Application and Selection Process

As a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), we use the APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI) online service and participate in the APPIC Match.  Please note that you must register for the Match in order to participate in the matching process.  To register, visit National Matching Services Inc. or call (416) 977-3431. Further information about the matching process and online AAPI can be found on the APPIC website.

As your faculty and peers have probably shared with you, the application and selection process can be particularly stressful.  Therefore, we try to be as helpful as we can in providing information about our site. However, we strongly recommend that you discuss your goals and site choices with your Director of Clinical Training before submitting your application materials and also before you proceed with the ranking of your choices. Additionally, you may find the following reference helpful:

Internships in Psychology: The APAGS workbook for writing successful applications and finding the right fit (4th ed.).  Williams-Nickelson, C., Prinstein, M.J., & Keilin, W.G. (2019).  Washington, D.C.: APA

To give you an idea about our selection process, we start by reviewing your submitted application. Of particular interest are your clinical experiences and expertise, understanding of and interest in multiple types of diversity (e.g., ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability), APA accreditation, and letters of reference in terms of personal qualities such as maturity and openness to learning. The presentation and strength of the written materials are most important to the selection committee; your university program and degree (e.g., Ph.D. or Psy.D.) less so. The committee, comprised of staff psychologists, interns, and postdocs, looks for a good match between your stated goals and background with the training experiences available at our site. Because we seek diversity within our intern group, we do not have a specific profile that we are trying to match. It’s important to remember that selection is a process, not merely a checklist of attributes or achievements.

Eligibility

Education: Must be a current doctoral-level student in an APA-accredited counseling or clinical psychology program. Must be certified by the academic program as being ready for an internship.

Experience: The equivalent of 1200 hours of supervised practicum in counseling/psychotherapy and 400 hours of face-to-face therapy contact.

Background Check: In accordance with university policy, candidates who match with CAPS at UCSB must successfully complete a background check (including fingerprinting) prior to being appointed for internship. Final hiring for the internship is contingent upon clearing the background check.

Application Process

Your application will be complete when the following materials are submitted via AAPI Online by November 4, 2024, 11:59pm EST:

  • Completed AAPI
  • Cover letter describing your relevant experiences, including the following areas:
    •   Consultation/outreach
    •   Crisis intervention
    •   Providing clinical supervision to others
  • Current vitae
  • Transcripts of all graduate work
  • Three letters of recommendation from persons who are familiar with your clinical and professional work, at least two of which must be from clinical supervisors.

Our program code number is 116011.  Please note that we will only accept applications that are submitted electronically via AAPI Online by November 4, 2024, 11:59pm EST.

Please email Dr. Juan Riker, Training Director, if you have questions about your application, or call CAPS at (805) 893-4411.

Application Timeline

  •  Application deadline is November 4, 2024 (Applicant portal will automatically close on this date at 11:59 pm EST and applications can no longer be submitted after this time)
  •  Finalists invited for interviews will be notified via email by December 13, 2024
  •  Zoom audio interviews will be conducted in early to mid January 2024
  •  Per APPIC, Phase 1 Match Day will be February 21, 2025

Initial Screening

We will begin by reviewing all applications through APPI Online. Your application will be carefully evaluated to determine how well your background and experience fit with our program – both in terms of how your goals match ours and how our program might serve you.

By December 13, 2024, this initial screening will result either in an email requesting that you contact us to schedule a Zoom audio interview or an email notifying you that you are no longer under consideration.

Reference Checks

We may choose to call some of your references for additional information in December or January.

Zoom Audio Interviews

During the second and third week of January, we will conduct Zoom audio-only interviews for selected applicants. These interviews usually last approximately 40-50 minutes. We try to keep our process standardized for all of our interviewees, as we feel that it is important to give as an accurate a picture as possible of who we are, what our values are, and how we interact with each other as a staff.  While you will have the opportunity to ask us questions at the end of the interview, you will also be invited to follow up after the interview if you would like to speak individually with an intern or staff member.

Our Policy on Interviews and Site Visits

In recognition that not all applicants will be able to arrange a visit to Santa Barbara for an on-site interview, we conduct audio-only Zoom interviews only.  However, if you are in the area and wish to visit our campus and agency, we encourage you to do so. We will arrange for you to meet with a current intern and/or the Training Director. If you schedule a site visit and are screened out by the Selection Committee in the meantime, we will attempt to contact you immediately so that you can rearrange your travel plans.

Informal contact may be made during the selection process to help us clarify your application, but we do not engage in recruiting behavior (e.g., multiple phone calls). CAPS adheres to all APPIC internship selection policies. In keeping with these policies, CAPS does not solicit, accept or use ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

Match Day: February 21, 2025

APPIC will provide internship sites with information about all ranked applicants and where they were placed. Once matched, CAPS will make formal offers per APPIC guidelines.

UCSB Policy

Office of Equal Opportunity & Sexual Harassment / Title IX Compliance

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UC SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy 

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.