Admissions and Information Sessions

Application Deadline

The Department of Counseling reviews applications once each year. The deadline for Master’s applications is OCTOBER 15 to apply to begin coursework in Summer or Fall 2024. Students cannot begin their program of study in the Spring semester. Please note that the October 15 deadline is final. Applicants must have all application materials (application, references, transcripts, résumé, and fee) submitted by October 15 to be considered for admission. Applications submitted or completed after October 15 are not guaranteed review by the admissions committee. Admission to the UNC Charlotte counseling program is competitive, therefore applicants must have all application materials submitted by the deadline to be considered.

Program Information Sessions

Each year, Department of Counseling faculty host Counseling Program Information Sessions for prospective students. Given the October 15 program application deadline, all information sessions for the 2024 admissions cycle were finished in early October 2023. If prospective students were unable to attend a Counseling Program Information Session and would like to view a recording of an overview of the full Masters in counseling program, please email counseling@charlotte.edu with a request.

A new schedule of program information sessions for the 2025 counseling program admissions cycle will be posted in May 2024.

Cato college of education graduate program open house

The Cato College of Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is hosting a Graduate Program Open House on November 2 from 5-6:30pm. The Masters in Counseling Program will be represented at this event. Interested guests are asked to RSVP at https://slate.to/r1g3QnUU

Admissions Process

Admission into UNC Charlotte’s Master’s in Counseling program is competitive. From 2020-2023, 29-35% of counseling program applicants were accepted into the program. Faculty seek students from a variety of backgrounds who are passionate about becoming counselors. Criteria for admission into the Master’s counseling program include an applicant’s potential success in forming effective interpersonal relationships in individual and small-group contexts, aptitude for graduate level study, relevant career goals, openness to self-examination, and potential for personal and professional self-development. Students are not required to have an undergraduate major in any particular field to enter the counseling program. Applications are reviewed holistically by a committee of faculty in the Department of Counseling.

All applications must be submitted electronically through the UNC Charlotte Graduate School. Please note:

  • Applications must include a statement of purpose explaining the applicant’s interest in UNC Charlotte’s counseling program. Statements of purpose should be 1-2 pages in length and fully address all components of the prompt.
  • Applications also must include three professional references, transcripts from all universities attended, a résumé, and a completed application.
  • Entrance exam scores from the GRE or MAT are not required for admission. Applicants who have taken the GRE or MAT may choose to submit scores, but they are not required.
  • All application materials, including transcripts and recommendations, must be received by UNC Charlotte by October 15 to be considered. Any applications that are submitted but incomplete by this deadline are not guaranteed to be reviewed. Late applications will only be reviewed for admission if space and time allow.
Apply to the Master’s Counseling Program!

Application Timeline

Applications are reviewed once per year in October for admission the subsequent Summer or Fall semester. Select applicants are invited to a group interview in January. Applicants are typically notified of admissions decisions in February.