Admission Decisions & Process

Specifics of the annual admissions timeline will be communicated separately. This information is for general reference:

• Early September: Graduate Admissions opens the application system annually for the following fall cycle the day after Labor Day. This is the first day applicants can begin an application for the correct term of admission. 
• December 1: The submission deadline for all Department of Psychology applications (11:59 pm ET).  
• December through mid-January: Faculty review applications and areas submit their nominations to the DGS and ADGS. 
• Late January through April 15: Faculty, staff, and current students participate in coordinated recruitment efforts, including the annual Welcome Program.  
• April 15: The deadline for admitted applicants to accept or decline their offer of admission, in compliance with the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) April 15 Resolution. 
   

• Departments nominate applicants for admission, only the Graduate School can formally process an admit decision, contingent on the applicant meeting their minimum requirements, such as English Language Proficiency.
• If an applicant has questions about a deny admit decision, forward the inquiry or refer them to the ADGS. Psychology uses a standardized response for legal reasons.
   

The University of Minnesota adheres to the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) April 15 Resolution. 

• Participation in the resolution obliges means our applicants have through April 15 to make a decision on our offer without any pressure. 
• If you become aware of an admit being pressured by someone at the UMN or another institution, email the ADGS for assistance. Infractions are reported to the Office of Graduate Admissions and to CGS.

Information about the current admissions cycle is maintained via a Shared Google Drive, Graduate Admissions-CLA-Psychology. All faculty have access to this shared drive, which is updated annually (ca. mid-November through early December, as materials become available). Faculty and staff involved in the admissions process will receive email updates when materials are added. Past-year materials can be consulted the remainder of the year as a reference resource.

The Drive includes the following annually updated resources:

• Timeline and deadlines for the admissions cycle.
• Target enrollment and funding information.
• Slate Reader navigation instructions.
• PDF copies of key admissions email announcements from the DGS and ADGS to the faculty.
• Resources on best practices to support review. 

The Admissions Committee Chair (typically the Area Director) and the Area Support Specialist receive access to an additional folder containing administrative documents to coordinate application review for their area.