Minimum Admissions Requirements

The following information is required as part of the application:

1. Complete online application form.
2. Application fee of $50 (in U.S. dollars). Once the application is completed and the application processing fee has been received by NSU, students will be able to upload supplemental documents to Supplemental Documents on their user profile.
3. Statement of Professional Goals
4. Curriculum Vita or Resume
5. Three academic or professional letters of recommendation. Once the application processing fee has been received, students will be able to put in Recommender's Email Addresses. They will receive an email with a link to the student's application, where the recommender will fill out the form electronically and upload the recommendation letter.
6. Official transcripts from all colleges or universities you attended need to be mailed directly to Enrollment Processing Services (EPS), including agency evaluation of foreign degrees for determination of U.S. equivalence (including Canadian transcripts). International Students should click here for further information. *
7. National Certification in School Psychology (NCSP), state certification, and/or state license - submit photocopies of each (Advanced Standing Applicants Only).
8. International Student applicants should submit English proficiency scores, if applicable. International Students click here for further information.*

Please mail transcripts to:
Nova Southeastern University Enrollment Processing Services Attn: College of Psychology P.O. Box 299000 3300 South University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328-2004	For International Students: Nova Southeastern University Attn: Enrollment Processing Services 3300 South University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328-2004

Official electronic transcripts must be sent to electronictranscript@nova.edu
NOTE: EXTERNAL INSTITUTIONS ONLY.

If you have any questions about the admissions process, call (954) 262-7563 / 800-541-6682, 27563 (a-s-k-m-e), or email to gradschool@nova.edu.

International Students are encouraged to contact the Office of International Students Services at (954) 262-7240 or 800-541-6682, ext. 27240 or by email at intl@nova.edu.

How to Apply

To access a step-by-step guide on the application process, click here.

• After the Faculty Admissions Committee has reviewed all completed applications, it will invite a select group of eligible applicants to participate in an Interview Day. The Interview Day is typically held in December, January, and/or February.
• Applicants must have submitted their completed application and all required documents on or before the application deadline date in order to be considered for an interview.
• For the Fall 2024 admissions cycle, interviews will be conducted via Zoom.

All transfer credits must be awarded during the candidate’s first academic year in the doctoral program. Consideration will be given only to doctoral level courses taken within the past five years and before matriculation in the doctoral program.  A request for transfer credit for first semester courses must be made by July 30th.  Request for transfer credit for all other courses must be made by September 30th.
 
Transfer of credits will be awarded when the course being evaluated meets all of the following criteria:
 

1. It is a doctoral level course taken at an APA accredited program.
   
   
2. Only courses that meet the criteria defined by the APA Standards of Accreditation as Category 1, Category 2, or Category 4 in discipline-specific knowledge will be considered for transfer.  Specifically, these are:  History and Systems of Psychology, Cognitive Aspects of Behavior, Affective Aspects of Behavior, Biological Aspects of Behavior, Developmental Aspects of Behavior, Research Methods, Statistical Analysis, and Psychometrics.
   
   
3. No transfer credits may be applied to pre-practicum, practicum, internship, research, theses, or electives.
   
   
4. It was completed no longer than five (5) years before the candidate’s first enrollment in the program.
   
   
5. A grade of B or higher was received.  A grade of P (Pass) or CR (Credit) or other such grades cannot be accepted as equivalent.
   
   
6. The course is not offered solely in an online format.

 
Candidates requesting transfer of credit must submit a written request for transfer along with supporting documentation to the doctoral program administration.  The candidate must provide the Program Director with a syllabus and catalog description of courses for which transfer is sought.  Faculty members evaluating transfer courses will consider the quality/rigor, currency, standardization, and fairness of the method of establishing the knowledge of courses being evaluated.  Faculty members evaluating transfer courses may require the candidate to provide further documentation and supporting material such as class notes and may request that they meet with the student to obtain clarification.  The resulting evaluations are reviewed by the Director of Training who makes the final determination.
 
Transfer credits are not taken into account when computing the candidate’s grade point average.  The maximum number of transfer credits that will be applied toward graduation is fifteen (15).  Although credits awarded beyond this number may be used to excuse a candidate from a particular course, an equivalent number of elective courses must be taken in order to fulfill the degree requirements.
 
Federal Regulations require that veteran candidates MUST report all prior credit and training, and that the school MUST evaluate such and grant credit as appropriate, with training time and tuition reduced proportionately and with the Veterans Affairs and candidate so notified.
 
Credits earned at Nova Southeastern University are transferable only at the discretion of the receiving school.

In accordance with the guidelines established by the American Psychological Association, accepted applicants have until April 15 to respond to our offer, although earlier notification is welcomed. Applicants who accept our offer must send a required deposit of $1,000 by April 15 to secure their place in the program. This nonrefundable fee is credited toward the first semester's tuition. Applicants may be subject to a background check upon acceptance into the program.

Candidates may be provisionally admitted to a degree-seeking program based on a review of unofficial transcripts or other specific program admission requirements. However, this admission includes a condition that final and official documents and requirements must be received within 90 calendar days from the start of the term. If these final and official documents and/or requirements are not received by that time, the candidate will not be allowed to continue class attendance. Financial aid will not be disbursed to a provisional/conditional candidate until he or she has been fully admitted as a regular candidate (i.e., all admissions requirements have been approved by the college/program admissions office). Candidates who have an unpaid balance 30 days from the start of the term will be assessed a $100 fee.

The university welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. Applications are reviewed after all required documents have been received. No waivers of the admission policies stated above will be offered.

Please note that NSU reserves the right to rescind or place conditions upon admissions offers should information become available that calls into question an admitted student’s academic performance or character, including that which reflects a violation of NSU’s Code of Student Conduct.

NSU’s College of Psychology’s clinical, school, and counseling programs maintain affiliation agreements with health care and community agencies and may also place students within the NSU Psychology Services Center (PSC). These affiliations allow for student clinical training experiences required in the programs. Trainees will be required to undergo Level 2 background and drug screenings.

Please note that the university and affiliate sites have a zero-tolerance policy for drug use. Testing positive for illegal or illicit drugs, including marijuana (even if prescribed or certified by a physician), or a controlled substance for which the individual does not have a prescription, would constitute a failed test and as such, could invalidate the placement/match and result in a referral for further action. (Updated Feb 2022)

It is important to note that many agencies with whom the NSU College of Psychology partners for practicum/internship/post-doctoral residency program placements require that students show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (including recommended boosters).

Not being vaccinated may eliminate some placements as an option and in turn disrupt the sequence of training, delay program progression, and/or timely degree completion.

Questions may be directed to the appropriate program office. (Updated Feb 2022)