FAQs

About the UW Internship Program

For track-specific questions not answered in the FAQs, please contact the appropriate track coordinator in the Tracks and Rotations Menu Section.

Open House

Q: Is attendance at the January Open House mandatory? How does it factor into the selection process?

A: Attendance is not mandatory at the Open House. If you are invited, we encourage you to come to Open House so that you can get the best possible information about our program and how it might fit your training needs. We offer individual appointments and brief interviews with faculty during the afternoon of Open House. Although we do not require applicants to attend Open House in order to match with us, we would like the opportunity to meet with applicants under consideration, either by phone or Zoom, prior to submitting ranking lists. This will provide applicants with more information about the program in terms of their individual interests and needs, and allow us to get to know applicants better to evaluate the “goodness of fit” with our program in terms of applicant training interests, background and goals. Just as applicants take all available information into account in ranking programs, all contacts with applicants provides information that we as a program may use in determining rankings of applicants.

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Announcement from APPIC regarding 2026-2027 issues  Crossing the U.S. – Canada Border for Internship 

If you are a Canadian citizen who is considering attending a U.S.-based psychology internship, or a U.S. citizen who is seeking a placement in Canada, APPIC wants you to be aware of the potential legal and political challenges that currently exist when attempting to cross the border for internship. In recent years, some students have not been permitted to cross even when possessing what they believed to be valid visas and appropriate documentation. In many cases, these students were unable to attend their internships — often resulting in a year-long delay in their education while they participated in the Match a second time.

Issues faced by students have included:

1. Challenges in obtaining a visa in a timely manner.

2. Lack of clarity in U.S. immigration law as to which visas, if any, are appropriate for students to enter the United States and complete their psychology internships. In fact, some attorneys have told us that NO such visa currently exists.

3. This lack of clarity can result in differential interpretations at the border. In other words, two people with the same type of visa may experience very different outcomes at the border.

While a number of professional organizations in psychology (including APPIC, APAGS, CCPPP, CPA, and APA) continue to work on developing a legitimate and reliable pathway for the future, APPIC strongly encourages students who are considering a cross-border internship experience to familiarize themselves with the issues and the significant risks involved.

Citizenship and Applicant Eligibility Requirements (Canadian Citizenship) 

Q: Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for the UW School of Medicine’s Clinical Psychology Internship Program?

A: No, U.S. citizenship is not required, but there are important eligibility details to know before applying:

Canadian Citizens: We have successfully matched with applicants who are Canadian citizens from either APA- or CPA-accredited clinical psychology training programs. Canadian citizens are eligible to apply to our Adult Track, Child Track, and Autism & Developmental Disabilities Track.

Please note that due to federal funding requirements, Canadian citizens cannot be matched into our Behavioral Medicine Track or Neuropsychology Track, as those positions are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (Green Card holders).

International Students Residing in Canada: If you are an international student living in Canada on a student visa, we are unfortunately unable to consider your application, as we cannot sponsor visas for internship training.

Visa Process for Canadian Citizens: If you match with our program, we will provide you with a letter to present to a U.S. border officer when applying for a TN non-immigrant visa. If approved, this visa allows you to complete your internship. After internship concludes on June 30, 2027, you will need to return to Canada. If you later secure a U.S.-based postdoctoral position, you would then work with your postdoctoral institution to obtain a new visa or extend your current status.

Learn more about TN visas here: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/tn-usmca-professionals

Important Note:

Our ability to accept Canadian applicants is subject to federal policy, which can sometimes change with little notice. While no changes are anticipated at this time, we cannot guarantee that policies will remain the same in future years.

Q: What is the TN visa process for Canadian citizens who match with the UW School of Medicine’s Clinical Psychology Internship Program?

A: If you are a Canadian citizen and match with our program, you will typically apply for a TN non-immigrant visa to complete your internship in the United States. Here’s what you can expect:

Letter of Support from UW
After the match, we will provide you with an official letter confirming your internship placement, position title, dates of training, and salary.

Preparing Your TN Application
You will bring the UW letter and required documentation (proof of Canadian citizenship, academic credentials, and any other supporting documents) to a U.S. port of entry (land border crossing or airport pre-clearance).

Application Review by U.S. Border Officer
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer will review your documentation and determine your eligibility for TN status. If approved, you will be issued a TN visa valid for the internship year.

Entering the U.S.
You will enter the U.S. under TN status, which authorizes you to complete your internship at UW.

Completion of Internship and Next Steps
Your TN status is tied to your internship dates. Following the conclusion of internship on last date of internship. which is always June 30, you must return to Canada and return your visa.

If you secure a U.S.-based postdoctoral fellowship or job, you would work with that institution to apply for a new TN visa or extend your status.

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Citizenship and Applicant Eligibility Requirements (International Student, F1 Visa) 

Q: Can international students apply to the UW School of Medicine Clinical Psychology Internship Program?

A:  Yes! International graduate students who are currently enrolled in an APA- or CPA-accredited clinical psychology training program and hold a valid student visa (typically an F-1 visa) are eligible to apply and match with our program.

Eligible Tracks:
International students may apply to:

  • Adult Track
  • Child Track
  • Autism & Developmental Disabilities Track

Tracks Not Eligible:
Due to U.S. federal funding requirements, international students are not eligible to match with:

  • Behavioral Medicine Track
  • Rehabilitation Neuropsychological Track

These positions are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (Green Card holders).

F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Requirements
If you match with our internship program as an international student on an F-1 visa, you will need Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization before you can begin internship. CPT is a type of off-campus work authorization for F-1 students that allows you to participate in practical training that is an integral part of your academic program.

Key CPT Details

Directly Related to Training: Your internship must be directly related to your major area of study and an integral part of your program’s curriculum.

School Authorization Required: Your Designated School Official (DSO) must authorize CPT in SEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), and this authorization will be printed on your Form I-20.

Authorized Before You Start: You must have CPT authorization before you can begin internship work at UW.

Employer & Dates Specific: CPT is approved for a specific employer (University of Washington) and a defined period of time (your internship year).

Training Opportunity Secured First: You must match with our internship program before CPT can be authorized.

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School Psychology

Q: I am in a School Psychology doctoral program. Am I eligible to apply to the UW School of Medicine Psychology Internship Program?

A: Yes, applicants from School Psychology doctoral programs may apply, but eligibility depends on the fit between your training and our program. Our internship emphasizes generalist training in health psychology, with most training sites based in medical settings. Applicants whose experience is limited to traditional school settings may find our program less aligned with their training background.

We encourage applications from School Psychology students for the following tracks:

  • General Child Track
  • Autism and Developmental Disabilities Track

If your program has provided broader clinical training beyond school settings, you may be a good fit for these tracks. We recommend reviewing the track descriptions carefully and reaching out to the track coordinators if you have specific questions about fit.

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Residents vs Interns

Q: Why are psychology interns called “residents”?

A: The UW Psychology Internship Program changed the official title from “Psychology Interns” to “Psychology Residents” on 03/01/99. Within medical settings, the title of “Intern” traditionally refers to a junior trainee who recently received his/her M.D. and is beginning their specialized training, whereas the title of “Resident” traditionally refers to a more advanced trainee. Given that the majority of the rotations take place in medical settings, the title change was instituted to reflect the level of training and experience the psychology residents bring to the various rotation sites.

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Research Time

Q: Is time offered for research activities?

A: The UW Internship Program has a long-standing commitment to the academic and research development of the residents. Applicants accepted into the program have sound, productive research backgrounds. Psychology residents may apply to participate in a year-long seminar on research skills and grant writing training. Participation in this activity includes the provision of 5 hours per week of release time from clinical rotations to participate in a seminar devoted to teaching skills needed for developing and writing grants, and to pursue development of a grant proposal or research project under the mentorship of an internship faculty member. Participation in the program is most appropriate for those residents who have either completed or are in the latter stages of their dissertation research, are interested in research areas that can be mentored by faculty members of the internship or the department and are looking towards career choices in which grant writing skills will be needed. Residents are not required to participate in the seminar program. Psychology residents not participating in the Grant Writing and Career Development Seminar may apply for one half-day (4 hours) of release time, per week for research (including dissertation research) with an internship training faculty supervisor. The UW Internship Program is embedded within an extremely productive research community with exceptional resources. Please refer to the faculty page for further information about research collaboration and/or check the University of Washington web site for research interests.

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Rotations Across Tracks

Q: Am I able to do rotations in other training tracks?

A: Typically, the answer is no. The UW Internship Program strives to provide scientist-practitioner training experiences across a variety of contexts (inpatient, outpatient, community) with diverse populations. Given the scheduling of each track in unique it is extremely difficult to accommodate such requests, however, most trainees receive excellent training during their internship year and are generally satisfied with their training experiences in each track.

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Supervision Hours

Q: Approximately how many hours of supervision are available each week?

A: At least four hours per week of supervision by training faculty are provided. At least two of these hours are devoted to individual supervision, while the remaining hours may be subsumed in other forums, such as group supervision. Ongoing, informal supervision also is provided as needed.

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Verification of Training Completion

Q: What is the best way to get a verification form completed and signed?

A: What is the best way to get a verification form completed and signed? This is the place. Please follow these steps for a seamless verification process. Please allow extra time for processing as the entire office is working remotely due to Covid-19 and we may need to make a special trip to UWMC to search our non-digital records.

  1. Fill out your form with as much information as you can, you might not have everything, just do your best. It is really helpful to provide your internship year dates and to provide the name that you were using at the time of your internship if it differs from your name.
  2. Please use Ty Lostutter, PhD, Training Director, as your contact for this form. He might not have been the director or supervisor at the time of your internship, but he is the director at this time and, typically, the person to sign off on the verification. Dr. Lostutter’s Psychologist License is PY 60238397, initial issuance was 01/15/2014.
  3. Send a digital copy of your form to psychsom@uw.edu and the program coordinator will print the form out, complete any remaining info, and prepare for Dr. Lostutter’s signature.
  4. Once the form is signed, it will be scanned and sent back to you unless otherwise requested. We are happy to send out hard copies or the original to the requesting agency if needed.
  5. SAMPLE Washington State Department of Health License Verification Request Form
  6. Most common items you need to know when completing your form:
      1. The official dates for our internship program are always July 1, XXXX through June 30, XXXX. The only exceptions are if you took a leave of absence during your internship in which case your end date may have been modified to complete the 2000-hour requirement.
      2. We certify that our interns have completed a total of 2000 hours. The certified hours are calculated at 50 weeks X 40 hours per week, with 2 weeks of leave/vacation taken.
        1. The minimum total amount of supervision hours should be 200+ hours or greater. This is based on a total of 4 hours of supervision per week X 50 weeks. Of those total hours of supervision 100+ should be individual supervision and the additional 100+ hours could include other forms of supervision including: group, clinical team meetings/clinical rounds in which you were discussing cases, or additional individual supervision.
        2. Direct clinical hours face to face is estimated at – 800-1,000 hours or more. This is based on an average of complete 5 clinical contact hours per day, 4.5 days per week for 50 weeks.
        3. Other training related activities including didactics, journal club, seminars, grand rounds, chart review, writing notes, and other training related activities are usually estimated at 450+ hours or more depending on training goals.
  7. Washington State Provider Licensure Look Up – if your form requires your supervisor’s license number, please use The Provider Credential Search site to locate and complete the Psychologist License of your individual supervisors https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/providercredentialsearch/

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Post-doctoral Opportunities

Q: Are post-doctoral opportunities available at UW?

A: Yes, a number of UW-affiliated post-doctoral training opportunities are available each year. A diverse range of post-doctoral training fellowships are available throughout the UW system, and each position will vary in regards to the proportion of time devoted to research and clinical activities. The fellowship opportunities vary from year-to-year. Acceptance into the internship does not guarantee placement in a local postdoctoral fellowship or faculty position.

Resources

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Moonlighting – Working outside of the internship program

The School of Medicine moonlighting policy only applies to physicians-in-training, not to psychology residents. The internship policy on moonlighting is that a psychology resident can receive compensation for paid professional activities outside of the internship training program for up to 8 hours/week of outside activities, subject to approval by the Training Director. Possible acceptable activities include research or consulting activities; outside clinical activities are not acceptable. A psychology resident who wishes to engage in such activities must make a written request to the director to do so prior to engaging in these activities. The work must be conducted outside of regularly scheduled internship hours and must not interfere with training. Payment for such activities must conform to University and all applicable (e.g. federal) policies and procedures regarding payment from grants or other sources. The University provides no liability coverage for activities that are done outside of the internship training program.

The UW requires professional staff to obtain University approval before engaging in any outside activities, regardless of whether paid or unpaid, if the activities could be in conflict with their UW duties. Please fill out this form and return it to the Staff HR team prior to starting any outside work, pbpsyhr@uw.edu.

Moonlighting at the UW and its affiliates is not possible as it would put you into more than 100% FTE with the UW and this is not allowed.

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Child Track

Assessment Hours

Q: Do I have enough assessment hours to be successful in the Child Track?

A: Our track is likely to match with individuals who have a solid foundation in clinical training with both depth and breadth of experience as part of a high-quality graduate program. This encompasses course work, practicum, and supervised clinical experience. Successful applicants typically have at least 700 total practicum hours (including assessment, intervention, supervision and support), and usually substantially more than that. Our internship provides a lot of opportunities to advance assessment skills, but our program best suits individuals who come in with some experience with administration and interpretation of cognitive and achievement testing (i.e. WISCs, WJ Achievement etc.), as well as some DSM-V diagnostic assessment experience. Additionally, applicants should have experience writing comprehensive integrated reports (usually at least 5) although this can vary across graduate programs. In sum, it is unusual for us to match with individuals who do not have at least some assessment experience as described above.

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Last Modified: September 19, 2025