How to Apply
60-credit Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (On-Campus and Low-Residency)
Accepting Applications for Spring, Summer & Fall 2027
Interview Days
All applicants to a Naropa counseling program are required to attend an Interview Day. In-person and virtual options are offered throughout the year. There is no difference in the possibility of acceptance between in-person and virtual, so choose what works best for you.
An invite to RSVP for an Interview Day will be emailed immediately after submitting an application form. Applicants will be allowed to interview without having all application requirements (e.g. essay, resume, etc.) submitted but applications must be completed no later than three weeks following an interview.
Keep in mind that programs have limited capacity, and it is highly recommended that you complete your application and interview as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance at securing a place if accepted. Once a program fills up, accepted students who did not reserve a spot by submitting the $250 Confirmation Deposit will be placed on a waitlist.
Interview Days for 2027 Admission
October 10, 2025 | Virtual via Zoom (MTC Applicants Only) |
November 14, 2025 | Virtual via Zoom |
December 12, 2025 | Virtual via Zoom (MTC Applicants Only) |
January 23, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom |
March 6, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom |
April 10, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom |
April 18, 2026 | In-person: Boulder, CO |
May 15, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom |
June 12, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom |
July 24, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom |
Submit an Application
Apply online by creating a new account or signing in to an existing account.
Naropa University requires that application materials and essays be the applicant’s own work, factually true, and honestly presented, and not created with the use of AI.
At the end of your application, you will be prompted to pay a $60 nonrefundable application fee. If your current financial situation warrants waiving your application fee, you may request a fee waiver.
Only one application will be accepted per applicant and you can only apply to one program at a time. Application fees are non-refundable.
After you submit the application form:
- RSVP for an interview day using the email sent shortly after submitting your application.
- Submit all application requirements (e.g. resume, transcripts).
- Order transcripts sent to Naropa if uploading unofficial copies is not possible.
- After all application requirements have been submitted, an email will be sent confirming that the application is complete.
Application Status
We encourage you to be actively engaged in the admission process. Once you have submitted your application, log into your application account to check the status of your application and what requirements may still be outstanding.
When all application requirements have been submitted, you will receive an email notification that your application is complete.
Transcripts
Naropa University requires transcripts from any and all institutions where undergraduate coursework was completed. Transcripts for coursework beyond the undergraduate level are not required. An official transcript of a conferred bachelor’s degree must be received by the Office of Admissions prior to beginning graduate coursework.
Transcripts that are uploaded as part of your application are not considered official. However, to expedite the admissions process, we encourage you to upload copies of your transcripts when possible.
If mailing, official transcripts should be sent to:
Naropa University
Office of Admissions
2130 Arapahoe Ave
Boulder CO 80302
Electronic transcripts from your university may be emailed to admissions@naropa.edu.
Electronic official transcripts are acceptable if submitted through a secure transcript service used by your university. If you submit your transcripts by email as an attachment or upload them via your application account, they will not be accepted as official.
If you completed any coursework at a foreign college or university (other than a study abroad program), an international education evaluation is required.
Statement of Interest
Naropa University requires that application materials and essays be the applicant’s own work, factually true, and honestly presented, and not created with the use of AI.
Please address each of the following prompts in 6 double-spaced pages. Your essay should respond to both the prompts listed for all counseling concentrations, as well as the concentration-specific prompts. Please use the articles as a guide and reference them where appropriate.
- What interested you to apply to Naropa University’s 60-credit Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program?
- If you’re applying to a certificate program, in your statement of interest, please speak to the certificate you’re choosing or which electives you’d like to take in the program.
- What are your career goals relative to enrolling in this program?
- What experiences have you had in professional or volunteer capacities, which relate to the counseling field? What specifically did you learn about yourself or about counseling from this experience?
- Please comment on your personal experience of one or more awareness disciplines. If applying for a specific track, please include relevant experience in that area (e.g., meditation, mindfulness, nature experience, movement, dance, art, etc.)
- Read the article “Love as Social Justice” by Smith and Bopsie, then consider and answer the following questions:
- Why are love and relationships so central to social justice work?
- How might this concept inform your work as a counselor in your chosen area of focus (e.g., Buddhist-Informed, Mindfulness-Based, Somatic, Nature-Based, Art Therapy, etc.)?
- Imagine that you witness a microaggression by a peer and toward another one of your peers. How would you respond?
Resume
Interview
Attending an Interview Day and participating in both group interview sessions is a requirement to receive an admissions decision. All application requirements need not be submitted in order to interview—an invite to RSVP for an Interview Day will be emailed to all applicants who have submitted the application form.
Applicants will be allowed to interview without having all application requirements (e.g. essay, resume, etc.) submitted but applications must be completed no later than three weeks following an interview.
Interview Days are full-day events and consist of two group interview sessions—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—as well as additional programming designed to help inform your decision to enroll at Naropa. Options to interview in person at our campus in Boulder, Colorado, and remotely via Zoom will be offered.
Financial Aid
Domestic applicants: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about how to apply for financial aid.
International applicants: Complete Naropa’s Financial Aid Application for International Students. Learn more about financial aid for international students.
International Applicants
Low-Residency Delivery:
International students are not eligible for the low-residency counseling program, as the program does not meet the US government’s requirements for issuing student visas while Naropa cannot approve overseas sites for the clinical placement practicum and internship. To be eligible, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
On-Campus Delivery:
In addition to other requirements, international applicants must also submit:
- Proof of English proficiency
- Evaluations of non-U.S. education records
If accepted to Naropa University, international students are required to submit the following for their student visa application:
- Copy of a valid passport
- Proof of funding for the first year of the program
Please see the International Students webpage for more information.
Additional Certificate Requirements
Somatic Counseling Certificate
Body-Mind Experience
Minimum of 2 semesters or 250 hours of training in a body-mind discipline (Examples include energetic healing practices, body/mind psychotherapy training, outdoor training, physical and occupational therapies, bodywork, martial arts, and yoga/movement practices.)
Prerequisite Coursework*
- 3 credits Intro to Psychology
- 3 credits Abnormal Psychology or Theories of Personality
All courses are subject to approval and may require additional documentation such as a syllabus or course description.
A grade of “C” or above is required for all prerequisite coursework. All prerequisites are to be completed at accredited academic institutions for credit (not pass/fail or audited).
*Coursework need not be completed before applying. Applicants must submit an official transcript showing proof of completion of the prerequisite coursework and bachelor’s degree prior to the start of the program.
Somatic Counseling: Dance/Movement Theories & Practice Certificate
Dance Experience
- Expertise in at least two different dance (or movement) forms.
- In-depth and dedicated experience in a minimum of one dance form
- Exposure to composition, choreography, performance, and dance history
Prerequisite Coursework*
- 3 credits Intro to Psychology
- 3 credits Abnormal Psychology or Theories of Personalities
All courses are subject to approval and may require additional documentation such as a syllabus or course description.
A grade of “C” or above is required for all prerequisite coursework. All prerequisites are to be completed at accredited academic institutions for credit (not pass/fail or audited).
*Coursework need not be completed before applying. Applicants must submit an official transcript showing proof of completion of the prerequisite coursework and bachelor’s degree prior to the start of the program.
Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling Certificate
Acknowledgement for Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling:
If you are applying to the Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling Certifcate, please review the information below and acknowledge that you have read and understood it:
- Over the course of the program, students will spend extended time outdoors in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Students will participate in a range of activities, including the following: canoeing, rock climbing, horticulture, and equine-assisted activities (no riding necessary). They will also take part in a rite of passage that involves a supervised solo with an optional fast.
- Students will be asked to camp and attend class in outdoor settings, often with no access to electricity or running water, for up to one week at a time. Applicants should possess a general sense of comfort in the outdoors, with an ability to tolerate varied conditions, including wind, cold, precipitation, altitude, and hard or rocky ground. An inability to tolerate adverse weather conditions will not be a justification for missing class.
- Applicants should have moderate to good fitness levels. Students will encounter uneven terrain while hiking and accessing field instruction sites. Students may be asked to carry their personal and group gear for 1-2 miles.
- Students must also have some knowledge of leave-no-trace principles and campcraft, including food preparation and water purification.
- While group gear and equipment is provided, students are required to acquire or borrow their own personal gear for camping and staying comfortable in the outdoors.
- Transportation to and from field sections is not provided by Naropa University. Students generally organize with peers to travel to off-site locations.
- Additional program fees apply.
Learn More About the Program
Connect with your counselor
Junia McGillen
Admissions Counselor
- Schedule a Meeting
- junia.mcgillen@naropa.edu
- (303) 276-6005
Connect with your counselor
Junia McGillen
Admissions Counselor
Connect with your counselor
Melanie Noble
Admissions Counselor
- Schedule a Meeting
- melanie.noble@naropa.edu
- 303-546-3568
Connect with your counselor
Melanie Noble
Admissions Counselor
- Schedule a Meeting
- melanie.noble@naropa.edu
- 303-546-3568
