MFT Programs in California With No GRE Requirement

BBS-approved MFT programs that do not require the GRE · 61 programs · Updated June 2026

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, and most California MFT programs do not ask for it. The GRE is an admissions test that individual graduate programs may choose to require, not a state licensing requirement. Of the 71 BBS-approved MFT programs in California, 61 do not require the GRE for admission, and this page lists those 61. Every program here is drawn from a complete directory of all 71 California MFT programs, with no ads, affiliate links, or paid placements.

A program that does not require the GRE is not necessarily easier to get into, it simply weighs your application differently. You will still need a bachelor's degree, official transcripts, a statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation, and many programs also look for relevant coursework in psychology or human development, volunteer or work experience, and an admissions interview. Dropping the GRE removes one standardized test and its preparation cost, not the academic and clinical standards a program holds you to.

The programs listed here do not require the GRE. A handful of other California programs treat the test as conditional, meaning they may ask some applicants for scores while waiving them for others, and a few still require it for every applicant. Because admissions policies change from year to year, confirm a program's current GRE requirement on its own admissions page before you apply, and confirm its BBS approval on the BBS website, since regional accreditation is not the same as BBS approval for California licensure.

Use the cards below to compare each program on total cost, timeline, program format, and practicum model. The programs that require or conditionally require the GRE are listed in the note beneath the directory, so you can see the full picture.

Editorial disclosure: Sentio University operates one of the programs included in this directory. Every school is evaluated using the same published criteria. Schools cannot pay for inclusion, favorable placement, or removal.

Looking at every option, not just programs without the GRE? See the complete California MFT Program Directory comparing all 71 BBS-approved programs side by side.

Programs not requiring the GRE listed: 61 · Updated June 2026 · Source: California BBS approved-program list

Note on the GRE across California MFT programs: four programs treat the GRE as conditional, meaning they may require scores from some applicants and waive them for others: Chapman University, CSU Dominguez Hills, La Sierra University, and Pepperdine University. Three programs currently require the GRE from all applicants: CSU Northridge, Fresno Pacific University, and Fuller Theological Seminary. Admissions requirements change, so confirm a program's current GRE policy on its admissions page before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Do California MFT programs require the GRE?

Most do not. Of the 71 BBS-approved Marriage and Family Therapy programs in California, 61 do not require the GRE for admission. The GRE is an admissions test that individual programs can choose to require or waive. It is not part of California's requirements for LMFT licensure, so whether a program asks for it is a program-by-program decision, not a state rule.

Is the GRE required for LMFT licensure in California?

No. California's educational requirements for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist licensure are set by the Board of Behavioral Sciences under Business and Professions Code Section 4980.36, and they do not include the GRE. The GRE only ever appears as an admissions requirement at some graduate programs, never as a licensing requirement.

Which California MFT programs do not require the GRE?

Sixty-one BBS-approved programs do not require the GRE. They include Sentio University, National University, Touro University Worldwide, Alliant International University, the University of San Diego, and Loma Linda University, along with many others. The directory on this page lists all 61 alphabetically with each program's cost, timeline, format, and practicum model, so you can compare them directly. Many no-GRE options are also fully online or can be finished in under two years.

Does a program with no GRE requirement have easier admissions?

Not necessarily. Waiving the GRE removes one standardized test, but programs still evaluate your bachelor's degree and transcripts, your statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and often prerequisite coursework, relevant experience, and an interview. A no-GRE program holds the same academic and clinical standards, it just does not use the GRE to assess them.

What does a conditional GRE requirement mean?

A conditional requirement means a program may ask some applicants for GRE scores while waiving the test for others, depending on its own admissions criteria. Four California MFT programs currently treat the GRE this way: Chapman University, CSU Dominguez Hills, La Sierra University, and Pepperdine University. Because these policies change, confirm the current requirement directly with the program before you apply.

How this directory is built and maintained

Source of the school list. Every program on the California Board of Behavioral Sciences approved-program list for the LMFT educational requirement is the universe for this directory. This page shows the 61 programs that do not require the GRE for admission.

Date the BBS list was last checked. June 2026. We re-check the list on a recurring schedule and after any major BBS announcement.

How the GRE status and other values are determined. A program's GRE requirement, total cost, timeline, format, and practicum model come from its own published admissions and tuition materials. A range written "$X to $Y" indicates a program with multiple tracks at different totals, and a "~" prefix marks a published estimate rather than a quoted price.

How unknown values are handled. Cost, timeline, and other fields show "unknown" or "Not disclosed" when a school does not publish them, and we do not impute or estimate. This page is limited to the programs whose own admissions materials confirm the GRE is not required; programs that require or conditionally require it are named in the note above, and any program whose current GRE policy could not be confirmed is left off rather than guessed at.

Whether program pages were checked manually. Yes. Each program's own admissions, curriculum, and tuition pages were read by a person, not collected by automated scraping.

How corrections are handled. Any school, prospective student, current student, or faculty member can request a correction by emailing mabundez@sentio.org. We respond within five business days, and corrections supported by the school's own published materials are made immediately.

Order does not imply endorsement. On this page programs are listed alphabetically. The order is not a ranking, and requesting a correction or contacting us for any reason has no effect on whether or where a program appears.

Independence. Sentio University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and operates its own MFT program, which is listed in this directory on the same terms as every other program. The directory contains no paid placements, no affiliate links, no sponsored entries, and no advertising of any kind.

Last verified: June 2026
Maintained by: Mikaela Abundez, Director of Student Services, Sentio University. Contact: mabundez@sentio.org

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About the Authors

Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD is the President of Sentio University and Executive Director of the Sentio Counseling Center. He is Past President of the psychotherapy division of the American Psychological Association and the author of over 20 books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training, including The Essentials of Deliberate Practice book series (APA Books). He is a licensed psychologist in California and Washington. Learn more

Alexandre Vaz, PhD is the Chief Academic Officer of Sentio University and cofounder of the Deliberate Practice Institute. He is co-editor of The Essentials of Deliberate Practice book series (APA Books) and the author of over a dozen books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training. Dr. Vaz is the founder and host of Psychotherapy Expert Talks. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Portugal. Learn more