Application Deadlines
Application Deadlines
Fall Start
Standard Deadline: March 1
If you wish to apply and be considered after the deadline, please contact Graduate Admissions at 617.349.8300 or email luadmissions@lesley.edu to discuss a late application.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites
Our Counseling Psychology PhD program requires the following:
- A master’s degree in counseling and equivalent professional license as mental health counselor, school counselor, or equivalent profession
- Demonstration of good communication skills in the English language, both written and oral, at a level appropriate to doctoral study
- 3 to 5 years of professional experience as a licensed mental health counselor or equivalent profession
Application Form
Application Form
Apply online for a PhD program.
Create an account and password before you start your application. You can stop and save your application, and return to complete it later.
Once you’ve created an account and started your application, you’ll be able to begin submitting the necessary documents for your application file as you obtain them.
Submit Documents
Submit Documents
You'll need to submit the following supporting materials.
You can send the documents separately, but we won't be able to make an admissions decision until we've received everything.
Official Transcripts
Have each institution where you earned an undergraduate or graduate degree send us your official transcript.
If your transcript is not in English, provide a notarized translation of it.
If you’re enrolled in a degree program when you apply, submit your transcript of the courses you’ve taken to date. Submit your final official transcript once you’ve completed the degree program.
Your transcripts need to be:
- Conferred by regionally accredited colleges or universities
- Original documents bearing the official institutional stamp
- Received by Graduate Admissions Services in envelopes sealed by the sending institution, or sent electronically directly from the institution
Send transcripts to:
Lesley University
Graduate Admissions Services
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Foreign Academic Credentials Evaluation
A credential evaluation helps us understand the courses you’ve taken, the grades you’ve earned, or the degree you’ve received from an institution outside the United States.
Get an independent credential evaluation of your transcripts to determine U.S. equivalency.
Graduate Students
You’ll need a document-by-document evaluation. Exception: Expressive Therapies master's degree programs require a course-by-course evaluation instead.
Evaluation Agencies
Contact one of these agencies to get your credentials evaluated.
- World Education Services
- Center for Educational Documentation
- Educational Credential Evaluators Inc.
- Global Credential Evaluators
If you’re submitting a foreign academic credential evaluation, unofficial transcripts are acceptable for your transcript requirement if official transcripts were provided to the evaluation agency.
3 Letters of Recommendation
Doctoral program recommendations should address your readiness for doctoral-level study, your commitment to the field, and an assessment of success in your current role.
Submit 3 recent recommendations from those you’ve worked with closely in an academic or professional setting. You can submit your letters with your online application.
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At least one of your recommendations should come from a present or former supervisor.
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One recommendation needs to be from a person who holds a doctoral degree who can attest to your ability to complete doctoral-level study successfully.
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We don’t accept recommendations written by friends or family, or that were written more than 2 years before your application date.
Within your online application form, include the names and emails of the people writing your letters of recommendation. They'll receive an email from you with an electronic recommendation form and they can upload a letter.
English Language Proficiency
We want you to be successful in your program. If your native language is not English, we require that you provide proof of your English proficiency.
You can show your proficiency in one of these ways:
Option 1
- We require a minimum score of 105 on this test.
Option 2
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
- Minimum score of 80 on the Internet test.
- Submit your score. Use Lesley University’s CEEB code: 3483.
Option 3
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
- A score of 6.5 or higher
- Contact the center where you took the test. Request that they send your official Test Report Form to Lesley University.
Option 4
Official Cambridge English Exam
- C1 Advanced (Certificate in Advanced English)
- C2 Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
Option 5
English as a Second Language (ESL) Program Partnerships
We have partnered with several language schools to help you meet the English requirement. Complete the curriculum at one of the schools, at the specified level.
Then, get a letter from the program coordinator or teacher. The letter should explain that your English is proficient for college-level study.
Here are our partner schools and levels we require:
- ASC English in Boston
Complete Level 5.
- Boston International Academy
Undergraduate Students: Complete High Advanced I Level.
Graduate Students: Complete High Advanced II Level.
- Boston University Center for English Language and Orientation Programs (CELOP)
Complete Level 7 with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Embassy English
Complete Level C1.
- FLS International
Complete Level 15.
- Stafford House International
Complete Level 6.
Option 6
English Language Requirement Waiver
If English is not your native language, but you’ve graduated from a school or program that was taught in English, you may qualify to have the language requirement waived.
If it’s not noted on your transcript, request a letter from your high school, college, or university stating your language of instruction was English.
Written Personal Statement
The written personal statement is a vital component of your doctoral application. The admissions committee reviews these statements for excellence in thinking and writing, focus and depth, communication style, coherence in thought, and clarity of your doctoral study goals.
Write a 1000–1500 word personal statement, double-spaced.
Address these questions as part of your personal narrative.
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Tell us about your professional history and how it has influenced your decision to apply to the Lesley University PhD program in Counseling and Psychology: Transformative Leadership, Education, and Applied Research.
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Discuss the theories and experiences that have informed your philosophy of practice.
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Share your career goals and elaborate on how your professional history and theoretical lenses influence your career goals.
- How will this PhD in Counseling and Psychology help you achieve your career goals?
Writing Sample
In addition to your written personal statement, the Counseling and Psychology PhD program requires a separate scholarly writing sample. The writing sample should be a previously written, research-based paper, manuscript, thesis, or published work. It should show your ability to think critically, synthesize research literature, and write at an academic level. The length may vary and is less important than what the content reflects.
Résumé or Curriculum Vitae.
Submit a current résumé or curriculum vitae.
Interview
Interview
Interviews are no longer required, however, Lesley University reserves the right to interview applicants when more information is needed.
Contact Admissions
Contact Admissions
- Lesley University
Graduate Admissions Services
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
- 617.349.8300
luadmissions@lesley.edu - Contact a Graduate Admissions Counselor.
- Send documents to appstatus@lesley.edu.
- 617.349.8300
luadmissions@lesley.edu - Contact an Online Counselor.
- Send documents to appstatus@lesley.edu