The Clinical program typically accepts six students per year — three in the Child track, and three in the Community track. Admission is highly competitive, with more than 400 applicants per year. The review process is separate for each track, and admission decisions take into account match to the program and specific faculty who can serve as mentors. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to learn more about the
Clinical-Child track, the
Clinical-Community track, and our
faculty.
Students can only apply to one track and should list 1-3 potential faculty members whom they are interested in having as a primary mentor on their personal statement and application.
Reviewing for the Clinical Child Track: Dr. Antonio Polo and Dr. Susan Tran
Reviewing for the Clinical Community Track: Dr. Leonard Jason, Dr. Susan McMahon, and Dr. Nyssa Snow-Hill
Applications are due December 1st.
If you have further questions, please contact Laura Griggs, Graduate Programs Coordinator, at lgriggs@depaul.edu, or Susan Tran, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Training at susan.tran@depaul.edu.
Click Here to view a recording of the 2024 Clinical Program Virtual Open House.
Please read through
the general instructions before filling out the
online application. When filling out the online application please select the Psychology Graduate Programs application, not the College of Science and Health application.
International Admission
Students educated outside the United States must present proof of English proficiency. The program requires a minimum TOEFL score of 96 on the TOEFL iBT, or a minimum IELTS score of 7.0, or a minimum Duolingo score of 125.
For additional information for international students please visit our International Student Admission Process page.
Application Review
Consistent with our mission, the clinical program at DePaul University strongly encourages applications from students from under-represented ethnic minority groups, students with disabilities, and students who demonstrate a commitment to understanding the societal and systemic/ecological forces that have contributed to current manifestations of inequality for many diverse groups such as for low-income, urban, and ethnically diverse populations and on how these conditions influence mental health, family/community processes, and access to mental health services.
The clinical program at DePaul University has decided to eliminate the GRE requirement for admission to our doctoral program during the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. In line with our program aims, we wish to remove the barriers that the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing racism pandemic have had on applicants' ability to prepare for the GRE. Our program has been conducting holistic review of all applications for many years. This means that the program has never set minimum GRE scores required for admissions, but has used the GRE as one piece of our holistic review. The program recognizes that GRE scores are correlated with ethnicity and sex and that they are unhelpful in predicting the success that students will have in doctoral programs.
We recognize that some applicants may have already taken the GRE and may still wish for their scores to be submitted for evaluation. We also recognize that some students have prepared for the GRE or have been less negatively impacted by either pandemic. The program also knows that when some applicants submit GRE scores, other applicants may perceive that they also need to submit GRE scores to remain competitive. In order to truly eliminate the use of GRE scores, the program is not allowing any applicants to submit GRE scores with their admissions materials. The clinical program at DePaul funds its applicants equally and does not have additional admissions slots for applicants with high GRE scores. Thus, we do not have a compelling reason to continue the use of the GRE during this admissions cycle. This decision will be reviewed and evaluated at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 admissions cycle to determine whether this change will be adopted for further cycles.
Please note that programs at other institutions may be continuing to use the GRE in their admissions process so applicants should review each program's materials.
The holistic review process includes consideration of the following materials:
Previous Preparation in Psychology: Applicants are expected to have had courses in statistics, research methods, abnormal psychology, and other foundational areas of psychology to permit advanced study in this field. Applicants who did not major in psychology as undergraduate students should submit a brief narrative detailing their related experience.
Letters of Recommendation: Applicants should provide three letters of recommendation that address the applicant’s academic abilities, potential for conducting research, and ability to work with others.
Personal Statement: The program uses the personal statement to evaluate fit for the program’s overall objectives. Applicants are encouraged to include discussion of the following in their statement:
- Highlight their research interests including how past experiences/training have made them a good fit to work on research with particular faculty members and how receiving training from them will help them to obtain their future career goals.
- Describe how their backgrounds, experiences, and goals prepare them to participate in and fit with the Clinical Psychology program and the Child or Community track.
- Summarize how the program would enable them to contribute to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of clinical psychology.
The personal statement should not exceed two pages in length (single-spaced).
Curriculum Vitae: Applicants are encouraged to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) to provide a comprehensive overview of their training and experience within the field of psychology. The CV is intended to complement the personal statement.
Application Fee: The application fee is $40. If for any reason you would like to request a waiver of the application fee, you many contact the graduate coordinator (lgriggs@depaul.edu )for information.
Application Resources: Applying to graduate school in clinical psychology is challenging and many more qualified applicants apply than are able to be admitted to the program each year. Below, please find some helpful resources to consider as you prepare your application materials.
Take the next step
Learn more about
Graduate Admission.
Attend an
Admission Event.
Ready to apply?
Apply now
If you need assistance to complete your application and/or have questions, contact the CSH Graduate Admission office at
(773) 325-7315 or
cshgrad@depaul.edu.