Apply

Thank you for your interest in applying. Please read this page carefully. All new students begin their studies in the fall semester.

Deadlines

For prospective PhD applicants interested in interacting with the faculty and graduate students from the program they are considering applying to and/or who would like to see how it looks and feels on campus in the spaces where the members of our department work, our department will offer an optional In-Person PhD Program Open House on 2026-11-13 from 9am to Noon. Please note that we do not have a virtual alternative option planned at this time. If you are a prospective PhD applicant and wish to attend this Open House on the University of Kentucky campus in Lexington, KY, USA, please RSVP via this link by 2026-10-22.

The annual Ph.D. application deadline is December 1. For those applicants invited for an interview, doctoral interview day is held via the Zoom teleconference platform each year on a Friday in late January. In 2027, doctoral interview day will be held on January 22, 2027. Doctoral applicants should reserve this time in their calendar in advance in anticipation of a potential invitation.

Fee waivers are not available for applicants.

The annual Ed.S. application deadline is January 15. The annual M.S. application deadline is February 1.

If you are applying to the Ph.D. in Quantitative and Psychometric Methods (QPM), please visit the QPM Apply page instead.

The University of Kentucky uses an admissions platform called Slate that provides an opportunity to submit all Graduate School and Departmental requirements in one electronic application. All applications for graduate study in our department must be submitted online at https://gradschool.uky.edu/apply. 

Our GRE Institution Code is R1837 and the TOEFL Institution Code is 1837.  The application will request your GRE scores (if applicable) and transcripts. You may submit an unofficial transcript with your application, but if you are accepted, you will then need to submit an official transcript to the Graduate School.

Please note the Slate admissions platform uses the following names for our programs on the “Plan of Study” webpage of the application:

• M.S. Educational Psych = Admission Category is “Masters degree” and Program is “Educational and Counseling Psychology”
• Ph.D. Educational Psych = Admission Category is “Doctoral degree” and Program is “Educational Psychology”
• Ed.S. School Psych = Admission Category is “Specialist in Education degree” and Program is “Education and Counseling Psychology-School Psychology”
• Ph.D. School Psych = Admission Category is “Doctoral degree” and Program is “Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology – School Psychology”
• M.S. Counseling Psych = Admission Category is “Masters degree” and Program is “Education and Counseling Psychology – Counseling Psychology”
• Ph.D. Counseling Psych = Admission Category is “Doctoral degree” and Program is “Education and Counseling Psychology – Counseling Psychology”
• QPM = visit the QPM Apply page for more information.

Applicants to programs in Educational, School, or Counseling Psychology will be asked to upload the following supporting application materials:

1. Resume/Vita. Be sure to include your educational background, work experiences, professional certifications, professional memberships, publications, and references.
2. Letters of Recommendation. Two letters of reference are required, though three are encouraged.
3. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores. Applications have different GRE instructions depending on the program you are applying to as follows:
   • MS Educational Psychology: optional
   • PhD Educational Psychology: preferred but not required
   • EdS School Psychology: optional
   • PhD School Psychology: optional
   • MS Counseling Psychology: optional
   • PhD Counseling Psychology: see CP PhD webpage.
   • QPM: Psychology: see QPM Apply webpage.
4. Writing Sample. (Only required for all PhD applicants and for Counseling Psychology MS applicants). Submit a solo-authored article, class paper, Master’s Thesis, or manuscript. Writing sample should demonstrate command of APA style.
5. Statement of Purpose. Please tailor your statement of purpose to the program of study to which you are applying by addressing the relevant questions below. Your Statement should be no longer than 2 single-spaced pages in length and you are encouraged to divide your Statement into clearly marked sections.

      For Educational Psychology:

• What is your understanding of educational psychology and why is this program a “good fit” for your specific career goals?
• What previous teaching experience and/or life experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a degree in educational psychology?
• What is (or will be) your contribution to creating a world in which belonging and community engagement is prioritized?
• What experiences have you had working with diverse populations and/or different cultures?
• What are your specific research interests (i.e., specific problems or general areas in which you hope to work) and with which faculty member(s) do your interests most align?

      For School Psychology:  

• What is your understanding of school psychology and why is this program a “good fit” for your specific career goals?
• What previous clinical or educational experience and/or life experiences do you have with people from different cultures and/or those with disabilities?
• What is (or will be) your contribution to creating a world in which belonging and community engagement is prioritized?
• Describe any prior research experience you have and your research interests, including which faculty members may best align with your interests (doctoral applicants only).

      For Counseling Psychology:  

• Why is our program a good fit for your specific career goals?
• What is and/or will be your contribution to creating a world in which belonging and community engagement is prioritized?
• What makes (or will make) you a good clinician?
• Please respond to either A or B, depending on which program you are applying to:
  • (A) Applying to the PhD Program: What are your specific research interests and how do they align with the research program of one or two of the counseling psychology faculty members? Please also concisely detail your prior research experience. The "Admission" section of the Ph.D. Program webpage indicates which professors are interested in taking a doctoral student next fall. Please clearly indicate which one professor would be the best fit for your research adviser. Please also describe in 3-6 sentences a research question that you would enjoy addressing with your UK faculty mentor and why this question is important to investigate.
  • (B) Applying to the 2-Year MS Program: What research skills and experiences do you wish to gain during your time in the master’s program? What problems, topics, or issues do you hope to do research on as a future graduate student?

     For Quantitative and Psychometric Methods:

• Please see the QPM Apply page for instructions.

Program faculty do not use any single criterion for admissions decisions. We consider grade point average (minimum of 2.75 undergraduate and 3.0 graduate), GRE scores (if applicable), letters of recommendation, previous professional and life experiences, belonging-related experiences, career goals, research interests, and “fit” with overall program focus and faculty expertise. Your statement of purpose is an opportunity for you to convey to the faculty a more holistic view of your strengths and potential contributions to the program.  It is also an opportunity for you to provide clarifying context for low grade point average and/or GRE scores, if this is relevant to you.

Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The application system will also ask you to submit an application for an assistantship; however, the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling psychology cannot accept applications for assistantships until acceptance into each program has been granted. Therefore, you do not need to submit an application for an assistantship until after acceptance into your respective program.