program begin.

Yes. International students should check the bachelor’s degree equivalents from their countries. Please note: our Graduate College Office does NOT accept outside WES evaluations of undergraduate transcripts.

Furthermore, as long as you plan to graduate (and complete your 4^th year) in the spring or summer prior to the fall semester for which you hope to be admitted to our program, you may apply now and submit your in-process transcripts along with your other application materials. For example, if you plan to graduate with your bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2023, you may apply for the fall of 2023 by submitting your current, incomplete transcripts now. If admitted, we will ask for the official, complete transcripts as soon as they become available to you.

Yes, we offer a Master of Science in Psychological Science.  Separately, in our PhD program, we offer an optional master of science as an intermediate degree on the way to the doctorate.

No.  We offer a Clinical-Community PhD program (but we do not offer/provide licensure). The College of Education offers a program in Counseling Psychology. 

In cases where a direct conversion to our scale is not available, we will have the transcript analyzed by our admissions unit for determination of bachelor’s degree equivalency and admission eligibility.

Yes. Even with the financial support offered by the department, it has been determined insufficient to cover what is needed per INS regulations.  At current rates, the department support guarantee is approximately $1,000 short of the funds required to issue visa documents.  International applicants are, therefore, required to provide evidence of financial resources before an offer of admission can be made. 

We make every effort to get the decision to the applicant as soon as possible, but due to variability of review times, we cannot guarantee a specific time.  You will be notified of the decision regarding your application via e-mail as soon as we are given the final decisions from the admissions committee.

We do not provide campus tours for prospective graduate students. However, some program areas invite students to visit during interviews. Others admit students first and then invite students for a recruitment weekend. If you would like to take a virtual or photo tour of the campus right now, you may visit the campus tours website.

Our graduate programs do not offer online or distant learning courses.

Our programs and funding package are structured for students to complete in up to 6 years.  However, there is fluctuation in the time to completion, commonly related to research progression.  Also, students in the Clinical/Community program area typically complete in 6-8 years, as there is a 1-year internship requirement for those doctoral candidates. 

We may use supplemental information from your application file: transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.  However, you must complete a new application and submit another application processing fee.  International students must also provide new financial certification documentation (when asked). 

A maximum of 12 semester hours of course work completed outside the University of Illinois may be transferred and used toward a graduate degree in our program.  Course work must be at the graduate level, and cannot have been used toward another degree or certificate program.  Also, a student must have successfully completed at least 8 semester hours of graded, graduate course work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before submitting a request for transfer of credit.

We will accept materials after the deadline (i.e. letters of recommendation are submitted by the recommenders, and are not within the power of the applicant to submit by the deadline; you are encouraged to request them early to ensure timely submission).  However, if the committee reviews your application before all materials are received, we cannot guarantee those late materials will be reviewed. 

Yes. In fact, you are NOT required (or encouraged) to submit the funding documentation at the time of application.  When needed, we will request the forms and allow plenty of time for submission.