1) How much is tuition to attend the doctoral program in clinical psychology at C. W. Post?

For the 2007-2008 academic year, first, second and third year students pay a flat rate per semester of $17,063. Each student also pays a university fee of $525 per semester and an activity fee of $100 per semester. In the fourth year, students begin paying by the credit at a rate of $1,091 per credit. Fourth year students typically take 4 credits per semester. Thus, a student's tuition would be $4,364 per semester. Fees are also lower in year four. During year five, students are required to register for Internship (Psy 841) which carries a fee of $80 per semester for fall and spring; and Dissertation Supervision (Psy 842) which carries a fee valued at the cost of 2 credits or $2,182 per semester. Students are required to register for Psy 842 for each spring and fall until their dissertation is completed.

2) Does C. W. Post offer financial aid to clinical psychology doctoral students?

Yes! With rare exceptions, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students who request departmental financial aid get it. Since tuition drops dramatically during the 4th and 5th year, we give priority to students in the first three years of the program. Financial need is the principal criteria used to make decisions, although merit is also considered.

3) What types of financial aid are offered?

Students in the first three years of the program can be expected to receive between $10,000 and $25,000 in financial aid. In rare exceptions, students in the 4th year of the program can receive up to $10,000 in financial aid. When applicants are accepted into the program, they are informed about the amount of aid they would receive in their first year.

The department funds doctoral students in three main ways (Work scholarships, Teaching Assistantships, and Fellowships). In addition, the department, the University, and individual students supplement these funds from a number of other sources (listed below).

A) PsyD Scholarship: As a research assistant, you will assist a professor with his or her research for six hours a week during the academic year. These assistantships pay $10,000 per academic year (September-May).

B) Teaching Assistantship: Students teach their own section of Introduction to Psychology to undergraduates at C. W. Post. These positions pay $10,000 per academic year (i.e. for teaching two sections of an Introduction to Psychology course).

C) Fellowships to Reduce Mental Health Service Disparities:The purpose of this funding program is to encourage our students to work with certain groups (low SES, African Americans, Hispanics, immigrants, people with physical disabilities, and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered people) after they graduate from our program by providing a financial incentive to gain experience and expertise with these groups while a doctoral student at C. W. Post. In order to be eligible for this fellowship, a student must plan to devote a significant percentage of his/her career to working with members of at least one of these groups. To apply, a student does not have to belong to one of these groups. He or she must simply want to work with clients from at least one of these groups upon graduation. These Fellowships pay $20,000 per academic year and are renewable for the first three years, as long as the student remains in good standing. For some activities that could count toward your required hours click here.

Safe Zone Coordinator Fellowship: Each year, the coordinator of the Safe Zone Project will receive a fellowship equivalent to the size of the fellowships intended to reduce mental health disparities.
Safe Zone Project

Other Sources

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students: Most years, the University receives funds from the federal government to distribute to financially disadvantaged doctoral psychology students. Funds given to individual students range from $5,000 to $10,000 per year and are typically applied to tuition. These awards are usually made in September, well after other financial aid has been awarded, because of the government’s timetable.

Supplementary Departmental Financial Aid Based on Need, Merit, & Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Status: The department will provide between $3,000 and $6,000 per year to students who demonstrate a high degree of need, to students who are particularly high performing, and to students who are from underrepresented ethnic-minority groups.

Federal Work-study: Students who are awarded Federal Work Study dollars as part of their financial aid package from the University can work in the psychology department at a number of different positions, at a rate of $15 an hour until those funds are exhausted.

NY State Grants:Income-eligible New York State residents who are full-time students and U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens are eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grants.

Research Grant Funding: Faculty and students in the doctoral program regularly apply for funding to conduct research. Such funding may include payment for graduate research assistants.

Scholarships & Fellowships: There are hundreds of scholarships for which students can apply. They range in size from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. Our students have received many different kinds of scholarships and some of the awards have been quite large. The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program offers the Carol Blum Mackauf Fellowship, a $500 award for an older student who is changing careers or moving from raising children to become a psychologist.

Here are some scholarships to look into:

APA Dissertation Research Awards
APA Minority Fellowship Program
APA Science Directorate for both master's and doctoral thesis funding
Association Of Hispanic Mental Health Professionals
Edna Aimes Scholarship
Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships
Gates Millenium Scholars
Melissa Institute
NIH Predoctoral Fellowships
Patsy Takemoto Foundation for Low-Income Women & Children
Putting Children First: Summer Fellowship Program in Child and Family Policy
Regents Professional Opportunity Scholarship
Todd E. Husted Memorial Award

Psychology Related Employment:The department often gets solicitations from various agencies in the NY metro area for students to serve in a number of different capacities. For example, our students often administer psychological tests and get paid for it. These jobs can pay in the range of $10-$30 an hour.

Educational Loans:While these are a last resort, they are readily available. Students are awarded Stafford, TERRI, and FOCUS loans. Keep in mind that in return for working with underserved populations (something many of our students do), educational loans can be forgiven. Click HERE for one of the main ways to get loans forgiven for clinicians.

4) I'm worried about paying for grad school. Is there anything I can do now to get started on the process?

Yes, make sure you file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as you can for consideration for any federal, state, or university funding. Contact the Financial Aid Office at C. W. Post for further information at (516) 299-2338. The FAFSA must be filed after January 1 (and before January 31st) of the year in which you are requesting aid. You must submit a FAFSA, preferably on the Internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Select the appropriate school year and complete the seven steps; make certain that you list C.W. Post school code (002751) in the school section (step 6). If you do not have a PIN number, follow the instructions re signature certification.

5) When will I know how much aid C. W. Post can provide for me?

If you are accepted to the program, you will receive a departmental financial aid offer with your acceptance, so that you will know what your cost will be in the first year before you have to make a decision. Current students find out what their awards are about 5 months before the school year begins in September. The other forms of financial aid, such as loans, TAP awards, work-study, etc. do not come directly from the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, so the timetable for finding out about those awards varies.

6) How does C. W. Post compare to other doctoral programs in the NYC area in terms of financial aid?

Around the country, much of the aid given to students comes from research grants. Since research is less of a focus in a Psy.D. program than it is typically in a Ph.D. program, Psy.D. programs typically offer less aid than Ph.D. programs do. These are general rules, to which there are exceptions.

Happily, C. W. Post is an exception. With strong support from the administration, and through the hard work of our faculty and students, we are able to make strong offers of financial aid to the majority of our students.

7) How much does housing cost in the area?

Our students generally live either right around campus, in Queens or Brooklyn, or in Manhattan. Many have roommates. Renting in the area of C. W. Post generally costs anywhere from $800-1200 per person, monthly. In Queens and Brooklyn, rent will generally run from $800 to $1400, and in Manhattan, you will pay from $1,000-$1,700.

8) Will I get a job when I graduate and how much will I make?

Psychologists have an extremely low unemployment rate, and salaries are competitive. For more information on employment and salaries than you ever thought existed, go to http://research.apa.org/salarydataall.html

9) Can I get an advance on my financial aid before classes start to pay rent and other bills? Yes! For instructions on how to do so please click here.