The application cycle for Fall 2026 admissions has closed. Please read below for information on how to apply for admission to the Fall 2027 admissions cycle.
Application Deadlines for Fall 2027 Admission*
The application for all three programs opens on September 1, 2026.
The application deadline for all three programs is December 1, 2026.
Doctoral (Ph.D.) Program
Application Deadline: December 1, 2026
Master (M.A.) of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors Program
Application Deadline: December 1, 2026
Master (M.A.) of Industrial-Organizational Psychology Program
Application Deadline: December 1, 2026
* - Fall admissions 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.
Application fee waiver requests will be accepted from September 1, 2026, through December 1, 2026, at 6:00 pm CT.
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 the 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: Please see below for GRE requirements for each of our graduate programs:
Ph.D. Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience – GRE required
Ph.D. Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine – GRE required
Ph.D. Human-Computer Interactions & Human Factors – GRE required
Ph.D. Industrial-Organizational Psychology – GRE is optional
Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology – GRE is optional
Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors – GRE is recommended.
- To submit your GRE scores, the school code for reporting your scores is 6609.
- GRE scores must be taken within the last 5 years
English Language Proficiency Requirements: Evidence of English proficiency is required for applicants who are foreign nationals and those whose native language is not English. The following language proficiency tests are accepted by Rice graduate programs and will be used to assess English language proficiency.
- The TOEFL IBT or IBT Home Edition
- IELTS Indicator
- Duolingo
English language proficiency tests can be waived for applicants who provide evidence of the following:
- Proof of degree from an accredited U.S. high school, college, or university.
- Proof of completion (or expected completion) of a post-secondary degree from an institution where the official language of instruction is in English*.
See our International Students page for additional information.
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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