Admissions

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Founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University (PAU) is a non-profit, regionally accredited institution that offers a high-quality, tailored, competitive education with world-renowned faculty at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. 

PAU 2022 Commencement Photo

Campus Locations

Palo Alto University

Allen Calvin Campus 
1791 Arastradero Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304

Mountain View Campus 
1172 Castro Street, Mountain View
Home of the Gronowski Center

Stanford Department of Medicine
Stanford Psychiatry Building
401 Quarry Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Classrooms: 1206, 1211, 2209
 
Stanford School of Medicine Building
1520 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Classrooms: 115PM, 117PM

PAU Program Locations
  BS Business Psychology BS Psychology and Social Action MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS in Psychology  PhD in Clinical Psychology PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium
Palo Alto (Allen Calvin Campus)      
Mtn. View - Gronowski Clinic      
Stanford University School of Medicine          
Online    
Hybrid Online Evening          

 

Palo Alto University Academic Programs

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Undergraduate Degree

Program Information

Entry Requirements

Admission Criteria

Program Length

Locations

Tuition and Fees per Unit: 22-23

Estimated Total Program Cost

BS in Psychology and Social Action

84 quarter units of transferable coursework from a regionally accredited university or community college.

Undergraduate Admissions

2 Years

On-Campus or Online

$505

$46,460 for 92 units

BS in Business Psychology 84 quarter units of transferable coursework from a regionally accredited university or community college. Undergraduate Admissions 2 Years Online $505 $46,460 for 92 units
Master's Degree Programs

Program

Required Degree

Admission Criteria

Program Length

Locations

Tuition and Fees per Unit: 23-23

Estimated Total Program Cost

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Hybrid

Bachelor's Degree 

MA Admissions

9 quarters

Mt. View Campus and Online

$623

$57,939 for 93 units

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Online Bachelor's Degree MA Admissions 9 quarters or 11 quarters Online with two on-campus, 1-week residencies $623 $57,939 for 93 units

MS in Psychology - PhD Prep

Bachelor's Degree 

MS Admissions

7 quarters

Online and a 1-week, on-campus residency 

$951

$44,697 for 47 units

Students will pay an additional $6,657 for two summer courses after completion of the MS requirements.

MS in Psychology - Generalist  Bachelor's Degree  MS Admissions 6 quarters Online $951 $35,663 for 37.5 units
MS in Psychology - Forensic Bachelor's Degree  MS Admissions 6 quarters Online $951 $35,663 for 37.5 units
MS in Psychology - Technology and Mental Health Bachelor's Degree  MS Admissions 6 quarters Online $951 $37,089 for 39 units
Doctoral Programs

Program

Required Degree

 

Average Program Length

Locations

Tuition and Fees per quarter: 22-23

Estimated Total Program Cost

PhD Clinical Psychology

Bachelor's Degree PhD Admissions

5 years

Includes culmination of both degrees, pre-doctoral internship and dissertation; does not include clinical licensure.

Palo Alto, Mt View $18,128 $220,522
PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium   Bachelor's Degree PsyD Admissions 5 years

Includes culmination of both degrees, pre-doctoral internship and dissertation; does not include clinical licensure.

Palo Alto, Mt. View, and Stanford $19,947 $239,970

 

Additional costs per year include books and supplies, computer and headset, possible travel or student membership dues, transportation, health insurance, and local living expenses for residential students. These expenses vary for residential versus online and graduate versus undergraduate. The financial aid office assists in outlining these expenses.  PAU offers several funding options from federal, state, and local sources.

At PAU, students experience the following:

  • Faculty with rich, research-based backgrounds, and excellent teaching methods.
  • Clinical training with licensure options.
  • High internship placement rate including:
    • 99% APA-accredited match rate for 2020-21 for the PhD program
    • 100% APA-accredited internship match rate for the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium program (in 2013 and 2014; see APA Data)
    • 98% practicum placement rate for the MA Counseling Program.
  • PAU's tuition stabilization policy ensures that tuition is predictable over the course of a student's academic program.
  • Regional accreditation by the WASC Senior Colleges and Universities Commission (WSCUC) for all degrees. 
  • American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation for the PhD and PsyD programs
Office of Admissions and Outreach

You may direct general inquiries to: admissions@paloaltou.edu or call 650-417-2039

Please note that due to remote work, our phone line is not staffed live. Please leave us a message and we will return your call shortly.

Office of Financial AId

Palo Alto University’s Office of Financial Aid offers a variety of financial resources designed to help you with education-related expenses involved in obtaining your educational goal(s). Our financial assistance programs consist of grants, scholarships, loans, and work assistance. 

Contact our Financial Aid Counselors Today
Office of Financial Aid Team photo