The department and all of its doctoral programs welcome applications for graduate study from individuals with diverse educational, academic, cultural, and spiritual backgrounds and values, as well as diverse personal qualities and experiences. Applicants can demonstrate their strengths and suitability for the programs in a variety of ways that include undergraduate grades/GPA; breadth and rigor of undergraduate courses; GRE scores; prior research experience; professional or work experiences; and letters of recommendation.
Important indices of potential for graduate study in psychology include a diversified liberal arts or sciences undergraduate degree from a fully accredited college or university; evidence of well above average competence in written and oral communication; diverse coursework in science, mathematics, and/or statistics; prior research experience; and sufficient breadth and depth of preparation in psychology to begin graduate study in the discipline.
Successful applicants typically have a focused interest in a well-defined area of psychology as demonstrated by a thoughtful statement that addresses their research and professional aims consistent with the program(s) and faculty members to whom they are applying. Successful applicants typically have prior research experience and on average have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.60. About two-thirds of new students enter the program with a bachelor’s degree, and about one-third enter having completed a master’s degree in psychology or a related discipline. On average, the GRE scores of successful applicants are around the 70th Percentile on the Verbal test and the 50th Percentile on the Quantitative test.
Application deadline and process
For full consideration, applications for admission must be submitted by December 1. The same deadline is used for all three training areas (cognitive, counseling, and social psychology). Late applications may be considered by the admissions committee, but may not be given full consideration.
Students applying for admission to a doctoral program in psychology at Iowa State University should complete and upload all required documents to their online ISU Graduate Application account. The department will have access to these documents once applicants have completed and submitted their ISU Graduate Application. Applications are typically reviewed through February and March. Notifications regarding admission decisions are sent by mid-April. Contact admissions@iastate.edu or call 515-294-5836 with application portal questions.
Required documents
- ISU Graduate College Application
Complete and submit the ISU Graduate Application Form. Prospective students are not required to pay an application fee when applying to the program. Students who are admitted into the program and accepted are charged an application fee of $60, $100 for international applications. Students with demonstrated financial need may be eligible for an application fee waiver from the psychology department. A limited number of such waivers are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible. If you are admitted to the program and you believe that you are eligible for a fee waiver, you may send a request along with evidence of financial need (e.g., FAFSA) to psychadm@iastate.edu. - Departmental Supplemental Application
Download and complete the Supplemental Application Form (MSWord Template). Upload your completed Supplemental Application to your online ISU Graduate Application account. - Psychology Essay
Please provide the following information in a separate file and upload it to your ISU Graduate Application account. There is no word limit for this psychology essay, so please elaborate on the points below. (1) Please describe your prior research experience and interests and your vocational goals within your specialty area. Be as specific as possible. (2) Please describe specific reasons for your desire to complete a doctorate in psychology at Iowa State University. Be as specific as possible. Please specify the research area(s) and the specific faculty member(s) you would like to work with. We encourage you to describe why you would like to work with this person or in this area. And (3) Please describe qualifications or factors relevant to your ability to pursue doctoral study at Iowa State University not addressed elsewhere in this application. - Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Please provide a resume or CV that describes your experiences and qualifications for admission to a psychology doctoral program. You should upload this document to your online ISU Graduate Application account. Within the resume or CV, be sure to include the following: (1) A summary of your educational history, including universities attended, years of attendance, and degrees awarded. (2) Academic and professional awards received (e.g., prizes, scholarships, fellowships, and other indicators of academic excellence). (3) All publications in print or in press, and any research conference presentations for which you were an author. Provide full citations for each. (4) List and describe any relevant research experiences. Provide the names of the laboratory or research center and your faculty/supervisor. Describe the research conducted and the activities you engaged in. (5) All teaching and applied experiences, to include internships, practicum, instructional, or teaching assistant opportunities. Provide a brief description of each. And (6) Include memberships in honorary and professional societies. - Official or Unofficial Transcripts for Department Review
For departmental review purposes, you may upload a copy of your unofficial academic transcripts. Once you are admitted and have accepted an offer from our department, ISU Graduate Admissions requires your official transcripts from every school attended. We must have a transcript showing credit and grades you received for undergraduate courses. Transcripts are required for any course(s) taken (whether or not for a degree). If transfer courses are on current transcripts showing credit and grade received, this is sufficient. You may also provide study abroad course(s) for which you received grades and credit via a transcript. - Three Letters of Recommendation
While completing the online ISU Graduate Admissions Application, provide three letter writers’ email addresses, where prompted. Your letter writers will receive an email from the ISU Graduate Admissions Office with instructions for submitting their Letter of Recommendation once your application has been finalized. The Department of Psychology will have access to these letters for departmental review. - English Language Proficiency Scores
English language proficiency scores are required for all international students when first language is not English. Scores are waived only if you have received a degree from a U.S. school. Make a copy of your English language scores and upload to your ISU International Graduate Application. Domestic students do NOT complete this exam. - GRE Scores
The GRE General and Psychology (subject area) Tests are not required, but encouraged. Many applicants provide their GRE scores, and these scores are valued by admission committees in the evaluation process. GRE scores provide a common metric to assess applicants’ abilities and can help round out your application package. Because the GRE General Test covers a range of skills across its three sections, your scores could help to fill particular gaps in your academic experience. GRE scores can also help to identify standout candidates. As such, higher GRE scores can help distinguish you from other applicants and showcase your academic strengths. GRE fee reduction vouchers are available through ETS.