When is the application due?
Applications for Fall 2026 admissions are due December 1, 2025.
What goes into the application?
All of the instructions with up-to-date links are provided here: https://psychology.manoa.hawaii.edu/applications-admissions/
The first step is to complete the Graduate Division application.
The second step is to complete the Psychology Department's application for the Psychological Clinical Science program.
The final step is to request letters of recommendation.
Are GRE scores required?
No
What can I do to be a competitive applicant?
There are many factors that are taken into account. Peer-reviewed conference posters and/or publications are an excellent way to demonstrate your involvement in research. If you have these, it's important to describe your specific contributions to the poster/paper in your CV or essay.
What information should I include in my essays?
We recently updated our instructions for essays. We ask for several brief statements (up to 3500 characters each ~ 1 page) that cover specific topics. Note that the 3rd essay is optional.
Program Fit: Please outline what draws you to our program in general, as well as your interest in specific faculty mentors. Key points to address include:
Your research interests and how they align with the focus of your proposed mentor's work.
Any knowledge or skills you possess that could complement and enhance the research conducted in your proposed mentor's lab. This might involve expertise in a particular population, subject matter, methodology, or analytical technique.
Your long-term professional aspirations and how our program will support you in achieving them.
Research and Clinical Experience: Please provide an overview of the skills and experiences that have prepared you for graduate studies. Key points to address include:
Your involvement in independent or collaborative research projects, including your specific role in each study.
Additionally, highlight any posters, presentations, or publications resulting from your research contributions.
Your proficiency in conducting various statistical analyses independently or with minimal supervision.
Details of any relevant clinical activities and experiences you have undertaken.
Other Experiences (optional): Please provide details of any additional experiences that may be pertinent to your application. Key points to address may include:
Barriers, challenges, or adversities encountered during your academic journey and how you navigated through them.
The impact of these challenges on your preparation for graduate school, if any, and how you managed them.
Any other relevant information you believe the admission committee should know about you that hasn't been covered in your application materials.
My advice is to focus your essays on addressing all the key points in a way that is concise and also provides specific details. As I read your essays my goal is to get a clear picture of:
Your interests: What you are interested in, how you got interested in it, and how it relates to the research priorities of the lab.
Your skills: What specific skills you have acquired so far, how you would apply these skills in the lab, and what additional skills you want to acquire in the lab.
Your writing style: In addition to the content above, I'm looking for evidence of how you communicate in writing. Whether it's emails, scientific articles, or cover letters for job applications, I value clear and concise language and logical structure. Although the statements have a word limit, I'm more impressed when writers can cover all the key points and stay below the word limit!
As for more general advice, I agree with much of Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology:
"The vast majority of personal statements follow an identical format. First, a brief anecdote is offered describing a watershed moment in which the applicant fully realized their interest in clinical psychology. Next, a brief section describes the applicants’ enthusiasm in one or more psychology undergraduate courses. Research experiences then are described in succession. For each experience, the title and principal investigator of the project are listed, followed by a list of the applicant’s responsibilities and tasks on the project. The statement often ends with a brief paragraph describing research interests, career interests, admiration of the graduate program, and perhaps the name of a specific potential mentor or two... this type of statement is not quite as effective as it may be, in part because so very many statements appear to be remarkably similar to one another. I believe that the statements that truly distinguish themselves are those that demonstrate evidence of the potential to become an independent investigator. As a graduate student, you will be expected to progressively develop research skills that will establish you as an independent scholar. To the extent that it is possible to convey this within the personal statement, you may be able to make your potential to excel as a graduate student very clear to the reader. " - Mitch's Uncensored Advice (p. 27)
Do you meet with prospective applicants before official interviews are offered?
The number of interested applicants has increased to a level that it has become challenging to schedule meetings before official interviews are offered. I also want to make sure that all potential applicants receive the same information. I am hoping that this website answers most of the questions that potential applicants may have. I am happy to answer any additional questions by email. Official interviews take place January-February. If you get to this stage I will make myself completely available so that you have all of the information you ned to make a decision that is right for you!
Should I use AI to write?
AI can be a powerful tool for sharpening your writing. However, solely relying on AI to write your materials can backfire. Something to consider.
