How to Apply

Graduate training at IU

To train the next generation of scientists, our graduate program utilizes interdisciplinary learning environments and research opportunities to tailor-fit students’ individual graduate career goals. We are a mentor-based graduate program. This means that tenure-track faculty in our department serve as hands-on academic and research mentors throughout our graduate students’ careers.

Upon being admitted to our program, each new graduate student is assigned a faculty mentor/advisor to help with the transition to graduate school. Once on campus, graduate students work predominantly in their faculty advisors’ labs where the faculty members guide and support their academic and research careers.

Click here to apply to the research-oriented Ph.D. program in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington: Indiana University Graduate CAS application.

Note: We do not offer a degree in counseling, nor do we admit students to a master’s degree program. If you are interested in counseling or educational psychology, please contact the School of Education.

Application portal for Fall 2025 admissions is open from September 1, 2024 – December 1, 2024.

Complete the Graduate School application

Our application deadline for domestic and international students is December 1. We accept applications for fall admissions only.

Application Overview + Notes

Students are admitted to our graduate program partially based on a good fit between a faculty member’s research area and the student’s own research experience and goals. Before applying, review the research interests of our faculty (link below) to determine if there are faculty members whose research areas match your interests. Contact those faculty members to inquire if they will be accepting new graduate students for the fall semester you intend to apply. On the application, you are asked to list up to three faculty members that you have determined match your research goals and are accepting new PhD students.

A completed application to our graduate program must include official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, a TOEFL (our institution code is 1324) or IELTS score (if English is not your native language), and a $70 application fee. Specific application instructions are on the application website (link above).

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for applicants to Psychological and Brain Sciences. However, some individual faculty prefer to consider GREs when evaluating applications. Faculty who recommend including GREs scores with the application state so on their department website - accessible through the faculty descriptions link below. Any applicant may also optionally submit a GRE score. Unofficial GRE scores may be uploaded by the applicant in our online application. However, anyone submitting GRE scores must also request official scores be sent directly from ETS; our institution code is 1324.

We take a wholistic approach to reviewing graduate applications and consider many aspects of a students’ experience. We encourage the use of multi-dimensional guidelines for faculty to consider as they review applications (view rubric here). These dimensions include:

Research experience/knowledge, including fit of interests to proposed faculty/program
Research skills
Barriers and challenges overcome (life experiences, resiliency)
Career goals
Undergraduate/previous training
Leadership/mentoring experience

We encourage students to include information about these dimensions in their application (e.g., in the personal statement).

View faculty profiles at the link below, where you can sort by their areas of focus and graduate recruitment status at the top of the page.

View faculty profiles

Application Fee Waiver

You might be eligible for an application fee waiver when you apply to a graduate program at Indiana University.

View eligibility and obtain a waiver

If you do not qualify through the above link and the application fee represents a financial hardship for you, email pbsapply@iu.edu with the subject “Application Fee Waiver.” In your email, briefly describe the reason for your request. International students are not eligible for fee waivers.

Want to know more about IU Bloomington?

Visit the links below for video tours and information.

IU Extraordinary Video IU International Student Perspective IU Driving Tour

Questions?

U.S. Citizens + Permanent Residents

If you have specific questions

please email: pbsapply@iu.edu

For general admissions information:

Visit the Graduate School website

International Students

If you have specific questions

please email: ois@iu.edu

For general admissions information:

Visit the OIS website

Important dates + deadlines

Application deadline: December 1 for both domestic and international students.

We accept applications for fall admissions only. We do not admit students in the spring.

Selected applicants will be invited for a department-wide interview in  January 2024. While these dates are preferred, other dates can be arranged if necessary.

If offered admission, you will have until April 15 to notify us of your decision.

Questions about applying to Psychological & Brain Sciences?

Contact the PBS Graduate Program at (812) 855-4496 or pbsapply@iu.edu

How to Apply

Graduate training at IU

Application Overview + Notes

Application Fee Waiver

You might be eligible for an application fee waiver when you apply to a graduate program at Indiana University.

Want to know more about IU Bloomington?

Visit the links below for video tours and information.

Questions?

U.S. Citizens + Permanent Residents

International Students

Important dates + deadlines

Questions about applying to Psychological & Brain Sciences?

Psychological and Brain Sciences social media channels

The College of Arts & Sciences