Admissions

The Admission Process

A bachelor's degree is required, but there are no rigid requirements for prior academic course work. You are not required to have majored in psychology, but the equivalent (in knowledge) of a bachelor's degree in psychology is recommended. For students interested in neuroscience, a strong background in biology or biochemistry is essential. Students who have not majored in psychology as undergraduates may take additional psychology course work or readings during the first year to ensure an adequate psychology background.

A student's scores on the Graduate Record Examination general test must be submitted as part of the admission process. As a very general guide, applicants with a combined GRE score (verbal and quantitative) of 310 (1250 on the old scale) or better and either an overall or major gpa of 3.7 or better have a higher rate of admission to our program.

The process of selecting graduate students to participate in our program involves evaluating a student's undergraduate grades and any appropriate work past the bachelor's degree, GRE General test scores, letters of recommendation, and research experience. Obviously, undergraduate grades and GRE scores are important; but the faculty is primarily concerned with a prospective student's ability to conduct research. Letters from faculty members who can assess the student's research potential are important and scholarly papers from an undergraduate class that convey information about a student's research skill may be included with the student's application. We only admit students if one of our faculty indicates they are willing to serve as the student’s mentor. We recommend that you initiate correspondence or other contact with faculty members with whom you are interested in working.

More specific information on the application process is on the Graduate Applications web page.

Application Completion Deadline

January 5, 2013
(For admission and support)

We urge prospective students to complete the application process by December 15, 2012.

Financial Support

Departmental practice is to support most if not all satisfactorily progressing graduate students throughout their graduate careers, normally the first through fifth years of study. We will follow this practice in future years to the extent that available resources make it possible. Financial support comes in the form of fellowships, scholarships, traineeships, teaching and research assistantships, and out-of-state tuition grants. Students are expected to seek and apply for fellowships and scholarships for which they are eligible.

Prospective students must submit a completed application including official transcripts, GRE Scores General Test only), and letters of recommendation in order to be considered for admission and all sources of support for which they may be eligible. Students who are eligible for other sources of support for graduate study (e.g., NSF Fellowships) are requested to apply for those at the same time they apply for admission to UCR.

Financial support in the form of fellowships may be awarded in amounts up to $22,000 in stipends, plus fees, for the academic year. Fellowships include the Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship. Out-of-state tuition grants are also available. Students are also supported by various teaching and research assistantships. Teaching and research assistantships pay approximately $16,270 for the 2012-2013 academic year. In many cases, students receive additional summer support as teaching or research assistants.

The fee paid by all students is projected to be $ 4,851 per quarter for the  2012-2013 academic year. TAs and RAs appointed for at least 25% time are eligible for a fee remission of $ 4,652 per quarter, which includes the Graduate Student Health Insurance fee, and would then have a net balance due of approximately $199 per quarter. Tuition grants for non-resident fees are available to qualified out-of-state graduate students for the first year only; students are expected to establish residency by the end of their first year. (All fees subject to change without notice.)

Go to the UCR Graduate Division web pages for more information on Graduate School at UCR - including application information. You can find the official Graduate School application forms from the Graduate Division's web site!

Feel free to contact faculty members with specific questions. Their phone numbers and E-mail addresses are in their faculty profiles. If you have any further questions, or if we can help in any way, please write or phone:

The Graduate Advisor
Department of Psychology
University of California
Riverside, California 92521
951-827-6306
psychadvisor@ucr.edu