Admission

Application Deadlines

Fall Completed Application Deadline: March 1
(Fall term starts in August)

Spring Final Application Deadline: October 1
(Spring term starts in January)

These are our priority deadlines. However, the department may continue to review applications after the deadline as space in the program permits.

Prerequisites

Students who enter the MFT program with a bachelor’s degree in a major other than psychology are required to take Abnormal Psychology before beginning the program, or show proof of having already done so. The course must have been taken within the previous eight years and completed with a grade of B or better. Prerequisites may be waived on an individual basis.

Admission Requirements—Domestic Applicants

The university graduate and program admission requirements below must be met before an application is considered complete.

Applicants must submit:

• Graduate application for admission
• $45 nonrefundable application fee
• Official transcripts from all institutions leading to and awarding the applicant’s bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and all postbaccalaureate study
  
  

  An official transcript is one that Azusa Pacific University receives unopened in an envelope sealed by the former institution and that bears the official seal of the college or university. A cumulative minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average on the posted degree is required for regular admission status. Provisional admittance may be granted to individuals with a lower GPA if competency can be shown through multiple measures.

• Professional interest essay covering:
  
  1. Brief background information that would help another person get to know you as a unique person
  2. Why you have chosen to pursue an MFT at this time in your life
  3. Why you are applying to Azusa Pacific University for your MFT
  4. The experiences you have had that prepare you for this program
  5. Strengths and weaknesses that would affect your performance as a therapist
  6. Your professional goals
• Two letters of recommendation from professionals who have current knowledge of applicant’s academic or clinical ability and potential (e.g., professors, clergy, supervisors, employers)

Send official transcripts to:

Graduate and Professional Center
Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
gpadmissions@apu.edu

Applicants must also:

• Participate in a final in-person interview

What to Expect

Once the Graduate and Professional Admissions office receives the completed admission materials, faculty from the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy review the applicant’s file. The applicant is then notified of the committee’s decision to invite the applicant for an interview.

Admission Requirements—International Applicants

Azusa Pacific University is authorized under federal law by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of State to enroll nonimmigrant, alien undergraduate and graduate students. APU issues and administers both the I-20 and DS 2019 (F-1 and J-1 status documents respectively).

To apply for a graduate program at APU, the following requirements must be fulfilled in addition to meeting the domestic applicant and program-specific admission requirements specified above.

International applicants must also:

• Demonstrate proficiency in English through a placement test with the Academic Success Center, or through a TOEFL/IELTS score that meets program-specific requirements. Refer to APU’s English proficiency requirements to learn more. Request that official test scores be sent to APU. All other forms of proof indicated in the English proficiency requirements must be submitted directly to International Services.
• Provide a Graduate Affidavit of Financial Support (PDF) and a bank statement from within the last six months proving financial ability to pay for education costs through personal, family, or sponsor resources.
• Submit a copy of a valid passport showing biographical data, including your name, country of citizenship, date of birth, and other legal information.
• Get foreign transcripts evaluated. International credentials (transcripts, certificates, diplomas, and degrees) must be evaluated by a foreign transcript evaluation agency. View our policy and a list of approved Foreign Transcript Evaluation Agencies.

Send official transcripts to:

Graduate and Professional Center
Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
gpadmissions@apu.edu

What to Expect

After all admission materials have been received by the Graduate and Professional Center, the faculty or department chair reviews the applicant’s file. The applicant is notified in writing of the admission decision.