Application Process

The application cycle for Fall 2024 admissions has closed. Please read below for information on how to apply for admission to the Fall 2025 semester.

Application Deadlines for Fall 2025 Admission*

The application for all three programs will open on September 1, 2024.

Doctoral (Ph.D.) Program
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

Master (M.A.) of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors Program
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

Master (M.A.) of Industrial-Organizational Psychology Program
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

* - Fall starts only.

Please send all program and application questions to psyc@rice.edu.

Please email psyc@rice.edu to request an application fee waiver - no reason or explanation required. Only one fee waiver per applicant will be granted.

How to Apply

Students applying for admission to our graduate programs are asked to submit the following:

Application Form: A completed online application for admission (available at https://gradapply.rice.edu).

Transcripts: Unofficial copies of transcripts must be uploaded electronically in the application system. If an applicant is accepted to our graduate programs, OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS must be submitted to the department in a sealed envelope, sent directly to the Department of Psychological Sciences at the following address:

Rice University Graduate Admissions
Psychological Sciences MS-25
6100 Main St.
Houston, TX 77005

We also accept official transcripts that are electronically sent directly from the granting institution and emailed to psyc@rice.edu. We cannot accept electronic transcripts directly from applicants; transcripts must be sent from the applicant’s previous institutions.

Any degree that an applicant is currently pursuing (BA, BS, MA, MS) must be conferred (completed) before submitting the transcript(s); the admitted student will not be permitted to register for the second semester at Rice without official conferral of degree and official transcripts on file.

Recommendations: Three letters of recommendation from people who are familiar with your scholastic and personal qualities. The online application will allow you to enter recommender information, and your recommenders will be emailed a URL for completing an online recommendation.

CV or Resume: An up-to-date CV or resume is required to apply.

Statement of Purpose: A 1-2 page essay that details your educational and research background. Please include your career goals, the faculty member(s) you would most like to work with, and why you would be a good fit for our program.

Writing Sample: Submit a writing sample from your past work, ideally on a topic relevant to psychological science (e.g., class paper, honors thesis, conference submission, or journal article where you were the lone or primary author).

GRE: The General GRE taken within the last 5 years is now optional for all PHD and MIOP applicants. The GRE is recommended for all MHCIHF applicants.

  • If you wish to submit your GRE scores, the school code for reporting your scores is 6609.

TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required for any student whose native language is not English, but is waived for international students who have received a degree from a university at which English is the official language of communication. The IELTS may be taken in lieu of the TOEFL. See our International Students page for additional information.

  • Please note: IELTS scores can be directly reported to Rice using the name "Rice University Graduate Programs"

Fee: An $85 nonrefundable application fee paid online by credit card.

Further Information

For answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our FAQs.

For more information on graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies website.

Rice University policies and process regarding admissions requirements may be found in the General Announcements.

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