Admissions and Financial Aid

Application for Admission to the PsyD Program

To start your application journey, visit Xavier University's Online Application.

Applications for the Fall 2024 cohort will open on August 1st, 2023 and will remain open until December 1st, 2023.

GRE test scores are waived for applicants seeking admission for Fall 2024. GRE scores will not be considered for admission.

Applications must be complete by the deadline date of December 1 and must include these items:

Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended are required. These should be submitted electronically to Xavier University, or to Director of Academic Programs at address below.
Three letters of recommendation.
Resume or CV
Personal Statement reflecting a commitment to clinical psychology and detailing applicant's specific interests
Diversity Statement reflecting commitment to diversity and inclusion
A non-refundable $35.00 application fee is required to complete application.
Applicants from foreign countries or who completed their degree overseas are required to submit transcripts evaluated by World Education Service (WES), a financial statement, a sponsorship letter, and official TOEFL scores, as well as the other requirements outlined above.

Admission Criteria

The applicant must possess a bachelor's or master's degree or their equivalent from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants are welcome to apply during the final term(s) of their bachelor's or master's, as long as the previous degree will be complete prior to beginning the PsyD. The prior academic record must indicate ability and preparation necessary for pursuing graduate studies.
The minimum prerequisite for the doctoral program is 15 semester hours of undergraduate courses in psychology. These must include courses in general psychology; introductory statistics from a psychology, mathematics, or statistics department; psychological research methods; and six semester hours in other undergraduate psychology courses. Pre-requisites can be in-progress at time of application.
An additional pre-requisite in psychological tests and measurements must either be completed/in-progress prior to application, or can be completed the summer prior to beginning the program, if admitted.
Grade Point Average (GPA)- A minimum 3.0 required in previous undergraduate and/or graduate program(s). Overall GPA and GPA in psychology courses are both assessed. Special note is made of honors courses or programs.
Research experience. This may reflect anything from collecting data to publication in refereed journals.
Work experience. Work relevant to clinical psychology will be of special interest.
Three Letters of reference. Letters from academic/research sources receive the greatest weight, although those describing other types of experience are also considered.
Compatible interests. Compatibility of the applicant's interests with those of the faculty is considered.
Writing skills. The applicant's ability to write, as reflected in the Personal and Diversity statement, as well as in technical writing shown in published research, is also taken into account.

The admissions committee considers many variables. The entire set of credentials presented by the applicant is considered. However, a low standing on one criterion (e.g., GPA, Experience, etc.) does not automatically mean rejection, nor does one very high standing on one criterion mean automatic acceptance. Students with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Admissions Process

Submitted applications will be reviewed in December/January and interviews for those extended the invitation will be in February.

Each fall, the Psy.D. program admits a cohort of 16-18 students. Offers of admission will follow the interview process and accepted applicants will have until April 15th to confirm their desire to accept and make a $500 non-refundable tuition deposit to confirm their spot. This will be credited toward fall tuition.

Once the cohort maximum has been reached, the cohort will be closed for further enrollment. Any student who was offered admission and did not confirm prior to the closure will be permitted to defer admission to the next cohort year. The Director of Academic programs will communicate regularly with accepted students regarding status of cohort.

Any questions can be directed to Mack Maynard, Director of Academic Programs:

maynardm3@xavier.edu
513-745-1053
3800 Victory Parkway, Elet Hall ML 6511 - Cincinnati, OH 45207

Funding & Financial Assistance

The School of Psychology strives to fund all first-year PsyD students with assistantships providing partial tuition credit and an hourly position. Specific offers of funding will be communicated with offers of admission. Applicants will be considered for all available assistantships based on admission application. Additional materials are not required.

Continued funding in Years 2, 3, and/or 4 is not guaranteed, but available based on performance and interest. The SoP offers a number of assistantships in research, lab/teaching, and clinical positions that are application-based and competitive year-to-year.

In addition, a number of clinical practicum placements during Years 2-4 are paid positions.

Transfer Credit

The following are guidelines for the transfer of graduate credit to the doctoral program.

Students accepted into the doctoral program already holding a master's degree in a field akin to clinical psychology may be able to apply a portion of the previous graduate work toward the fulfillment of the doctoral degree requirements. The allowable number of transferable hours will vary and transfer evaluations will not occur until a student has been accepted. In all cases a minimum of 75 hours of the required 117 must be completed at Xavier. Courses taken more than six years prior to entering the doctoral program will normally not be accepted for transfer.