Phase II Getting Started

As an applicant, discovering that you are not matched in Phase I can be a shock and very discouraging. However, it is important to remember that very well-qualified applicants (as well as top-notch internship programs) find themselves in this situation for a variety of reasons, and there are many unfilled positions from Phase I of the Match for which you can apply during Phase II.

The purpose of this "Getting Started" guide is to help unmatched applicants through the initial shock and disappointment by providing a general overview about navigating Phase II of the Match.

In addition to reviewing this "Getting Started" guide, you should also carefully read the FAQs about Phase II for applicants, as this provides more details about each step of the process.

STEP 1: Eligibility for Phase II

You are eligible to participate in Phase II of the APPIC Match if you did not get matched to an internship position in Phase I and your doctoral program is eligible to participate in the APPIC Match. This includes applicants who (a) withdrew from Phase I, (b) did not submit a Rank Order List in Phase I, (c) did submit a Rank Order List but were unmatched in Phase I, or (d) did not register for the Match during Phase I. Furthermore, an applicant who has already accepted an internship position at a program that is not participating in the APPIC Match is NOT eligible to participate in Phase II.

STEP 2: Preparation

First, we suggest that you consult with your DCT, advisor, other faculty, family, and friends to generate options and receive emotional and logistical support. Click here for more information on this step from the FAQ.

If you did not register for the Match during Phase I, you must do so prior to submitting any applications in Phase II. You must include your five-digit Match Code Number on your application. Please note that Match registrations after January 1 require DCT approval. Students who have not yet created an AAPI should begin that process immediately in order to be ready to participate in Phase II.

You will have a total of six days in Phase II to submit applications to sites. The application deadline for Phase II is Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 11:59pm Eastern Time, and Training Directors won't have access to submitted applications until that time. Furthermore, it won't matter when you submit your applications during that six-day period, as long as it is before that deadline (although we continue to recommend that you submit no later than the day before the deadline, just in case you run into technical or logistical difficulties).

STEP 3: Review the List of Available Positions

The List of Participating Programs for Phase II will be posted on the NMS web site at 9:00am Eastern Time on APPIC Phase I Match Day (Friday, February 16, 2024). This List will be updated nightly to reflect any new positions that have been added to Phase II (such as those in which funding became assured after the Phase I Rank Order List deadline, or newly created positions) or removed from Phase II (usually due to loss or redirection of funding).

Take some time to review this list, along with the web sites of the programs listed, in order to identify programs that fit your interests, skills, and training needs. Please remember that it will generally be to your benefit to focus your energies on sites where your background, experiences, and interests are a good fit for what the program has to offer.

You should also be sure to check the "late-breaking news" page on the APPIC web site, as this is the place that some Training Directors of programs with unfilled positions will provide you with important information about their participation in Phase II (e.g., selection criteria, changes in position availability, new positions, etc.). The first update of this "late-breaking news" page will be available no later than Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 9:00 am Eastern time, and updates will be made as additional information is received from sites. We strongly recommend waiting for this initial posting of news items before submitting any applications. Remember to check the "late-breaking news" page on a daily basis during this application period.

If you have questions about an internship program or its application requirements, you may contact the site directly with your inquiries.

STEP 4: Prepare Your Application

If you previously submitted applications via the AAPI service in Phase I, your application remains available for you to use in Phase II using the same login credentials that you used during Phase I. Remember that you cannot make changes to the main parts of the application, but you can submit new cover letters, letters of recommendation, vitas, and essays. You will definitely need to write new cover letters for Phase II (see below), but it is not necessary to update your vita, essays, or letters of recommendation unless you wish to do so, as it is perfectly acceptable to use the ones that were uploaded in Phase I.

Please remember three important aspects of submitting applications in Phase II:

1. During Phase II, you will be expected to tailor your cover letters to each site to which you are applying, describing how your interests, background, and experiences fit with each site, just as you did during Phase I.
   
   
2. You should NOT submit any supplemental materials (assessment reports or treatment summaries) to sites during the initial application phase, even if requested to do so by the site's application instructions for Phase I. Sites have been told that applications from students in Phase II will not include supplemental materials, even if requested by the site. Sites may choose to ask selected applicants to provide supplemental materials at a later time, such as after their initial application in Phase II is reviewed. Students who receive such requests must use the AAPI service to upload the supplemental materials and then notify the site (e.g., via e-mail) once completed.
   
   
3. The recommendation letter process in Phase II is identical to Phase I: For each selected internship site in Phase II, enter the names and emails for the recommenders from whom you would like recommendation letters uploaded. Given that most letter writers will have initiated the "re-use" feature in Phase I, their letters will automatically be submitted to the site as soon as you enter their name and e-mail address into the AAPI. Letter writers typically do not modify their recommendation letters for Phase II; however, in the unusual circumstance when a referee wants to update a letter for Phase II, it is critical that they log into the "LettersbyLiasion" portal and disengage the "re-use" feature BEFORE you input their name and e-mail address into the AAPI portal. They will have the option to re-initiate the "re-use" feature once they have uploaded their modified letter for Phase II such that it can automatically be attached to the remainder of your Phase II site selections.

Click here for additional information about preparing your application. For technical difficulties with the AAPI service, please call the AAPI support team at (617) 612-2899 (hours: M-F 9am to 5pm Eastern time).

STEP 5: Submit Applications

Applications for Phase II must be submitted via the AAPI service. You should plan to complete the submission of all applications by the deadline, which is Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 11:59pm Eastern Time. We very strongly recommend not waiting until that Thursday to submit your applications, in case you run into any technical or other difficulties during the submission process. While some sites may choose to continue accepting applications past that deadline, you should not count on that happening for any site.

Once your applications have been submitted, try to stay relatively accessible via phone and e-mail over the next couple of weeks.

STEP 6: Interviewing

In Phase II, internship sites will contact you directly to request additional information (e.g., testing reports) or to offer you an interview. Unlike Phase I, sites are not required to notify you if they do not plan to offer you an interview.

Interviews will generally be conducted via video conferencing or telephone. Sites have been asked not to request on-site interviews from applicants who are not in the program's local geographic area.

STEP 7: Submitting Your Rank Order List

You should submit and certify your Rank Order List for Phase II of the Match no later than the submission deadline, which is Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Again, please don't wait until the last minute! If you do not have any programs to rank for Phase II, then you should withdraw from Phase II.

Results of the Match will be distributed one week later, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

Applicants who do not secure a position in either phase of the APPIC Match may then use the APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service in order to locate vacant positions. This service will remain open throughout the Spring and Summer following the Match.

TIMELINE FOR PHASE II OF THE 2024 APPIC MATCH

Friday, February 16, 2024 9:00 am Eastern Time	List of programs with available positions is posted on NMS web site Applicants may begin submitting applications via the AAPI Service
Thursday, February 22, 2024 11:59 pm Eastern Time	Deadline for submission of applications (some programs may continue to accept applications after this deadline)
Friday, February 23, 2024 9:00 am Eastern Time	Training Directors begin reviewing and downloading applications
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 11:59 pm Eastern Time	Phase II Rank Order List Deadline
Wednesday, March 20, 2024	APPIC Phase II Match Day