Admission Steps

Professional/Clinical Psychology - PSYD

Admission Requirements

Terms and Deadlines

For the 2025-2026 academic year

Fall 2025 quarter (beginning in September)

  • Final submission deadline: December 2, 2024

Final submission deadline: Applicants cannot submit applications after the final submission deadline.

Degree and GPA Requirements

Degrees and GPA Requirements

Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.

University GPA requirement: The minimum grade point average for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver must meet one of the following criteria:

  • A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the baccalaureate degree.

  • A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree.

  • An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or the recognized equivalent from an international institution supersedes the minimum GPA requirement for the baccalaureate.

  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework completed for applicants who have not earned a master’s degree or higher.

Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Please visit for more details on the program specifc GPA requirement.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Applicants WITHOUT a psychology background (major or minor), must meet the department's psychology prerequisite prior to matriculation.  The psychology prerequisite can be met either through psychology coursework or by obtaining a score of at least 660 or higher on the psychology subject GRE exam. Applicants should state how they plan to meet the psychology prerequisite in their application. For the psychology coursework prerequisite, applicants must complete four (4) psychology courses earning a 'B' or better in these classes from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants offered admission should be aware that all psychology classes must be completed before registration in September.

Additional Standards for Non-Native English Speakers

Additional Standards for Non-Native English Speakers

Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), C1 Advanced or Duolingo English Test are required of all graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship status, whose native language is not English or who have been educated in countries where English is not the native language. Your TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the test date.

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

  • Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80

  • Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5

  • Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176

  • Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

Additional Information:

Additional Standards for International Applicants

Additional Standards for International Applicants

Per Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulation, international applicants must meet all standards for admission before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued, [per U.S. Federal Register: 8 CFR § 214.3(k)] or is academically eligible for admission and is admitted [per 22 C.F.R. §62]. Read the Additional Standards For International Applicants policy for more details.

Application Materials

Transcripts

Transcripts

We require a scanned copy of your transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Scanned copies must be clearly legible and sized to print on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. Transcripts that do not show degrees awarded must also be accompanied by a scanned copy of the diploma or degree certificate. If your academic transcripts were issued in a language other than English, both the original documents and certified English translations are required.

Transcripts and proof of degree documents for postsecondary degrees earned from institutions outside of the United States will be released to a third-party international credential evaluator to assess U.S. education system equivalencies. Beginning July 2023, a non-refundable fee for this service will be required before the application is processed.

Upon admission to the University of Denver, official transcripts will be required from each institution attended.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of Recommendation

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required.  Letters should be submitted by recommenders through the online application.

Required Essays and Statements

Essays and Statements

Essay Instructions

Please respond to both essay prompts below and upload one PDF document, which should include your two essay responses, to your online application. The word limit for each essay is 500 words. Please number or label your essays.
• We do not require a personal statement.
• Both essay responses are required.
**Note: Please read the essay prompts carefully and be sure to align your response with what is requested in the prompts.**

Essay 1
Describe someone you know, other than a parent or guardian, about whom you have strong ambivalent or conflicting feelings. Describe the person in such a way that they “come alive” for the reader. How do you understand your reactions to this person? How might your personal history influence how you react?

Essay 2
What life experiences and personal motives have most influenced your decision to pursue graduate study in psychology in GSPP’s PsyD Program?
*This question is about your personal motives and requires a degree of self-disclosure.
*Avoid writing about the wish to help others or about how you want to contribute to society.
*There is no need to list your credentials or professional experience (this is already on your CV/resume which will be read).

Résumé

Résumé Instructions

The résumé (or C.V.) should include work experience, research, and/or volunteer work.

Note

Note

Faculty review completed applications December through early February.  We will notify applicants via email with an admissions status update sometime in late January/early February.  If invited to interview, interviews will be held online in late February.

For more information about the programs that the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) offers, please refer to GSPP's admissions webpage.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding admission requirements, deadlines, and late application materials, please contact gsppinfo@zhanmi.net or call (303) 871-3736.

Start the Application

Online Application

Start Your Application

Your submitted materials will be reviewed once all materials and application fees have been received.

Apply Now

Our program can only consider your application for admission if our Office of Graduate Education has received all your online materials and supplemental materials by our application deadline.

Application Fee: $65.00 Application Fee

International Degree Evaluation Fee: $50.00 Evaluation Fee for degrees (bachelor's or higher) earned from institutions outside the United States.

Financial Aid Information

Financial Aid Information

Applicants should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. Visit the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.