Admission Policies and Procedures

Application Process

Adler University takes pride in its diverse student body, representing a wide range of professional interests, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and academic and work histories. The University admits individuals with a record of outstanding academic achievement and a commitment to social responsibility. Ideal candidates for admission are those who will make a difference in their communities and the lives of the individuals and families they serve upon graduation.

All applicants should fulfill the minimum admission requirements for the program they choose and must demonstrate acceptable proficiency in spoken and written English. Applicants nearing completion of a baccalaureate degree may apply for early admission contingent on successful completion of the undergraduate degree.

Applicants must submit the following:

• Adler University Application for Admission
• Application fee
• Autobiographical essay/statement of purpose
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
• Letters of recommendation and accompanying form as per program requirement.  Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are recommended. The GRE general test is required for applications to the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program (currently waived during pandemic).

Application forms can be completed online. Students submitting U.S. or Canadian transcripts should have official transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions, Vancouver Campus. Other international transcripts must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service such as the WES-ICAP evaluation from World Education Service (wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ece.org). Please contact the Office of Admissions for specific transcript evaluation requirements.

Application Deadlines

While applications are accepted throughout the year, the following deadlines ensure that students receive full consideration. Programs fill early, and applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the application process at least six to12 months before their desired term of entry.

Vancouver Campus

*Applications for the Spring term (January starting date) and Summer term (May starting date) are accepted on a rolling basis.

Evaluation of Applicants

Completed applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Applicants who are approved by the Admissions Committee will then be scheduled for an interview with at least one member of Adler University faculty.  Psy.D. interviews are normally scheduled with a panel of two Psy.D. faculty members.

Applicants are evaluated on many factors, including the following:

• Academic performance.
• Content and clarity of written and verbal communication.
• Strength of recommendations.
• Personal and professional presentation throughout the admissions processes.
• Community service interest and/or experience.
• Professional and/or prior work experience.
• Integrity, motivation, and personal ethics.

Acceptance of Admission

Applicants who are offered admission to an Adler University, Vancouver Campus program have 15 days to accept the offer. Those who accept must return a signed statement of acceptance along with a $300 (doctoral applicants) or $200 (master’s applicants) or $5000 (international students) non-refundable tuition deposit, which will be credited toward payment of the first term’s tuition and fees. Applicants for admission may receive a refund of the tuition deposit if a letter requesting cancellation is received within five working days after their statement of acceptance is received by the University. For international applicants, tuition deposit is refundable (minus a $200 processing fee) if applicant can provide proof of study permit denial. Otherwise, admitted applicants who choose not to enroll forfeit their deposit.

If a statement of acceptance is not received from applicants within the stated deadline, the offer of admission will no longer be valid, and the applicant’s files will be inactivated.

Deferring Admission

Students (domestic) who have been fully admitted into a degree program may be able to defer their admission for up to one year from their original term of admission. To defer admission, students must have their statement of acceptance along with the appropriate tuition deposit, a $500 nonrefundable deferment fee, and a statement indicating why they would like to defer their admission on file with the Office of Admissions, Vancouver Campus.

International students who have been fully admitted into a degree program are allowed to defer their admission with no additional fee required based on study permit timelines for up to one year.

Students who are approved to defer their admission will be notified in writing and will be subject to program requirements in effect at the time of the new application. Students who do not begin classes on their scheduled term will forfeit their deferred deposit fee and must reapply for admission as outlined in the Application Process section of the current catalog. The Office of Admissions, Vancouver Campus, does not maintain student files for students who do not enroll by their intended start date.

International Applicants

In addition to submitting a completed application, all transcripts from outside of North America must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service, World Education Service (wes.org/ca) or Educational Course Evaluation (ece.org). All official transcripts and official translations if not in English, as well as a course-by-course international credential evaluation, must be submitted.

If you order the WES ICAP (wes.org/ca) course-by-course analysis, you will only be required to submit your official international credential evaluation to Adler University, as this service provides a verified copy of your official transcripts and translations to the University. Prospective students should send all transcripts and order the course-by-course analysis. Students applying for Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Master of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and Master of Public Policy and Administration can submit official scanned copies of transcripts along with a copy of degree conferral certificate.

English Language Proficiency Assessment

English Proficiency Score

Students wishing to enter directly into a Graduate academic program must provide evidence of English proficiency by one of the following options*:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based Test
  • Applicants must have a minimum Overall Score of 92, with no sections under 22
  • Adler University’s Vancouver campus code for receiving test scores is 6215

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  • Applicants must have a minimum overall score of 7.0 (with no band below 6.5).

• Pearson Test of English (PTE)
  • Applicants must have a minimum score of 62

Students from non-English speaking countries with an overall IELTS score of 6.5 and a minimum writing score of 6.5 may be considered for admission to the Graduate Preparatory Program prior to enrolling in the Applied Psychology, Industrial & Organizational Psychology, or Public Policy & Administration programs. 

Adler University verifies all English proficiency test scores with the testing organizations. Any applicant submitting scores that are inaccurate will be denied admission.

*English proficiency scores must be officially reported. Students who have completed a degree in Canada or the U.S. or have a degree fully taught in English may have the English proficiency score requirement waived.

Graduate Preparatory Program

The Graduate Preparatory Program (GPP), comprised of three, noncredit courses, ensures students are able to study, and complete assignments and examinations with confidence in the fields of public policy/administration, industrial organizational psychology, and applied psychology. Specific academic skills, such as essay writing, research methods, note taking, critical thinking, and seminar or tutorial discussion, provide a strong foundation for our students. Material in the courses cover current affairs and/or incorporate relevant public policy issues, as well as key topics in industrial organizational psychology and applied psychology to bridge academic training with practical knowledge. GPP students also learn four key principles to succeed in their graduate program: discovering a passion for your field of study, being self-directed, preparing to work as a member of a team, and being clear about your academic goals.

GPP Curriculum Outline:

• GPP 500 - Effective English Communication
• GPP 510 - Fundamental Research Skills
• GPP 520 - Fundamental Presentation Skills 

Study Permit

International students possessing citizenship from a country outside of Canada must apply for a study permit. For more information, please contact cic.gc.ca. Once enrolled in an Adler University program, students must pay tuition and fees according to the University’s payment schedule.

Working Off Campus - International Students

International students studying at Adler University’s Vancouver Campus qualify to work off campus.

Students-at-Large / Non-Degree Seeking

Students who wish to take classes for personal pursuit not related to a degree program at Adler University, or qualified graduate students and mental health professionals, may be admitted as students-at-large/non-degree seeking  (SAL/NDS) students, although this may not be an option for courses within all programs. Qualified professionals may take courses as SAL/NDS students for continuing education credit or for professional enrichment, as long as they meet the minimum eligibility for admission. Graduate students in psychology-related degree programs at other regionally accredited institutions bear the responsibility of verifying with their home institutions whether Adler courses will be transferred back and accepted for credit.

Applicants for SAL/NDS status must submit a completed application, nonrefundable $30 application fee, an autobiographical essay/personal statement, a resume or curriculum vitae, and official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. Applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee, and acceptance to take courses in a program will be authorized by the program director if space within the classes are available. Prospective students will not be allowed to register until they have been approved for admission as an SAL/NDS student. If admitted as SAL/NDS, a student may complete a maximum of nine credits within one academic year and must comply with all prerequisites and course requirements as given in the Adler University Catalog. The course selection will need to be authorized by the program director, who can deny access to particular courses (e.g., clinical courses).

Graduates of Adler University degree programs who are approved as SAL/NDS students may take up to 18 credits within one academic year. SAL/NDS students are not eligible for financial aid and may not enroll in courses that are reserved for students fully admitted to particular degree programs. Appropriate courses taken for credit may apply toward completing a degree for SAL/NDS students who are admitted to a degree program within one year of completing SAL/NDS courses. Successful completion of coursework, however, does not guarantee admission to a degree or certificate program. A student-at-large whose application to a degree or certificate program has been denied may not enroll in further courses or continue as a student-at-large.

Because students-at-large are limited to a total of nine credit hours of coursework within one academic year, persons who plan to pursue a degree or certificate program should apply for admission at the earliest opportunity. Students-at-large who have completed nine credit hours of courses may not register for additional courses until such time as they have been formally admitted to a degree or certificate program. Those who seek admission to a degree or certificate program within one year of completing their last course as SAL/NDS students, will not be required to pay an additional application fee for the admissions application, but they will be required to submit additional information as is required to make that degree program application complete.

Changing or Adding Programs

Doctoral students may apply to add a master’s degree program, and master’s degree students may apply to change from one Adler University master’s degree program to another by submitting the appropriate application forms. Students must satisfy admission requirements for the degree or certificate program at the time of application to the new program. Acceptance into and/or successful completion of one degree or certificate program neither constitutes, nor guarantees, admission to another program. A particular master’s degree program can limit or restrict changes/transfers into their programs.

Master’s degree students who wish to apply to a doctoral program are encouraged to have completed at least 24 credit hours of graded coursework and be actively engaged in a clinical practicum before applying. Students are required to submit a doctoral program application, meeting all deadlines and requirements of that program (please see above). Students from master’s programs who have been accepted to a doctoral program must complete all requirements for their master’s degree no later than one year after acceptance.

Readmission

Students who were previously enrolled at Adler University but withdrew from their degree program, or were administratively withdrawn, may submit a new application for admission no less than one year from the date of withdrawal and will be evaluated according to current admission requirements (assuming their administrative withdrawal did not prohibit readmission).

If readmitted, applicants/students are subject to the program requirements in effect at the time of the new application. This also applies to students who seek to return to Adler University following a withdrawal in good standing.

When previously withdrawn students are granted readmission to Adler University, or when alumni apply for admission to a different program, a case-by-case review of the student’s prior academic record will be done to determine whether credit can be granted for formerly completed coursework. Many factors are pertinent to the University’s determination to give credit for previously completed coursework, including but not limited to: (1) the length of time that has passed since the coursework was originally completed; (2) the grade earned in the course; (3) the performance evaluation completed by the student’s advisor/supervisor; and (4) curriculum changes that may have occurred and been formally instituted since the student’s withdrawal from the University. There are no fixed and absolute rules regarding granting credit for previously completed coursework. Instead, a formal review of the unique academic and training history of each applicant will occur, and a determination will be made at the discretion of the Admissions Committee in consultation with the program director. A formal audit of previously completed coursework will be undertaken only after enrollment into a degree program.

Transfer Credit

Students accepted for admission may be granted transfer credit for graduate-level courses previously taken at another accredited institution. Upon enrollment into a degree program, a review of the unique academic and training history will occur, and a determination will be made at the discretion of the University. Requesting transfer credit is an extensive process that involves a review of previous academic work, including syllabi and grades earned. It is Adler University policy that transfer credit must be requested with all supporting documentation received by the end of the second semester of enrollment (for the Psy.D. program and MPPA program, transfer credit applications are only accepted prior to commencement of the degree and following acceptance and deposit by the student).

Transfer of credit is subject to the following conditions:

1. Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from recognized, regionally accredited degree-granting institutions.
2. Existing transferred course credits accepted at another degree-granting institution are ineligible.
3. Completed course matches at least 80 percent of the content of the course requirement.
4. Number of credits earned for the completed course matches or exceeds number of credit hours for the requested course.
5. Transfer of credit is not granted for practicum or internship.
6. Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade earned was a B or higher.
7. Pass/fail or credit/no credit courses are ineligible.
8. Rarely will credit be transferred for coursework that is more than five years old.

A maximum of 12 credit hours from other accredited institutions may be transferred into a master’s program, and a maximum of 24 credit hours may be transferred into the Doctor of Psychology (PSYD) in Clinical Psychology program. Transfer credit decisions evaluated for the PSYD involve use of additional criteria that are clarified in the PSYD Transfer Credit policy that is shared with accepted and deposited students. Students will be charged a transfer of credit fee for each course evaluated for transfer consideration. Please reference the current schedule of fees and tuition schedule for transfer of credit fee information.