Pre-Doc Application Overview

Overview of the California Pre-Doctoral Program Application Process:

1. Navigate to the California Pre-Doctoral Program "How to Apply" page for an overview of the application process and materials.
2. Seek a Faculty Mentor (an SF State faculty member in your field — an assistant, associate or full professor, but not a lecturer or visiting professor from another institution) who knows you well and is willing to support your application to the Pre-Doctoral Program, and to serve as your mentor during the award year;
3. Ask your Faculty Mentor to provide you with an in-depth recommendation.
4. Assemble unofficial transcripts for every college or university you have attended;
5. Register for an online application and continue to work on it until you submit it on or before the application deadline (see Application Instructions).
6. Invite your Faculty Mentor, through the online application, to submit a reference on your behalf. Your mentor must submit their recommendation no later than one week after the application deadline of February 13, 2026.
7. In collaboration with your Faculty Mentor, develop an Application Budget for the funded activities you will engage in to prepare for entering a doctoral program;
8. If you are applying for the Health Professions Track, prepare a Collaborative Mentorship Plan indicating how you and your Faculty Mentor will work together over the Pre-Doctoral Year to enhance your applications to doctoral programs. For a description of what this document should contain, see this site's "Application Instructions" page, which includes a discussion of the "Collaborative Mentorship Plan";
9. If you are a California Pre-Doctoral Program applicant, prepare a CV (a curriculum vitae or academic resume). Your Faculty Mentor and the Campus Coordinator will be able to provide you with guidance about what this document should contain. Note that a CV is not required for Health Professions Track applicants;
10. Compose, revise, and polish your application essays in consultation with your Faculty Mentor;
11. Note that essay prompts for the California Pre-Doctoral Program and Health Professions applicants are different. See this site's "Application Instructions" page, which sets forth the "Essay Prompts" for each track;
12. If you would like feedback on your application materials, please reach out at least two weeks before (and preferably well in advance of) the application deadline to request  a meeting with Dr. Joy Viveros, SF State's California Pre-Doctoral Program Campus Coordinator. Her email is fellows1@sfsu.edu.
13. Submit your online application by the CSU online application deadline of 5:00PM on February 13, 2026.
14. Follow-up with your Faculty Mentor to ensure that the recommendation is submitted timely. They have up to the Friday following the CSU deadline to submit the recommendation.