M.A. Program Admission Application Requirements and Information

Counseling Program Admission Application Requirements and Information

The Counseling Psychology program admits a select number of highly qualified students each year for the fall semester only. Applications are reviewed after each of the deadlines stated below.

Priority deadline: February 1, 2024
Standard deadline: May 1, 2024

We encourage all applicants to apply by the priority deadline because it is possible that the program will be full before the standard application deadline. If you missed the priority deadline, we still encourage you to submit your application before the standard deadline. If space is available following the standard deadline, we will evaluate newly submitted applications on a rolling basis until all slots are filled. Please contact Shayna at squilty@wi.edu if you have questions.

The Wright Institute maintains an active policy of equal opportunity in all its admissions. The Institute encourages applicant diversity in terms of race, creed, color, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, sexual identity, age, disability status, and marital status.

Application Requirements

The Wright Institute expects to receive applications through the online application system. You do not need to complete your application in one sitting. You can work on the form from any computer wherever you have access to the web. Please read instructions carefully. After your application has been submitted you will not be able to make changes. If you are unable to complete the application online, please contact admissions. Transcripts, reference letters, and other materials will not be returned; once submitted, they become the property of the Wright Institute.

To apply for the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program, please submit the following:

  1. Completed application for admission, up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume, and statement of purpose essay. The statement of purpose is a 4-6 page double-spaced, self-reflective essay describing your purpose in pursuing a masters degree in counseling psychology at the Wright Institute. Indicate how your professional goals developed from your past interests and experiences. Be sure to include your scholarly interests and any counseling experience that you have. Please be sure to include your full name at the top of each page of text in your statement of purpose. Each page should be numbered.
  2. Two letters of recommendation. You will send your recommenders an electronic invitation through the online application. In that invitation, they will receive instructions on how to upload their letter of recommendation. We do not require that either letter of recommendation come from an academic source.
  3. You must hold or expect to hold prior to the beginning of classes a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. school accredited by one of the regional accrediting organizations recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For applicants educated outside the U.S., please see "Additional Requirements for International Applicants" below.
  4. Transcripts from each accredited college or university you attended. If you have not yet completed your degree, an additional transcript verifying graduation must be sent subsequently.

    The Wright Institute Admissions Department requires unofficial transcripts from each accredited college or university where you earned credit, even if you did not earn a degree. We do not require official transcripts during the application process. If coursework is still in progress, you must submit a current transcript, and send an additional transcript to verify completion.

    Please do one of the following for each school you attended. If you send the same transcript in multiple formats, it may delay processing your application:

    • Preferred method: Upload your transcript(s) directly to your application. You will not have the option to upload transcripts after submitting your application. Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial. If an offer of admission is made and you choose to enroll in the program, official transcripts will only be required from schools where you earned a degree.
    • Request an official electronic transcript through your previous school(s). Use the school’s registrar or recorder of records to send official transcripts directly to The Wright Institute at transcripts@wi.edu.
    • Request an official hard copy transcript from your previous school(s). We ask that you only do this in cases where electronic transcripts are not available. In this case, please request that the registrar or recorder of records mail transcripts to:
      The Wright Institute
      Attn: Admissions Dept.
      2728 Durant Ave.
      Berkeley, CA 94704

    Degrees received outside the United States or Canada must be verified and evaluated for academic equivalence. We prefer course-by-course evaluation reports from World Education Services www.wes.org, which provides us with a verified copy of the official transcript(s). Evaluation reports from companies that are current members of NACES are acceptable. Your application will not be considered complete until we receive this document.

    A certificate of completion or diploma will not take the place of a transcript, which must include a detailed list of all courses taken.

  5. A non-refundable application fee of $5O. You may pay on-line or mail a check or money order payable to the Wright Institute.

    Application fee waivers are available for applicants facing financial barriers, as well as for participants or alumni in good standing of the following service organizations: McNair Scholars, Gates Millennial Scholars, and Peace Corps in-country volunteers. To request a fee waiver, please contact squilty@wi.edu prior to submitting your application fee.

  6. If you wish to be considered for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Fellowship, you must complete the Fellowship application that’s included in the online admissions application. Learn more about the DEI Office and Fellowship here.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants:

  • Non-native English speakers must submit valid TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or Duolingo English Test (DET) scores, which must not be more than two years old.
    • A PDF copy of your unofficial score report can be uploaded to your application in order to expedite the review process. However, if you are admitted and you choose to enroll, we will require an official score report directly from the testing authority.
    • The Wright Institute school code is 9787.
    • Exceptions:
      1. Applicants with a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university are exempt.
      2. Applicants with the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree from a non-U.S. college or university of recognized standing, where all instruction is in English, are also exempt.
    • Minimum score requirements:
           TOEFL: Paper-based test - 550
           Computer-based test - 80
           IELTS: Overall band score - 6.5 out of 9.0
           DET: Minimum score - 110
  • Send a copy of your passport with your application.
  • If you are currently residing in the US and are not a US Citizen or Permanent Resident, please specify your immigration status on the application.
  • Download and complete a Wright Institute Certification of Finances form (available by clicking here and in the Admissions Office). All international students who need an F-1 Student Visa must show evidence of guaranteed funds to cover their tuition, fees, and living expenses. A bank letter or monthly account statement showing the proper amount of funds (or more) is required. Please make sure that the statement or letter clearly indicates the account holder's name, the currency type, and the account balance.
  • Official transcripts must be translated into English by an official translator.
  • Degrees received outside the United States will need to be verified and evaluated for academic equivalence. We recommend World Education Services www.wes.org, Education Credential Evaluators www.ece.org, or International Education Research Foundation www.ierf.org.

Minimum grade point average

A minimum undergraduate or graduate school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required for admission. Applicants that do not meet our minimum GPA requirement can still be accepted under exceptional circumstances. Appeals for waiver of this requirement should be made through our online application.

Transfer credit

The maximum number of credit hours or courses eligible for transfer is six (6) semester hours or two (2) courses. Transfer courses must be graduate level and taken for credit at a regionally accredited college or university. No more than five years may have elapsed between the course and a student's application to the Wright.

Students must have earned a grade of "B" or better for any course to be eligible and eligible courses must be equivalent in content and units to the course for which a waiver is requested. There is no transfer credit for military service, credit by examination, credit by correspondence, or credit for life experience.