Marriage and family therapy programs almost always interview, and most do it in groups. That fits the work: family therapists talk with several people at once. Some programs also ask for recorded videos with published questions. Here is what named programs say about Fall 2027 admission.
From MFT programs’ own admissions pagesFall 2027 admissionChecked October 28, 2026
Practice with a mock interviewOne-on-one on Zoom with Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP.
Jump to:FormatsInterview dayPublished questionsPractice questionsHow to prepareFAQ
Interview formats at named programs
| Program | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| University of Oregon (Couples and Family Therapy) | All-day Zoom, three small groups | “Interviews will be held February 5, 2027 on Zoom only.” The day runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with small group interviews with a core faculty member, a departmental faculty member or clinical supervisor, and current students. Source |
| CU Denver (Couple and Family Therapy) | Small and large groups | February 26, 2027. Applicants “participate in small and large group interviews.” “We do not conduct individual interviews for admission to our program.” Source |
| San Diego State (MFT) | Videos, then in person | Two recorded videos with the application (questions below), then “Folks invited to interview must attend the in-person interview (TBD).” Source |
| Seattle University (Couples and Family Therapy) | Group interviews | For Fall 2027, admissions group interviews are in mid-March and decisions in early April. Source |
| University of Georgia (Couple and Family Therapy) | In person | “In person interviews will take place in mid January 2027.” Source |
| The Family Institute at Northwestern | Zoom, by invitation | “Admission interviews are by invitation only and will be held via Zoom”. Source |
| Loyola Marymount (MFT with art therapy) | Recorded video, then group | Four recorded questions in 10 minutes, then a virtual group interview on February 6 or 7, 2027. Source |
What an MFT interview day looks like
Oregon gives the most detail. “Faculty review all components of each application thoroughly before selecting candidates to interview.” Invitations go out by the third week of January. On February 5, 2027, “Applicants are required to attend the full schedule of sessions on Interview Day, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.” “Participation in all scheduled sessions is mandatory for admissions consideration”, with no exceptions. The cohort is typically 22 students (Oregon).
In a group interview, faculty watch how you listen as much as how you talk. Build on what others say, invite quieter people in, and don’t compete for airtime. That is the skill a family therapist uses in every session.
Video questions San Diego State publishes
SDSU asks for two videos with the Fall 2027 application. For a 2-minute personal story, recorded alone (San Diego State):
- “Personal experiences: Which life events have been most important in preparing you to be an MFT?”
- “Intercultural experiences: What unique intercultural experiences have been meaningful in preparing you to work as an MFT?”
For a 3 to 4 minute interview video, someone you trust asks you these on camera, with both of you visible:
- “Why MFT: Why are you choosing an MFT program instead of other mental health fields?”
- “Why MFT at SDSU: Why are you choosing the MFT Program at SDSU?”
- “Future contributions: What do you imagine will be your contribution in working with others to provide helpful mental health services?”
Two rules matter. “Videos will only be reviewed up to the stated time limit, and any content beyond that point will not be considered.” And “Applicants are expected to respond authentically without the use of generative AI tools or by reading from scripts, papers, or screens. Responses that rely on these methods will be scored poorly.” Practice until you can answer from a few remembered points. For more on recorded formats, see our Kira Talent video interview guide.
For recording answers like these, see one-way video interview tips from Julie Cunningham, a licensed speech-language pathologist.
Practice questions
Apart from SDSU’s video questions, programs don’t publish their questions. These are my practice prompts, not questions any program has published:
- Why marriage and family therapy, rather than individual counseling or social work?
- What does systems thinking mean to you?
- Tell us about your own family’s patterns and how they shape you as a future therapist.
- How would you respond if two family members asked you to take sides?
- Tell us about a time you received hard feedback about how you came across.
- How do your cultural background and identity affect how you would work with families?
- Why our program?
How to prepare
- Practice in a group. Most MFT interviews are group interviews. Rehearse with three or four people and a timer.
- Answer SDSU’s five video questions out loud, within its time limits, without notes.
- Be ready to reflect on your own family and identity. MFT faculty expect self-awareness.
- Block the whole day. Oregon requires every session, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., no exceptions.
- Ask good questions about clinical placements and supervision.
Your interviewers may have your application in front of them, so reread your own MFT personal statement before the interview. If you haven’t submitted yet, see our MFT personal statement examples, or work with Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor.
For counseling, MSW, and art therapy programs, see our counseling program interview guide, our MSW interview guide, and our art therapy interview guide.
Practice with a real interviewer before the real one. My wife, Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist who runs mock interviews on Zoom for MFT applicants. She coaches every format: one-on-one, panel, MMI, and recorded video interviews such as Kira Talent. She works on how your answers come across: clear key words, pace, voice, filler words, organizing an answer so it has a point, staying steady when you’re nervous, and how you look and sound on camera. It’s $250 an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do MFT programs do group interviews?
Most on this page do. CU Denver says it does not conduct individual interviews, and Oregon runs small group interviews with faculty, a supervisor, and current students.
What is the University of Oregon CFT interview like?
An all-day Zoom interview on February 5, 2027, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with an information session and three small group interviews. Every session is mandatory.
What questions are on the SDSU MFT video?
A 2-minute personal story about the life events and intercultural experiences that prepared you, and a 3 to 4 minute interview on why MFT, why SDSU, and your future contributions.
Can I use notes in an MFT video interview?
Not at SDSU. It says responses that rely on generative AI or on reading from scripts, papers, or screens will be scored poorly.
Related guides: Clinical psychology, Counseling programs, Social work (MSW), and Art therapy. See all interview guides by program.
Every date and quotation on this page comes from the program’s own admissions page, linked where it appears. Last checked October 28, 2026.