Admission

Admission to the Counseling Program is competitive and admissions decisions are made only once a year, during the Spring semester for Fall matriculation. Students with strong undergraduate academic preparation and a solid grade point average, and who demonstrate an ability to fully participate in healthy interpersonal relations with others, make strong candidates for the UVM Counseling Program. 

One application process is used for all students, whether applying to the School Counseling Program, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, Dual Program Option, or for part-time or full-time study.

Variable Tuition

For out-of-state applicants, our variable tuition rate provides substantial financial savings over the normal Graduate College tuition rate.

Scholarships

Find information about our graduate student funding and scholarship awards available to qualified applicants.

Admissions Process & Specific Materials Needed

The admissions process includes submitting everything requested in the Graduate College Application packet, and participating in an invitation-only formal group interview. Each of these is described below.

Application Packet

Submit the following (below) to the University of Vermont Graduate College Admissions Office. Please be advised that the UVM Graduate College uses an online admissions process. Applications received by January 15th will be considered for the following Fall matriculation.

  • Graduate Application Form is available online at the UVM Graduate College website.
  • Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages): The Statement of Purpose offers the applicant an opportunity to articulate their reasons for pursuing graduate study in counseling, the skills and experiences that have informed the applicant's desires to pursue studies in this area, their own personal journey in developing critical consciousness, and any related experience in social justice activism. The Statement will be reviewed for clarity of expression, grammatical construction, and relevance of experience and interests to the Counseling Program curriculum of study and mission.
  • Three Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must submit three letters written by individuals who have a professional relationship with the applicant and who are well acquainted with the applicant’s accomplishments and potential for becoming an effective counselor. At least one of these letters should be from an academic advisor or instructor. Please do not include letters written by personal friends, family friends, therapists, or acquaintances.
  • College Transcripts: A transcript of course work (undergraduate and graduate) should be submitted from every college and university attended. Prior to matriculation, you must submit official transcripts to the Graduate College Admissions Office. If your GPA is less than 3.0, then you may submit a supplemental essay of no more than 250 words describing any circumstances that  may have affected your academic performance.
  • Professional Resume: An up-to-date resume that attests to the applicant’s education, work, and volunteer experience should be included in the application packet. Work experience in counseling or a related field is highly desired.
  • English Proficiency Examination:  It is a Graduate College policy that applicants whose native or first language is not English must submit proof of English proficiency. Applicants must submit official scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The minimum acceptable score for admission to the Graduate College at the University of Vermont is 90 (Internet-based) for the TOEFL. The minimum acceptable score for a student receiving funding at the University of Vermont is 100 (Internet-based) for the TOEFL. The minimum acceptable score for admission to the Graduate College at the University of Vermont is 6.5 (Internet-based) for the IELTS. The minimum acceptable score for a student receiving funding at the University of Vermont is 7.0 (Internet-based) for the IELTS. For more information, please see the International Student Admissions page on the Graduate College website.
  • Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Not required.

Interview

After an initial review of application materials, qualified applicants are invited to participate in a group interview via the MS Teams meeting platform. Current Counseling Program faculty facilitate the group interview. Applicants are interviewed within a group of others who are also applying to the Counseling Program.

The group interview is critical in the application process. Faculty will be looking for evidence of candidates’ self-awareness, degree of critical consciouness, ability to communicate with others, experience, interest and commitment to the profession of counseling. The interview will also offer candidates an opportunity to receive information about the Counseling Program at UVM and meet other students applying to the program.

Classes for Non-Matriculated Students

A select few of our introductory classes are open to non-matriculated students (when space is available). We encourage students interested in learning more about the UVM Counseling Program to enroll in a class before application or admission. The process for matriculation in these classes is through a wait list managed by program staff. E-mail cslgprog@uvm.edu or call 802-656-3888.

Questions?

Please see our Freequently Asked Quesitons (FAQ) for answers to commonly asked questions.  If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the Counseling Program at by email at cslgprog@uvm.edu or call 802-656-3888.

Counseling MS Model Programs of Study (pdf)

 

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