Applying to the Graduate Program
Join us for Diversifying Psychology: An Open House @ Tufts
Join us for Diversifying Psychology: An Open House @ Tufts for prospective PhD program applicants starting October 15, 2025! Learn about our Psychology PhD program, get to know our faculty, and soak up tips for applying at Tufts and elsewhere. Featuring live conversations with department members and asynchronous resources you can review at your leisure! The Open House starts on October 15, 2025.
Application Materials
Our application requirements are described in detail on the Graduate Admissions website. In brief, admission to our program is based on a holistic review of the applicant's stated research interests, personal statement, undergraduate record, research experience, and letters of recommendation. A background in psychology, including some training in research methods and statistics, is highly desirable. As part of your application, you have the option to submit a writing sample and/or additional materials for consideration. The GRE General and Subject tests are also optional; neither is required for admission.
Application materials for the PhD in Psychology and the PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science should be submitted online by December 1st of each year to receive full consideration by the Department of Psychology.
Inquiries about our graduate program in Psychology should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies, Paul Muentener, PhD.
Office of Graduate Admissions
We invite you to learn more about this program. Request information, review tuition and aid, and learn more about application deadlines.
Planning My Application
We recommend that prospective students review the pages linked below when preparing their application for graduate study at Tufts.
Identifying a Prospective PhD Advisor
In any application year, only a subset of our full-time faculty are looking to recruit new graduate students to join their lab. Review faculty who may be recruiting a new graduate student for the current application cycle.
Contacting a Prospective PhD Advisor
Graduate students in our program are essentially accepted into the lab of a specific faculty member. Prospective faculty advisors are looking for students who have the knowledge, skills, and interests to succeed in their labs. This page will help you figure out how to contact prospective faculty advisors.
Contacting a Prospective PhD Advisor
Writing a Research Statement
The research statement, otherwise known as a personal statement, is an important part of your application. This page will help you figure out what a research statement is and how to write yours.
Learn about writing a Research Statement
Psychology PhD Student Handbook
This handbook provides a detailed description of the requirements for advancement in the PhD program in the Department of Psychology.