About UCF’s Diverse Academic Opportunities Program

Prospective doctoral applicants from all over the United States from underrepresented populations in higher education visited UCF in October of 2017 for the inaugural two-day Diverse Academic Opportunities Program. The College of Graduate Studies hosted participants from Florida, Alabama, Texas, Missouri, Washington, California, Iowa, Louisiana, and Michigan to learn more about the university before applying to UCF.

Students were interested in such programs as Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Psychology, Counselor Education, Electrical Engineering, Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology, Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Physics. They got to meet with the program representatives and other university professionals, tour campuses and learn from current graduate students on how to be a successful UCF doctoral student.

About the Program

The UCF Diverse Academic Opportunities Program is a two-day event (October 4 and 5, 2018) for prospective doctoral applicants from underrepresented populations in higher education to learn more about the programs they’re interested in before applying to graduate study at UCF. For instance, this might be women who are interested in the STEM fields or Hispanic/Latino populations pursuing a PhD degree in Psychology. See first-hand the UCF campus and facilities we have to offer and support you in your academic goals. Preference will be with diverse or underrepresented applicants who are prepared to apply for a doctoral program in Fall of 2019 or Fall of 2020. The College of Graduate Studies will pay all costs of the visit including transportation, lodging, local travel from and to the airport, and meals.

The October 2018 session of the Diverse Academic Opportunities Program is limited to a maximum of 25 potential doctoral applicants.

During your visit to UCF, you will have the opportunity to:

Visit the programs of your interest.
Meet with leading and renowned faculty.
Learn from current graduate students about how to be successful as a doctoral student.
Attend workshops on how to submit a competitive application to graduate school.
Attend panel presentations on being a diverse graduate student.
Sit in on a graduate class in your area of interest.
Tour the campus, laboratories, and research centers.
See the different UCF off-campus facilities like the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and the developing UCF downtown campus.

How to Apply

Complete the Application Form by Wednesday, August 22, 2018.

Application Form

Please have the following materials available for submission when you are ready to apply:

A copy of current transcripts, unofficial are accepted.
An academic resume or CV.
GRE scores if available.
A personal statement of interest, no more than 650 words, discussing past research or creative efforts.
A nomination letter from a previous faculty member or mentor.

For more information, please contact the Associate Director, Recruiting, Leben Goldman, Leben.Goldman@ucf.edu.