The APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service
Instructions for Applicants

The 2025 APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service is currently CLOSED
It will open at 9:00 am Eastern Time on March 27, 2025

The 2024 APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service (PMVS) will open on March 21, 2024 (the day after the conclusion of Phase II of the 2024 APPIC Match) and will remain available through September 30, 2024. This service allows eligible internship programs to post information about unfilled positions for students who remain unmatched.

The AAPI service will be used to submit applications in the PMVS -- just as they were submitted in Phases I and II of the APPIC Match -- through June 30, 2024. Instructions for submissions beginning on July 1, 2024 are now available below.

APPLICANT FEES AND ELIGIBILITY

There is NO fee for applicants to use the 2024 APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service (please note that applicants who did not submit any applications during Phases I or II of the APPIC Match will pay a $50 fee for the first application submitted in the PMVS; subsequent applications in the PMVS are free). Furthermore, applicants do not need to have registered for the APPIC Match in order to use the PMVS.

A student is eligible to use the 2024 APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service if they meet ALL of the following requirements:

1. Be matriculating through a doctoral program that is eligible to participate in the 2024 PMVS. A list of eligible doctoral programs can be found here under "Eligible Doctoral Programs" (students may use the 2024 PMVS if their doctoral program is included in this list and designated as either "Match & PMVS" or "PMVS Only"). Please note that there may be both eligible and ineligible doctoral programs at the same school or university. Information on applicant eligibility for the 2024 APPIC PMVS may be found here.
   
   Applicants who have already graduated from their doctoral programs are not eligible. While an applicant must be matriculating through an eligible doctoral program, there is NO APPIC requirement to be registered or paying tuition for any particular semester in order to be eligible to participate in the Post-Match Vacancy Service.
   
   Students who are enrolled in doctoral-level respecialization programs or who attend Universities outside of the U.S. and Canada should consult the Intern Applicant Policy for participation requirements.


2. Has not been placed into a position by the APPIC Match.


3. Has not accepted or committed to any other internship position.


4. Has been authorized to participate by their doctoral program.

Applicants who meet all four of these requirements are eligible to participate in the 2024 APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service. Applicants who do not satisfy these requirements may not participate in the 2024 Post-Match Vacancy Service and may not apply to or attend APPIC-member internship programs. Students who did not register for or participate in the 2024 APPIC Match are eligible as long as they meet the requirements outlined above. Students who have been matched into a position by the APPIC Match, or who have already accepted an internship position, are contractually bound to attend that internship program and may not seek other internship positions.

If you would like to consult with APPIC about your eligibility, you may do so by contacting Dr. Greg Keilin, the APPIC Match and PMVS Coordinator, at (512) 410-0002 or gkeilin@gmail.com.

OVERVIEW

Following is a general overview of the 2024 Post-Match Vacancy Service process from an applicant's perspective.  The process begins at 9:00 am Eastern Time on March 21, 2024.

1. Students who are participating in the Post-Match Vacancy Service should NOT contact internship sites about potential position availability in the PMVS or submit applications until the PMVS opens at 9:00 am Eastern Time on March 21, 2024.
   
   
2. Before the PMVS opens, applicants should prepare their application materials. Students who did not create an APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (AAPI) in Phases I or II should begin this preparation at least 4-6 weeks prior to the PMVS opening date. See "Preparing your Application Materials", below, for specific information about preparing your application materials.
   
   
3. Once the PMVS opens, applicants locate information about unfilled positions (see "Accessing Information about Unfilled Positions", below).
   
   
4. Applicants apply for the positions in which they are interested (see "Submitting an Application in the PMVS", below, for specific guidelines about how to apply).
   
   
5. An internship Training Director who is interested in an applicant will contact the applicant directly, possibly requesting additional information and/or an interview (see "Interviews and Offers in the PMVS", below).
   
   
6. When a selection decision has been made, the Training Director will contact the applicant and offer them a position. The applicant may accept or decline that offer. Applicants should understand that accepting an offer is a final decision, as an offer that is tendered by an internship program and accepted by an applicant constitutes a binding agreement between the program, the applicant, and APPIC that may not be reversed without APPIC's consent. (See "Interviews and Offers in the PMVS", below).

PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS

Instructions for Students who Have an Existing AAPI

If you previously submitted applications via the AAPI service in either Phase I or Phase II of the Match, your application remains available for you to use in the PMVS using the same login credentials that you used during the Match. 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 the PMVS (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 you uploaded in Phase I.

It is understood by internship sites in the PMVS that all students' AAPIs will be a snapshot of their experiences through October 1, 2023. However, if any important information has changed or is incorrect on your AAPI (e.g., answers to "Professional Conduct" questions), or if you have any recent experiences that you wish to highlight, you may use your cover letters, CV, and/or essays to communicate those changes/additions. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are providing complete, current, and accurate information to internship sites.

Instructions for Students who Need to Create an AAPI

UPDATE 7/1/24: No AAPIs can be created after June 30, 2024, as the AAPI portal will close after that date. If you wish to apply in the PMVS and haven't yet created an AAPI, please see the section below, "Application Submission on or after July 1, 2024"

Students who have NOT yet developed their application within the AAPI Service will need to create one in order to use the PMVS. Most students will want to have their AAPI ready by the date the PMVS opens (March 21, 2024) and are encouraged to allow themselves sufficient time to do so.

When entering data into the AAPI, you must only include your accrued experience through October 1, 2023. Any practicum or other experience accrued after October 1, 2023 may not be included on the AAPI. It is understood by sites in the PMVS that all students' AAPIs will be a snapshot of their experiences through October 1, 2023. However, if any important information has changed or is incorrect on your AAPI (e.g., answers to "Professional Conduct" questions), or if you have any recent experiences that you wish sites to know about, you may use your cover letters, vita, and/or essays to communicate those changes/additions. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are providing complete, current, and accurate information to internship sites.

Students may begin the process of filling out their AAPIs at any time. However, students who are in "PMVS Only" doctoral programs (meaning that they may participate in the PMVS but not the APPIC Match) may begin creating their AAPIs now EXCEPT for the following items, which won't be available for entry by these students until March 14, 2024 (PLEASE NOTE: The dates have been changed to March 14 - we apologize for the inconvenience) (despite this limitation, students will have plenty of time to complete their AAPIs prior to the opening of the PMVS on March 21, 2024):

1. Current University: Their current university will NOT be included in the drop-down list of current universities until March 14, 2024. Thus, students from "PMVS Only" doctoral programs must wait until that date in order to accurately populate that field. Prior to that date, students should leave that field blank.


2. "Current Graduate Program" may not be completed until March 14, 2024.

You are encouraged to send your AAPI to your DCT for verification as far in advance as possible. Completion of the two items listed above is not required prior to DCT verification. You are similarly encouraged to send the SRF (Standardized Reference Form) questions to your letter-writers as far in advance as possible.

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).

Instructions for all Students

Please remember two important aspects of submitting applications in the PMVS:

1. During the PMVS, 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 Phases I and II of the Match.
   
   
2. You should NOT submit any supplemental materials (assessment reports or treatment summaries) to sites with your initial application in the PMVS, even if requested to do so by the site's application instructions. Sites have been told that applications from students in the PMVS 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 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.

ACCESSING INFORMATION ABOUT UNFILLED POSITIONS

Vacancy announcements will be posted on the "Current List of Unfilled Positions" page on the APPIC web site beginning at 9:00 am Eastern Time on March 21, 2024. This page will be updated regularly as new vacancy information is submitted by Training Directors, and is the sole source of vacancy announcements from APPIC. Applicants should check back frequently for updates, which can occur anytime between March 21 and September 30, 2024.

After the initial posting of available positions at 9:00 am Eastern Time on March 21, 2024, vacancies will continue to be posted whenever Training Directors notify us. Positions that have been closed or filled will also be noted on the list whenever APPIC is so informed. The number of postings decreases significantly after the first few days, but do continue to trickle out through the Spring and Summer (e.g., due to new funding, unexpected vacancies, or other reasons). The number of positions posted each year varies and depends on how many positions remained unfilled from the APPIC Match. For example, in the 2022 PMVS, a total of 77 internship sites posted vacancy announcements between March and October (each announcement was for one or more vacant positions), with 38 (49%) of those sites being accredited by APA or CPA. In the 2023 PMVS, 93 announcements were posted, 44 (47%) of which were accredited.

If you wish to receive an e-mailed notification whenever this vacancy list is updated, you may sign up for such notifications here anytime after March 1, 2024. We strongly recommend signing up for such notifications, as doing so will allow you to avoid missing updates that can occur anytime during the 6+ months that the PMVS is open.

Please note that the list of unfilled positions will include programs that are not accredited. The accreditation status will be included in each posting. The decision to attend a non-accredited internship program is an important one; please see this FAQ for more information.

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION IN THE PMVS

Application Submission on or before June 30, 2024 -- PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR REVISED INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants who wish to submit applications in the PMVS anytime up to and including June 30, 2024 must use the AAPI service to do so. This is the same process by which applications were submitted during Phases I and II of the APPIC Match.

After submitting an application, please send a brief e-mail to the Training Director alerting them to the fact that you have applied. Since Training Directors do not receive alerts about newly-received applications, and may not check their AAPI portals often, this is an important step during the PMVS to ensure that each site knows that you have applied.

Sites may choose to shut off the receipt of applications at any time. Thus, if you are interested in a position that is listed in the PMVS, you should submit your application via the AAPI service as soon as possible.

Application Submission on or after July 1, 2024

Beginning on July 1, 2024, the AAPI portal will no longer be available for the submission of electronic applications for the PMVS, and applications must instead be submitted via e-mail.

If you previously created an AAPI on or before June 30th, you are required to submit it with your application materials; you may apply to internship sites by submitting all of the following items via e-mail as attachments:

REQUIRED - Must be submitted via e-mail:

• BOTH parts of your AAPI download
• Answers to the four essay questions on the AAPI
• A cover letter, tailored to the site to which you are applying
• A curriculum vita (CV)
• The DCTs "Verification of Internship Eligibility and Readiness" (ask your DCT to send this directly to the site)
• Be sure to include your name and contact information in the body of the e-mail message

Once an internship site has received the above items, they may request that you provide some or all of the following items:

UPON REQUEST - Submit via e-mail only if requested by an internship site:

• Standardized Reference Forms (usually sent by your reference-writers directly to the site)
• Transcripts
• Supplemental Materials

If you did not create an AAPI prior to June 30th, you are not required to create or submit one; you may apply to internship sites by submitting all of the following items via e-mail as attachments: (Please note that it is up to each site to decide whether or not they are willing to consider your application without an AAPI)

REQUIRED - Must be submitted via e-mail:

• A cover letter, tailored to the site to which you are applying
• A curriculum vita (CV)
• Answers to these eight "Professional Conduct" items, on a separate sheet of paper, including any explanations you wish to provide:

1. Has disciplinary action, in writing, of any sort been taken against you by a supervisor, educational, or training institution, health care institution, professional association, or licensing/certification board? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
2. Are there any complaints currently pending against you before any of the above bodies? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
3. Has there ever been a decision in a civil suit rendered against you related to your professional work, or is any such action pending? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
4. Have you ever been put on probation, suspended, or terminated or have you failed or resigned from a graduate program, practicum, internship, or employer? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
5. Are you currently on a performance improvement plan (e.g, learning, developmental, remediation plan, etc.)? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
6. Have you ever reneged on an APPIC internship match agreement (i.e., refused to attend or left an internship program that you obtained through the APPIC Match or Post Match Vacancy Service) without prior approval from APPIC? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
7. Have you ever been convicted of an offense against the law other than a minor traffic violation? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)
8. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? (Yes or No – If yes, please explain below)

• Be sure to include your name and contact information in the body of the e-mail message
• Inform your Director of Clinical Training (DCT) that they must contact each of the sites to which you applied in order to verify that you are eligible and ready for internship. This may be done verbally or in writing (e.g., via e-mail).

Once an internship site has received the above items, they may request that you provide some or all of the following items:

UPON REQUEST - Submit via e-mail only if requested by an internship site:

• Standardized Reference Forms (usually sent by your reference-writers directly to the site)
• Transcripts
• Supplemental Materials

INTERVIEWS AND OFFERS IN THE PMVS

The process that sites use to fill their unfilled positions in the PMVS will vary. Each site will have its own interview process and timeline. Some sites want to get the process of filling their unfilled positions over relatively quickly, while others will take their time in reviewing applications and interviewing candidates. Most will conduct virtual (e.g., phone, video) interviews; however, a small number of sites may want you to travel to the site for an interview. Of course, it is up to you as to whether or not you want to bear the expense of such travel, and some of these sites may be willing to negotiate and allow you to interview via telephone instead. You are always welcome to contact any site to which you have applied if you have questions about their timeline, the status of your application, or anything else.

When a site decides on their top candidate, they generally contact that applicant via telephone and make a verbal offer of an internship position. When you receive an offer for a position, some sites may ask you to make a relatively quick decision (e.g., 24-48 hours) about whether or not to accept, while other sites may provide longer periods. You may wish to ask for additional time if needed (e.g., to consult with family or faculty, to consider other sites); it is up to each site as to whether or not they will grant your request. You may find yourself in the uncomfortable position of having to accept or reject an offer even though you have applications pending at more-preferred sites.

IMPORTANT: Your acceptance of an offer from an internship site is a BINDING COMMITMENT. APPIC Match Policy #11e states, "An offer (verbal or written) that has been tendered by an internship program and accepted by an applicant constitutes a binding agreement between the program, the applicant, and APPIC that may not be reversed without APPIC's consent." If you accept an offer in the PMVS and you later receive a more-preferred offer from a different site, you are NOT permitted to accept that later offer.

Once you have accepted an offer: Congratulations! The internship Training Director is required to send you an appointment agreement in a letter postmarked or e-mailed no later than seven days following acceptance of the offer. A copy of this appointment letter must be sent simultaneously to the applicant and the academic training director. This letter must include confirmation of conditions of the appointment, such as stipend, fringe benefits, and the dates on which the internship begins and ends. See Match Policies 11f, 9, 9a, and 9b for more information.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about any aspect of the PMVS, please contact Dr. Greg Keilin, the APPIC Match and PMVS Coordinator, at (512) 410-0002 or gkeilin@gmail.com.