Psychology Internship:
Eligibility for Application
Internship Program Admissions
Date Program Tables are updated: July 22, 2026
Briefly describe in narrative form important information to assist potential applicants in assessing their likely fit with your program. This description must be consistent with the program’s policies on intern selection and practicum and academic preparation requirements:
Our program “wholistically” considers types of clinical experiences (e.g., DBT, mindfulness, vulnerable populations, special interests), achievements (e.g., leadership positions in program, community service, research record), personal qualities (e.g., foreign language, character, interpersonal skills, resilience/adversity, self-care), and unique/outstanding characteristics (e.g., diversity/multicultural background, awards). Practicum experiences will be evaluated for type of setting and clinical experiences commensurate with the respective training tracks of Adult, Child, and Pediatric Psychology.
Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited doctoral program in clinical, counseling, or school psychology (APA or APCS). Applicants from graduate programs adhering to a clinical science model of training are preferred as the UW SMPH Psychology Internship Training Program is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science. Clinician-scientist trained Psy.D. applicants may be considered on a case by case basis. Applicants from school psychology programs may also be considered on a case by case basis for the child and pediatric tracks. All applicants must have completed the third year of their graduate program by the beginning of the internship year. For more information, please see our Psychology Internship Administrative Policies and Procedures
Does the program require that applicants have received a minimum number of hours of the following at time of application?
No: Hours listed are “guidelines” ONLY; they are not mandatory requirements.
Total Direct Contact Intervention Hours No Minimum. Amount suggested: 500
Total Direct Contact Assessment Hours No Minimum. Amount suggested: 100
Describe any other required minimum criteria used to screen applicants: NA
Statement on Vaccinations
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Psychology Interns follow both University of Wisconsin and UW Health requirements and processes related to vaccinations (influenza, COVID, etc.). These requirements are announced yearly. For example, all Psychology Interns are required to receive an influenza vaccination or submit a waiver and be granted an exemption during the flu vaccine season (deadline announced by SMPH Human Resources). Psychology Interns may revoke their waivers in the future with proper documentation. Psychology Interns who knowingly provide false information on a waiver may be subjected to discipline up to and including termination.
Application Procedure
To apply to our program, “University of Wisconsin SMPH – Dept. of Psychiatry” (APPIC Number: 1628), our site requires a completed APPIC application form (AAPI), which is available from the APPIC website (www.appic.org). In addition to the completed AAPI form (https://aapicas.liaisoncas.com), the following must be included:
- A cover letter indicating how our Program will meet your training goals and interests, and specifying which Track you are applying to: Adult (APPIC Code: 162813, 3 positions), Child (APPIC Code: 162814, 2 positions), or Pediatric Psychology (APPIC Code: 162812, 2 positions). Note: It is important that applicants apply to only one Track.
- A current curriculum vita.
- Official graduate transcript(s).
- 3 Letters of recommendation
Application Deadline for the 2027-2028 UW SMPH Psychology Internship Program: November 2, 2026. Please see the note about our approach to interviewing process.
Applicants may be invited for an interview after a review of application materials submitted through APPIC. The UW SMPH Psychology Internship Training Program interview days typically take place in December and January. This year, interviews will be held virtually. We invite all applicants to identify special needs that might require an accommodation during the interview process. The UW SMPH Psychology Internship Training Program is committed to providing access for all people with disabilities and will provide accommodations for interviewees if notified within two weeks of interview day. The training program adheres to APPIC policies regarding applicants with special needs. For more information about assistance to individuals with special needs please refer to the APPIC web site (https://www.appic.org/Match/FAQs/Training-Directors/Conducting-Interviews).
The UW SMPH Psychology Internship Program participates in the APPIC Internship Matching Program (www.appic.org). Our program agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.
UW SMPH internship training faculty and interns participate in the selection process by involvement in reviewing applicant materials and face-to-face interviews (this year, all interviews will be virtual). After all applicant interviews have been completed, a meeting is convened in which the applicants are discussed and ranked for submission to the APPIC match process. An offer of employment is conditional pending the results of a criminal and/or caregiver background check. If the results of the background check are unacceptable, the offer will be withdrawn or, if you have started employment, your employment will be terminated. Please be sure to disclose all misdemeanors and felonies when completing your background check. Undisclosed convictions found in a criminal and/or caregiver background check may be grounds for withdrawal of offer.
We are an equal opportunity employer with a strict Non-Discrimination Policy.
Statement of Nondiscrimination
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (hereinafter “the University”) is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment and advancement to all qualified individuals and, in accordance with applicable federal and state statutes and regulations prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, military service, protected veteran status, honesty testing, arrest record or conviction record. The equal employment opportunity policy covers all aspects of the employment relationship including, but not limited to, recruitment, interviewing, screening, testing, selection, placement, evaluation, transfer, promotion, tenure, compensation, benefits, training, and termination (see the full UW-Madison Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement at the following url – https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-300
Program Statement on Social Impact and Belonging
Our training program recognizes that inequities in society have a significant impact on health and well-being, including mental health care systems. We believe that everyone deserves fair access to health, safety, and effective care, and that existing gaps in health outcomes and access are unacceptable. Psychologists have a responsibility both personally and professionally, to address conditions that harm individuals and communities. An important part of our missing is to train psychologists who understand their role in promoting social impact and belonging in the work they do. We put these values into practice in several ways. Our training includes workshops focused on self-awareness, understanding of all clients, bias in decision-making, clinical formulation, and the use of respectful, inclusive language, and we participate in community-based conferences dedicated to these topics. We also partner with community organizations to give interns opportunities to work across different settings and with a wide range of clients, including primary care clinics, community mental health centers, and public schools. In addition, our department continues to work toward broader representation in hiring and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the UW SMPH Psychology Internship Training Program, please contact our program manager, Jennifer Noll (she/her/hers) at jnoll3@wisc.edu
Mailing address:
Psychology Internship Training Program
Department of Psychiatry
Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute & Clinics
6001 Research Park Blvd.
Madison, WI 53719