Admissions

All application materials should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions via the online Graduate Application. Use the graduate admission checklist to get started.

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER

The Department of Psychology has made available a select number of application fee waivers for PhD applicants in financial need. To find out if you are eligible for the department application fee waiver, email the Psychology Department PhD Programs Coordinator at psygrad@fiu.edu, answering the following questions:

• Name and, if applicable, Panther ID number:
• Subplan to which you are applying:
• Do you have a financial hardship or difficulty paying the application fee? Yes or No

• Application Deadlines

  Fall Only: Apply by December 1, 5 p.m. EST

• Department of Psychology Admission Requirements
  • Degree: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited college or university
    
    
  • GPA: Applicants must have a 3.0 average or higher during the last two years of the undergraduate program
    
    
  • GRE: GRE is waived for applicants.
    
    
  • Statement of Intent/Personal Statement: ASCP Program applicants must address three specific questions in their Personal Statements- see the ASCP Program Admission Requirements tab for details. Statements should not exceed three typewritten, double-spaced pages. Statement should be uploaded to the graduate admissions portal
    
    
  • Curriculum vitae or resume: This includes pertinent information on previous experience, education, honors, awards, interests, community service and achievements.  ASCP Program applicants are encouraged to include information about research skills and community engagement- see the ASCP Program Admission Requirements tab for details.
    
    
  • Letters of Recommendation: Three letters written on official letterhead. Ideally, at least two letters would be from faculty evaluating the student's potential for graduate work. Letters of recommendation are uploaded online by the recommender. Letter writers will be asked to provide  additional information when they log in to submit their letters. Letters of recommendation must be submitted or sent directly by the letter writer to Graduate Admissions at  gradadm@fiu.edu.
    
    
  • Departmental Application: Fill out the Graduate Programs in Psychology application and upload it through the online admissions application portal. 
    
    
  • Transcripts:  Submitting Transcripts. This includes university/college official transcript from all institutions previously attended in a sealed institution envelope. Addresses and other methods of submitting your transcripts can be found clicking  here. If you graduated from FIU, you do not need to request transcripts unless you attended another institution afterwards. Students who have received an education from non-English speaking countries must have their transcripts translated when sent to FIU. If sending electronically, institutions can have transcripts emailed to Graduate Admissions at gradadm@fiu.edu.
    Foreign Applicants: Please note you must provide a copy of your transcripts to graduate admissions and a translation from a recognized translation agency or official translator. Some suggested agencies are listed here.
    
    
  • Additional Requirements:
    • Completion of an undergraduate or graduate research methods course as a prerequisite
    • Contact with a potential faculty mentor
    • Two writing samples - academic or professional, no length requirement
    • Ability to work full time toward the degree
    • Previous research experience preferred
    • International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 92 on the iBT TOEFL (equivalent to 580 in the TOEFL) is required

  For more information about Psychology programs, consult the Graduate Catalog.
  

  Successful applicants demonstrate a strong interest in social and cultural psychology, significant research experience, a good fit with proposed faculty in the program and a desire for a social and cultural psychology career. Additionally, successful applicants will demonstrate a record of academic achievement evidenced by a high GPA; show significant professional accomplishments as described in personal statements; and have supportive letters of recommendations from past mentors.

  Top applicants will be interviewed remotely by two to three faculty members, including the applicant's potential advisor. The purpose of the interview is to give applicants an opportunity to further gauge their "fit" with our program by talking directly to faculty, and to learn more about our various mentorship models.

  A Note on GRE Scores

  Due to a recent decision from the University's Graduate School, the GRE is now waived for admission. Different Labs in ASCP will give different weights to the GRE score. We recognize research suggests the GRE does not show a reliable correlation with many of the most important graduate school outcomes (e.g., time-to-degree, research productivity) and that it disadvantages some groups. Please contact the Professor you list as your top choice for mentor to know how much weight will be placed by them on your GRE Score.

  Information on Judicial Holds

  Although we are required to include questions in our application that ask about previous experiences with disciplinary charges and criminal offenses, we do not want these questions to discourage anyone with these experiences from applying to our programs. Responding “yes” to these questions  does not preclude applicants from being considered for admission to our programs. It does place a “judicial hold” on the application that can be resolved through the Student Conduct and Academic Integrity (SCAI) Admissions Clearance Process confidentially. Moreover, responses to these questions will not be shared with faculty reviewing applications—regardless of the applicant’s responses—so as to maintain confidentially and reduce bias throughout the review process.

  Instructions for resolving judicial holds can be found here: https://admissions.fiu.edu/admissions-clearance/

  If you have any questions about this process, you can contact the SCAI team by phone at 305-348-3939 or email at  conduct@fiu.edu, or the graduate secretary in the Department of Psychology by email at  psygrad@fiu.edu.

• ASCP Program Admission Requirements

  The ASCP Program places a strong emphasis on ensuring that students are a good fit with both the program’s goals and its collaborative, research-focused culture. We are committed to supporting students whose interests and values align with the work being done within the program.

  To support this, applicants are expected to carefully consider faculty–student fit and to use their personal statements to clearly and concisely explain why the ASCP Program is an ideal match for their academic interests, research goals, and professional development.

  
  Faculty- Student Fit

  Admissions decisions for the ASCP Program are strongly influenced by ASCP Core faculty–student fit. We encourage you to carefully review current ASCP Core faculty research interests and ongoing projects to ensure the program aligns with the work you hope to pursue during your degree. It will also be useful to review our Research Areas for an overview of our current broad areas of research focus to ensure your interests areas connect with these.

  Finally, we strongly recommend- but do not require- reaching out to potential ASCP Core faculty mentors well in advance of the application deadline (e.g., before November) to introduce yourself and, if possible, schedule a Zoom meeting to discuss research interests and fit. 
   

  ASCP Personal Statement Focus

  ASCP Program applicants' personal statements require responding to three specific questions. You do not need an introduction/ conclusion or to combine your answers into one long essay—we prefer that you respond to each question separately and label them clearly (e.g., Question 1, Question 2, Question 3). 

  Each response should be focused and no longer than 500 words. This format is designed to give you the opportunity to fully address each question while making it easier for the admissions committee to understand your experiences, interests, and goals.

  ASCP Program Required Personal Statement Questions

  1. Please describe your current research interests, including a broad topic and populations you are interested in studying (e.g., age groups, cultural identities, or communities). Explain why this area matters to you and its relevance to real-world issues.
     
     

  2. Please describe your prior research experience, including the research topic(s), your specific role in research, and any methodologies or analytical approaches you used. Reflect on what you learned from this experience, particularly in relation to understanding social interactions or real-world applications. How did this experience shape your research interests and professional goals?
     
     

  3. Which ASCP Core faculty members would you prefer to work with, and why? Please describe how your choice reflects your research interests, preparation, understanding of the field, and goals for contributing to and engaging with the ASCP Program’s academic community.

  
  CV Highlights Research Skills and Community Engagement

  Applicants to the ASCP Program are strongly encouraged to structure their CVs in a way that clearly highlights both their research skills and community engagement. This can be done by including dedicated sections that showcase relevant competencies—such as listing software proficiency, languages, and specialized training/ certificates under a “Skills” section. Additionally, if you have any experience working in community settings, include this information with descriptions of the context, focus and your role. 

  
  Graduate Programs in Psychology Application

  All applicants must first submit their complete application materials through the FIU University Graduate School (UGS) application portal. After submitting your official application materials through the FIU UGS portal, you must also complete the Graduate Programs in Psychology application. 
  
  Please note that documents submitted through the department Graduate Programs in Psychology application are considered unofficial and are used only to support an early review process. Only applicants who have fully completed their FIU application submission will be considered for admission. All Graduate Programs in Psychology application materials will ultimately be verified against the official FIU UGS submission content and materials when making final decisions.
  
  
  

  If you have any questions about any aspect of this process, you can contact the ASCP Program Director Dr. Dionne Stephens by phone at 305-348-1809 or email at  stephens@fiu.edu.

• ASCP Student Body

  We are committed to accepting and supporting a student body that represents our local and global community. Our program is committed to promoting student success by engaging in actions that make all students feel valued, respected, seen and heard in classroom instruction and research endeavors. The program emphasizes a learning environment that encourages respectful discourse and sharing of ideas. We honor the APA code of ethics. As a program located in a Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), we support expansion of educational opportunities for varied populations.

• Available Funding

  Students admitted to the ASCP Program received assistantships; these are classified as Graduate Assistants (GA), Teaching Assistants (TA) or Research Assistants (RAs). These 12 month assistantships provide a stipend, tuition waiver and health insurance. Additionally, students may be funded through external awards and fellowships.

  Admitted students who maintain good academic standing are guaranteed four years of support. Graduate assistantships are on 12-month contracts (approximately stipend $32,000). Most students are funded through their fifth year, contingent upon satisfactory progress in the program.

  • Cost of attendance
  • CASE Scholarships & Fellowships
  • University graduate fellowships
  • External funding for graduate students
• Informational Video about ASCP
  Want to know more about the ASCP program milestones, philosophy, classes, and funding? Email stephens@fiu.edu for a link to an Informational Video about ASCP.