Apply to the NextGen Psych Scholars Program

Next Gen Psych Scholars Program
The goal of the NextGen Psych Scholars Program (NPSP) is to cultivate long-term support structures between diverse undergrad or post-baccalaureate mentees and current graduate students and post-docs to 1) embrace and celebrate the unique journeys that have led current graduate students to pursue a PhD and 2) to inspire and empower the next generation of scholars while enhancing feelings of belongingness in academia. In addition to outlining the process of applying to graduate school, a significant amount of time will be spent discussing how to both challenge and navigate the “hidden curriculum” (e.g. networking, advocating for yourself) of academia. This program is open to all individuals and centers the experiences of underrepresented (e.g., BIPOC, low-income, first-gen, LGBTQIA+) individuals.

Over the course of a year, the program will consist of a series of virtual panels and workshops such as:
Application timeline and logistics
Individual journeys, highlighting both the challenges and successes, that led graduate students to pursue a PhD
Considerations when choosing a program
The admissions process and application tips (led by faculty)
Navigating the hidden curriculum
Fellowships and post-baccalaureate opportunities
Professional development including R programming basics

Mentees are paired with current graduate students and post-docs to discuss their graduate school plans and workshop application materials. Individuals planning on applying in the next 1-2 years will be prioritized for matching. For anyone who is not actively applying in the next year or so, you are welcome to join our Slack community and attend any events that are of interest, but direct one-on-one mentorship may not be as helpful if you are not working on application materials.

How To Apply:
If you are interested in joining for 2026-2027, please fill out our application at https://z.umn.edu/NPSP26-27 by 05/31/2026 at 11:59pm Central Time. Please note that this program is focused specifically on psychology PhD programs; if you are interested in mentorship for other types of programs (e.g. MA or PsyD) this program will likely not meet your needs.

Notifications for acceptance into the program will go out by 07/01/2026. For additional information, please see our website (nextgenpsychscholars.com)