APPIC Match - Rules of Participation

Rules of Participation

All programs and applicants that register to participate in the APPIC Internship Matching Program (the "Match") must abide by the policies and rules of the Match.

All participating internship programs and applicants must abide by the APPIC Match Policies, and by the Schedule of Dates of the Match.

Participating internship programs must offer all psychology internship positions through the Match.

Programs may not make any offers of appointment to, or require any commitments from, any applicant prior to the release of the Match results. Programs may rank on their Rank Order Lists only those applicants registered in the Match.

Similarly, applicants may not make any commitments to, or require any commitments regarding ranking intentions from, any participating program prior to the release of the Match results. Applicants may rank on their Rank Order Lists only those programs participating in the Match.

If an applicant decides to accept a position at a program that is not participating in the Match, or decides not to participate in the Match for any other reason, then the applicant must submit a withdrawal from the Match, and must not submit a Rank Order List for the Match.

Programs may not communicate their ranking intentions to applicants or request that any applicant state how any program will be ranked on the applicant's Rank Order List. Similarly, applicants may not communicate their ranking intentions to programs or request information on how any participating program intends to rank any applicant. The Rank Order Lists submitted by each program and applicant are the sole determinants of their respective order of preferences for the Match.

The Match results constitute a binding commitment between the applicant and internship program. A program must offer an appointment to each applicant with whom it is matched, and the applicant must accept the offer and attend the program, unless APPIC provides a written release from the Match result. A program may not offer a position to any applicant who was matched elsewhere and subsequently not released from the Match by APPIC.

Violations of the policies of the Match may be reported to the APPIC Standards and Review Committee. The APPIC Board may decide to impose penalties on those who violate the policies.