Application Process & Policies

A $35 non-refundable application fee is required for all submitted applications. The application fee is not deducted from the certificate program tuition, which totals $7,000. Following the initial tuition payment, remaining tuition will be paid in five monthly installments, less any scholarships or other awarded aid.

Program tuition totals $7,000 and does not include the cost of any facilitator licensure application or training license fees—these additional costs, assessed by the state in which a prospective licensee is seeking licensure, shall be the prospective licensee’s sole responsibility.

Practicum opportunities are not included in the certificate tuition, and will entail separate registration and extra costs. Similarly, additional educational opportunities that may be made available to certificate graduates in the future, including consultation, peer support, and continuing education, are not included in the certificate program tuition, and will entail extra costs.

In addition to the successful completion of an approved training program, state licensure for psilocybin facilitation in Oregon and Colorado requires the successful completion of a practicum requirement, and in Colorado, the completion of a 50-hour consultation period. 

The practicum is an in-depth opportunity for training under the guidance of a qualified supervisor. Approved service center limitations and other factors may impact availability, and placement is therefore not guaranteed. Specific practicum requirements differ in each state. Naropa University does not offer either practicum opportunities or experientials. 

Practicum and consultation opportunities will be communicated as such opportunities become available. Practicum opportunities are not included in the certificate program tuition, and will entail separate registration and extra costs. Similarly, additional educational opportunities that may be made available to certificate graduates in the future, including consultation, supervision, peer support, and continuing education, are not included in the certificate program tuition, and will entail extra costs.

Due to the immersive, small group cohort-based nature of this intensive training program, participants are strongly encouraged to commit to completing the entire program in a single iteration. However, participants who wish to withdraw may do so in accordance with the following policies. Requests for withdrawal must be documented in writing to the Directors and Coordinator for the program, and may require a meeting to ensure a mutually supportive transition. Tuition refund will be determined based on the program’s published policy and the documented date of the participant’s request (see below).  

Withdraws: The following is the withdrawal fee schedule for participants who may choose to withdraw. Any scholarships, awarded aid, and processing fees will be deducted before refund, if any, is determined. Participants who have withdrawn may reapply for a future iteration of the program, but will be required to pay full tuition and complete all coursework for the new year. 

• If a participant withdraws by  February 28, 2025, then 50% of their full tuition (less any financial assistance) will be due, and the remainder will be refunded. 
• If a participant withdraws on or after March 28, 2025, then the participant will be responsible for the full program tuition cost (less any financial assistance).

Please note that for withdrawals, scholarships and discounts do not carry forward from the original year: new application statements for scholarships and discounts must be submitted and reviewed. Tuition fees cannot be applied toward other Naropa programs. 

Deferrals: Because our program evolves each year in keeping with the rapidly changing nature of this field, accepted applicants may not defer their acceptance, and will need to reapply in a future year should they choose not to enroll in 2025. This includes those who begin the program and withdraw.

It is important to note that participants must complete the entire curriculum to earn the certificate and meet the necessary state requirements for facilitator licensure, which specify the number of training hours that must be fulfilled. Attendance at live classes and pod small groups is therefore mandatory. 

Live Classes: Weekly virtual live classes are a critical aspect of the certificate program. For every live class missed, participants must watch the class recording and write a short reflection paper about the content in the corresponding module.Please note that participants’ certificate of completion will be held until all make-up work has been addressed in full.

Pod Small Groups: Participants may miss one Pod small group meeting without penalty. After the first absence, participants are required to write and submit a short reflection paper about the topic of the missed session. If a participant misses more than two small group meetings, they may not be eligible to receive a certificate of completion unless an exception to policy is granted in writing.

Participants who miss substantial live class sessions in full or part will not receive a certificate of completion. Participants assume full responsibility for ensuring timely program completion, including any necessary make-up work.

Participants who wish to seek any exception to the above-stated Withdrawal, Deferral, Payments and Refund policies due to a medical emergency or extenuating circumstances may present a formal written petition to the Program Administrators via email. Petitions must provide a detailed summary and timeline of the relevant circumstance, and must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Completed petitions must be submitted in full within 30 calendar days of the last day of the program in which the participant was enrolled, or within 30 calendar days of the relevant due date or deadline, whichever is first.

The online components of the certificate program are primarily facilitated via Zoom along with industry-leading learning management software platforms, all of which include built-in accessibility features. Every effort will be made to offer all applicable in-person events at sites where facilities are fully ADA accessible. Certificate program staff will notify event sites of any accessibility needs.

Admitted program participants requesting support services and/or reasonable accommodations from Naropa University are required to submit documentation of a qualified disability to verify eligibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Disability Resources policies. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with qualified disabilities after appropriate review by Naropa’s Office of Accessibility. For more information please contact psychedelicstudies@naropa.edu.

Consistent with university obligations under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Community Act Amendments of 1985, Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies (NCPS) certificate programs do not require the use of psychedelic substances by program participants in order to successfully complete training. In alignment with the Center’s mission, participants will be educated in the competencies required for psychedelic treatment and research where legal. All reference to experiential opportunities involving ketamine, psilocybin or other medicines will be to clinics or facilitators located in jurisdictions where training in the therapeutic use of these substances is legal. Naropa University and the Naropa Center for Psychedelics Studies do not provide experientials, practicums, or internship opportunities that utilize psychedelic substances (ketamine, psilocybin, or MDMA). There are no sanctioned psychedelic substances (ketamine, psilocybin, or MDMA) on campus or in use within our educational programs.