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Graduate Admissions

How to Apply

Applications are accepted through the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies at Dartmouth. Applications for fall 2022 admission will be accepted starting August 1, 2021 and the application deadline is December 1, 2021.  The application link will be posted starting August 1. Applicants who are asked to interview will be contacted by mid-December. Grad Recruiting weekend typically occurs in mid-January, and offers are made on a rolling basis starting in late January.

Who can apply?

  • You should have a bachelor's degree (or equivalent). The specific degree area isn't important; current and past students have degrees in diverse fields including not only psychology and neuroscience, but also physics, computer science, biology, engineering, philosophy, cognitive science, and others.
  • Whatever your degree is in, a strong application benefits from experience that has allowed you to reflect on why you want to pursue graduate studies, and Psychological and Brain Sciences in particular. Graduate school is a major commitment from both sides (see "what makes a strong application" in the FAQs) so the decision to apply should be made intentionally.
  • Applications are open to US and international applicants (but note current visa and travel restrictions).
  • We seek to remove barriers that BIPOC and other underserved groups continue to face in accessing graduate education in psychology and neuroscience. We do not charge an application fee and do not require the GRE.
  • It is not unusual for potential applicants to feel unsure whether they are ready/qualified for graduate school. We encourage you to reach out to specific faculty whose interests align with yours (see the FAQs for suggestions on how to write such an email) to ask what they think, and/or apply anyway! Faculty can sometimes offer an applicant a 1- or 2-year position as a research assistant/lab manager in preparation for graduate school.

Application Components

  1. A completed application form
  2. Personal statement, describing your interests in graduate study (~2-3 pages)
  3. Transcript(s) from your bachelor's coursework. An unofficial copy may be used for initial submission, and an official copy will be required if an offer of admission is made.
  4. Letters of recommendation (at least 3) from professors, research advisors, employers who can speak to your skills, experience, and promise
  5. A list of potential advisors whose work interests you

Note that the GRE is not required for admission to the program and we do not charge an application fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

For answers to frequently asked questions please see our Admissions FAQs page.