Prospective Students

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.

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Application Deadline for Fall 2027 Admission: December 1, 2026

The application opens on September 1, 2026.
The application deadline for Fall 2027 Admission is December 1, 2026.

Application available at https://gradapply.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.

Please click here for our graduate application process.

Acceptance Rate

Each year we receive applications from more people than can be admitted. Consequently, it is not always possible for us to admit every student who is qualified. Typically, we admit about 10 new doctoral students and 10 new Master’s students (5 for each professional Master’s program) each year, out of approximately 400-500 applicants.

Doctoral Program Faculty Research Match

Although our Ph.D. program allows considerable flexibility in the planning of courses of study, admission to the doctoral program is nonetheless contingent upon at least a rough match between applicant and faculty interests. Prospective Ph.D. applicants should therefore study faculty interests carefully.

Final selection decisions take into account letters of recommendation, grades, research experience, and interests. There is no minimum entrance requirement in terms of either undergraduate GPA or GRE scores.

The Psychological Sciences Department is committed to creating an environment that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We particularly encourage students who identify as Black, Latinx, and/or Native American to apply.

Information for Prospective Graduate Students from Graduate Students