Financial Aid

Tuition & Financial Aid Overview

The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program requires a full-time commitment for at least five years. During the program, most students participate in additional training provided to them by a research assistantship or teaching fellowship. The work completed during these positions enhances their training. Many times this work leads to dissertation projects or co-authors articles and presentations.

These positions also carry financial aid from the university. Students supplement this aid with loans and other outside sources of aid to pay their tuition and other expenses over the course of their time in the program. No other aid from the university is available to PsyD students except those that are listed here.

All aid is contingent upon good student standing. All students receiving aid must complete a FAFSA regardless of whether or not they plan on taking our loans.

Cost of Tuition

Current costs to attend the program can be found on the Enrollment Services website: https://liu.edu/post/enrollment-services/tuition

***Tuition in years 1, 2, and 3

In the fourth year, students begin paying by the credit. Fourth year students typically take 8 credits per year, though this can vary depending on dissertation defense timelines. Fees are also lower in year four.

**Health Insurance is required fo rall PsyD students, but may be waived if student carries their own and files a waiver by the deadline to do so.

During year five, students are required to register for Internship (PSY 841) which carries a fee of about $200 for the year; and Dissertation Supervision (PSY 842 and 843) which carries a fee valued at the cost of 1 credit or (currently) $1,694 per semester. Students are required to register for PSY 843 for each spring and fall until their dissertation is successfully defended. No registration is required in summers for years 4-6. Summer courses in year 1, 2, and 3 are covered under the flat tuition rate.
• Years 1, 2, 3: Flat Tuition Rate*
• Year 4: Pre Credit Rate (8 credits) + dissertation matriculation ($1,694 spring)*
• Year 5: Internship fee ($200) + dissertation matriculation ($1,694 per semester)*
• Year 6: Dissertation Matriculation ($1,694 per semester)*

A student may elect to live on-campus. Information on associated fees can be found on the Student Life webpages.

*Note that the quoted tuition rates and university fees are for the 2020-2021 academic year. This does not account for any increases in tuition in future academic years. Changes to the tuition rates are posted every year on the Financial Aid / Enrollment Services webpages. For up-to-date information on tuition and fees, please see the Enrollment Services webpage, linked above.

Applying for Aid from the Program

All interviewing applicants and continuing 1st and 2nd year students will submit a program financial aid form to the program. On this form you will indicate all of the types of aid you would like to be considered for (see list below). You will only receive one form of aid from the program. Those wanting to be considered for RA positions will rank order their preference of faculty or projects to work on. RAs are typically assigned to faculty for all 3 years that students receive aid. However, in some cases students will switch to leadership roles, teaching fellowships, or other research labs in the program.

There is no other available aid from LIU than those listed here. Most students supplement their financial aid from the program with loans, part-time jobs, military benefits, or other sources of funding.

Types of Aid Offered

The types of aid available to students include all of those listed below. Students must submit a FAFSA to be considered for these awards. EFC (estimated family contribution) is taken into consideration before aid is offered to admitted applicants and students. 

Research Assistantship

As a research assistant, you will assist a professor with his or her research for six hours a week during the academic year. These include work in faculty labs, but are not limited to work only in these labs. Possible projects and labs that RAs may be asked to participate in include:

Research Assistant to:

• Eva Feindler, Ph.D.
• Hilary Vidair, Ph.D
• Jill Rathus, Ph.D.
• Camilo Ortiz, Ph.D.
• Geoff Goodman, Ph.D.
• Danielle Knafo, Ph.D.
• Robert Keisner, Ph.D
• DJ Moran, Ph.D.
• Orly Calderon, Psy.D.

• Family Check-In Lab (with Dr. Vidair)
• Applied Child Lab (with Dr. Goodman)
• DBT Lab (with Dr. Rathus)
• Family Processes Lab (with Dr. Feindler)
• Participant Observer Editor & Assistant

 

Lab meetings are scheduled to fit in RA’s schedules (typically in the evening). Hours completed in the labs and hours completed outside of the lab will be about 6 hours per week for a total of 30 weeks over the course of the academic year.

Eligibility: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year PsyD Student

Hours: 6 hours a week, 30 weeks over academic year

Alumni Mentorship Coordinator

As the coordinator for the Alumni Mentorship Project, the student works with the program director to match recruit alums and current students to the program, pair dyads, review the program, and complete research in this field. Other projects may be assigned as needed.

Eligibility: 2nd or 3rd year PsyD Student

How Many Positions: 1 positions per year, typically kept for all 3 years by 1 student

Hours: 6 hours a week, 30 weeks over academic year

Teaching Fellowship

Students teach their own section of Introduction to Psychology to undergraduates at LIU Post. Students meet with other PsyD students, the director of the program, and the chair of the Psychology Department to prepare for this teaching fellowship. The courses that our PsyD students teach typically include introduction to psychology courses. Some upper-level courses may be available for students.

Eligibility: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year PsyD Student with MS or MA degree in Psychology or related field

How Many Positions: 3-4 positions per year, typically kept for all 3 years by the same students

Lab Assistants

Students will assist our PsyD Faculty who teach the lecture section of our assessment courses. These labs include:

• Child Assessment Lab (PSY 851L)
• Personality Assessment Lab (PSY 804L)
• Cognitive & Neuropsychological Assessment (PSY 803L)

Assistants are typically chosen from the 1st year cohort. In most cases, a lab assistant will continue this work in year 2 and 3. Many lab assistants go on to teach as an adjunct at local colleges in years 4 and beyond.

Eligibility: 2nd or 3rd year PsyD Student

How Many Positions: 2 positions per year, typically a 2nd year begins in year 2 and keeps the position into year 3

Recommendation from Faculty member who teaches course

Hours: 6 hours a week (prep, teaching, grading), 30 weeks over academic year

The SafeZone coordinators (2) will organize the 1st year student cohort trainings that run once a month in the fall and spring semesters. These trainings are 1-2 hours long. Students work with their faculty advisor to organize this project. Co-coordinators also organize the program-wide lectures/events for the PsyD Program in the fall and spring semester (usually 3-4 over the course of the year).

Eligibility: 2nd or 3rd year PsyD Student

How Many Positions: 2 co-coordinators. Positions begin in year 2. Student typically maintains the position in year 2 and 3.

Application: PsyD Program Financial Aid Application, due March 1

Hours: 6 hours a week, 30 weeks over academic year.

Students for Multicultural Awareness in Research & Training Coordinator Service Disparity Fellowship

The SMART coordinator will organize the program-wide training events in the fall and spring semesters. Coordinators are encouraged to implement innovative training programs, increase the program’s offerings in this area, and to work with the program director and faculty advisor.

Eligibility: 2nd or 3rd year PsyD Student

How Many Positions: 1 coordinator. Position begins in year 2. Student typically maintains the position in year 2 and 3.

Hours: 6 hours a week, 30 weeks over academic year.

4th Year Student Graduate Assistantships

• PSC Testing Assistant
• PSC Clinical Assistant
• Assistant to Director of Clinical Training for Externship
• Assistant to Director of Clinical Training for Internship

Eligibility: 4th Year PsyD Student

Hours vary. Funding is pending budget for the following academic year.

Other Awards to PsyD Students

In addition to the financial aid awards listed above, PsyD Students are eligible for the following monetary awards. Award amounts vary by year:

• Persistence Award: given to a 4th year PsyD student who changed careers to begin the PsyD Program. Student must be in good standing. Decision made by Faculty recommendation
• Joan Feindler Teaching Award: given to a student who has been a teaching fellow or lab assistant in the program. Student must be in good standing. Decision made by faculty recommendation
• Graduate Award: given to the 3rd year student with the highest GPA (by time of spring of 3rd year)

There are hundreds of scholarships for which students can apply. They range in size from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. Our students have received many different kinds of scholarships and some of the awards have been quite large. 

Here are some scholarships to look into. Check the APA website for additional sources:

The department often gets solicitations from various agencies in the New York metropolitan area for students to serve in a number of different capacities. For example, our students often administer psychological tests and get paid for it. These jobs can pay in the range of $10-$30 an hour.

All Applicants and Students should complete a FAFSA as soon as possible. We cannot offer you any aid before a FAFSA is on file with LIU.

If you are accepted to the program, you will receive a departmental financial aid offer with your acceptance (if you completed a FAFSA), so that you will know what your cost will be in the first year before you have to make a decision. Current students find out what their awards in April. Some 4th year aid may not be approved until August.

Every year students will receive a letter form campus with the following information:

• Tuition Cost & Expenses (Estimated, including books/living expenses) – note that this is often more than tuition because it estimates other living and educational costs
• Aid from the program
• Federal Unsubsidized Loans (if you qualify)
• Grad PLUS loans (if you qualify/applied)

You must accept your loans every year – even if you are taking the same amount. The system will not read your tuition as paid until you accept the loans.
If you do not want to accept any loans or want to accept a lower amount than what is listed on your financial aid package, you can email our financial aid rep directly with those amounts. All emails concerning aid must come from your MyLIU student email account and include your EMPLID. 

Other Research / Clinical Work Opportunities
If you do not have a RA position with a faculty member, you can still volunteer to work in labs or on other program projects throughout their time in the program. In fact, many students who are assigned to work for one lab, also volunteer in another that is also aligned with their research and clinical interests. We encourage students to “try out” as many opportunities as their schedule will a lot for. 

External Resources
The following may be helpful for you to review regarding aid in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs, graduate-salaries, and other considerations.

• APA: http://www.apa.org/education/grad/funding.aspx 
• APAGS: http://www.apa.org/apags/resources
• ABCT: http://www.abct.org/Resources/?m=mResources&fa=StudentResources 
• NYSPA: http://www.nyspa.org/
• Nassau County Psychological Association: http://www.nassaupsych.org/ 
• Suffolk Psychological Association: http://www.suffolkpsych.org/ 
• NYS Office of Professions: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/psych/ 

Frequently Asked Questions
1. When I apply to the program, do I apply to work in one of the listed faculty labs?
No. Applicants do not apply to work in a particular lab. You will have the opportunity to speak with faculty as well as current students about the research being done in the program during the admissions process. If you are invited to interview with the program, you will be asked to submit a financial aid form. On this form, you will rank order the faculty members you would like to work with. From this, we will try to match admitted applicants with the faculty member that most fits with their interests. Typically students are matched with one of their top 3 choices.

2. Do students typically stay with the same faculty member for their research assistantship position?
Students do often stay with the faculty member they were assigned to in their first year. However, some do request a switch due to changed interests or work the student began with another faculty member that will carry over (usually into a dissertation project or other related clinical research project). Other times students moving into year 2 of the program will move into leadership positions (SMART, SafeZone,PsySR, etc).

3. Is aid guaranteed for all years in the program?
Aid has typically been carried through the first 3 years in the program. Aid does vary from year to year, but we make every effort to maintain students’ aid amounts throughout their first three years in the program.

4. Are there any other trainings that I will need to take while in the program with associated costs?
Yes. Students will take Continuing Education workshops in Child Abuse Reporting, SAVE, and HIV Training for Psychologists. LIU’s Continuing Education Office offers the first two. The cost for these is around $35 each. The HIV Workshop is offered by the program every few years. Most students elect to take the online courses available to fulfill this requirement. Prices for the online course vary. See the online listings through the APA for more information: http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/exchange/2012/04/hope-program.aspx

5. How much do students usually pay in housing costs while in the program?
Our students generally live either right around campus, in Queens or Brooklyn, or in Manhattan. Many have roommates. Renting in the area of LIU Post generally costs anywhere from $800 to $1,200 per person, monthly (Hicksville, Glen Cove, Locust Valley, Brookville, Roslyn, Port Washington, Mineola, Jericho, and Oyster Bay. In Queens and Brooklyn, rent will generally run from $1000 to $1,400, and in Manhattan, you will pay from $1,500 to $2,000.

6. How much do students pay in commuting costs?
These costs can vary greatly. Students often utilize carpools to get to campus. Some take the LIRR (to Hicksville or Great Neck) and then a bus or taxi. Most students move to Queens or Nassau County to help lower commuting costs. Students also move close to their externship site to reduce commuting costs in years 3 and 4 to their externship site. The same is true for internship sites (which are sometimes out-of-state).

7. How do graduates of your program repay their loans?
Graduates utilize various repayment plans to repay their loan after graduation and their 6-month grace period. There are standard plans, extended plans, graduated plans, income-driven plans, and income-sensitive plans. Many students consolidate their loans as well. We encourage you to review these options online at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/understand/plans

8. Do graduates qualify for any loan forgiveness programs?
Some graduates work in areas that qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs. See the Federal Student Aid website for more information: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

9. What types of jobs do your graduates get after graduation?
Our alums work in a number of areas within the field in settings that range from private practice to hospital settings or a mixture of both. Most move on to formal post-doctoral training in hospital or community center settings. Many take on adjunct professor positions at local colleges. If you are interested in working in a particular area and would like to be put in contact with an alum from LIU Post who works in that area – let us know and we can put you in touch.

10. Do graduates go into private practice?
Yes. Many of our graduates go into private practice. We encourage applicants and students to review the type of post-doctoral work that can be done to lead to licensure.

11. What are your post-graduation salaries?
Psychologists have an extremely low unemployment rate, and salaries are competitive. For more information on employment and salaries than you ever thought existed, go to http://research.apa.org/salarydataall.html.

12. How many graduates work in underserved areas?
In a 2016 survey of 92 alums, 67 said that they are working with underserved populations. This represents 73% of our alums from the cohorts surveyed. The list of settings and populations indicated by our alums include:

• Minority populations
• VA Hospitals
• Spanish-speaking
• Juvenile Justice System populations
• College students from underserved or marginalized backgrounds
• Low SES clients, low-income families
• LGBTQ clients
• Foster care residential settings
• Inpatient hospital settings
• Outpatient community clinics
• Community Mental Health Centers
• City hospitals
• Serious Mental Illness populations
• Non-profit work

13. How many alums work in CBT or Psychodynamic work?
The program trains students in both CBT and psychodynamic orientations. Of the 92 alumni who completed the survey 2016, 22 said they are practicing in CBT, 15 said they are practicing in psychodynamic work, and 48 said they work in both. Additionally, 6 said they work in DBT, and 1-2 in neuropsychology, mindfulness, integrative, and relational methods.

14. How many graduates had to seek out additional training after the program to work in the settings they were employed in?
About 65 % of alums surveyed in 2016 said that they sought out some kind of additional training after graduation. Some indicated that they wanted deeper understanding in a particular area, like assessments. Others indicated that they sought out additional training in business-related things like running a private practice. Others engaged in setting-specific training for their site.

15. Are externships during the program paid?
Some 3rd and 4th year externships are paid. Most are not.

16. Are internships during the 5th year in the program paid?
Yes, all APA-accredited internship are paid. The salary amount for these positions vary across sites. For more information on internship sites, see: https://www.appic.org/

17. Are Post-Docs paid?
Yes. Much like internship sites, these salaries vary. See: https://www.appic.org/ for more information.

18. What type of fees are associated with licensure?
There are licensure fees, exam fees, limited permit fees, and continuing fees associated with become a licensed psychologist. We recommend that you review the “Path to Licensure” information from the Associate of State and Provincial Psychology Boards available online at: https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/ppb-temp.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Mobility_/Path_to_Licensure_December_2.pdf 

Information about license requires for New York State is available online at: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/psych/psychlic.htm. Note that each state has different requirements. If you do not plan to be licensed in NYS, be sure to review the requirements for your State.

To become a psychologist, you will need to complete our program, a post-doc experience, and successfully pass the licensing exam. Information on the EPPP is available online at: http://www.asppb.net/ Our alums have a high pass rate on this exam.

19. When can I start calling myself a psychologist?
See the information provided by NYS regarding the use of the term “psychologist”: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/psych/psychbroch.htm

20. Will I qualify for loans every year that I am in the program?
Yes. Our courses qualify you to take loans every year you are in the program, as long as you are registered for our 800-level courses. Students on dissertation matriculation should check with our financial aid representative to make sure the university reports your status to the Clearinghouse properly in years 6 and beyond.

21. Is financial aid ever taken away from a student?
Yes, financial aid is contingent upon good standing in the program. Students on probation may have their aid removed. Students must complete all hours for their research assistantship in every academic year. Failure to do so may also result in aid being removed from a student’s package.

Students who take a leave of absence may not necessarily receive the same financial aid package from the program that they had. Those considering LOAs should consult with the director of the program and their RA advisor about this. If a student goes on a leave of absence (other than medical LOAs) may result in loans becoming due. Check with the financial aid representative for more information about what will qualify for a leave without losing your grace period for loans.

22. How often do students take a leave of absence or leave the program due to financial issues?
Over the last ten years, only a very amount of students had to take time off due to financial issues.