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PhD Educational Psychology – MESA: Application Process

Fall Deadline: December 1
(UIC PhD applications are expected to open around August 1. See the UIC Graduate Admissions website for more information.)

How to Apply Heading link

  1. Complete the UIC Graduate Admissions application and be sure to select “PhD Educational Psychology” as your program. The application does not have a selection field for area of emphasis (MESA or HDL), but you can talk about your preferred area of emphasis in the Goal Statement (see below).
  2. All required documents should be uploaded online. Please follow any prompts or instructions as you progress through the application.
    1. Undergraduate transcripts for your last 60 hours of the undergraduate degree and all graduate transcripts
    2. TOEFL or IELTS test scores for international applicants only
    3. Three letters of recommendation: These letters should address the applicant’s academic qualifications, research ability/experience and ability to carry on advanced degree studies. Letters may be from current or former professors or supervisors.
    4. Goal Statement. Discuss the kinds of skills, abilities, and understandings that you would anticipate acquiring in a doctoral program. Describe how this interest relates to your personal experience and to your professional and scholarly goals at this time.  Faculty will evaluate your essay in terms of its clarity and cohesiveness, and how well your interests match those of the faculty. Please limit your essay to no more than 2,000 words.

    5. Optional: If you are eligible for and would like to be considered for the UIC Access to Excellence Fellowship, then please upload the following essay in the Miscellaneous Documents section of the application:

      Student Statement on Alignment with Goals of the Fellowship (max. 300 words). The essay expands on their research plan by describing (a) the contributions they intend to make to their academic field, and (b) the broader society. In addition, students are required to expand on the personal and professional reasons for choosing their current path of study. Students may articulate any personal and professional commitment to give back to historically underrepresented communities in the U.S. upon completion of their studies.

  3. The GRE is optional for Educational Psychology doctoral program applications.

    An applicant will not be penalized for choosing not to include GRE scores.

If you are a current graduate student at UIC and want to apply to this doctoral program: Heading link

  1. Current UIC graduate students who want to change or add programs or degrees should complete the Request for Change of Graduate Program instead of the application.
  2. Compile these documents along with the Request for Change of Graduate Program form, and email as one PDF to Elise Wilson at elise@uic.edu.
    1. Undergraduate transcripts for your last 60 hours of the undergraduate degree and all graduate transcripts. For current College of Education students, we will make copies of any transcripts you have on file from your previous application.
    2. TOEFL or IELTS test scores for international applicants only
    3. Three letters of recommendation: These letters should address the applicant’s academic qualifications, research ability/experience and ability to carry on advanced degree studies. Letters may be from current or former professors or supervisors.  For PhD applications in the Human Development and Learning focus, at least one letter should be from someone who can address your experience working with children.
    4. Goal Statement. Discuss the kinds of skills, abilities, and understandings that you would anticipate acquiring in a doctoral program. Describe how this interest relates to your personal experience and to your professional and scholarly goals at this time.  Faculty will evaluate your essay in terms of its clarity and cohesiveness, and how well your interests match those of the faculty. Please limit your essay to no more than 2,000 words.
    5. Optional: If you are eligible for and would like to be considered for the UIC Access to Excellence Fellowship, then please upload the following essay in the Miscellaneous Documents section of the application:Student Statement on Alignment with Goals of the Fellowship (max. 300 words). Expand on (a) the contributions you intend to make to your academic field, and (b) the broader society. In addition, expand on the personal and professional reasons for choosing your current path of study. You may articulate any personal and professional commitment to give back to historically underrepresented communities in the U.S. upon completion of studies.

  3. The GRE is optional for Educational Psychology doctoral program applications.

    An applicant will not be penalized for choosing not to include GRE scores.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact our doctoral programs advisor: Heading link