2025-2026 BAY AREA PRACTICUM INFORMATION COLLABORATIVE (BAPIC) MATCH POLICY

In the BAPIC electronic match process, students and agencies review materials and conduct interviews, then rank each other in order of preference. A computer algorithm then matches students and agencies based on their respective rank order lists. The BAPIC match system uses the Gale-Shapley matching algorithm, a proven algorithm that is also used for the APPIC internship match process. This electronic match algorithm provides a process that is fair for students and agencies in BAPIC.

The following policies must be adhered to by all participating BAPIC doctoral programs, practicum agencies, and students. Please read the policies carefully so that the process can run effectively and serve the needs of all involved. Note that these policies and procedures are similar to those used by APPIC.

IMPORTANT MATCH DATES (go to the bapic.info calendar for more complete information)

Ranking Deadline: Early April

Match Day: Mid-April

RANKING AND MATCH POLICIES

1. Communication Between Students and Agencies

Students and practicum agencies may express interest in working together in practicum during the application and interview process. For agencies with multiple tracks, clear communication is vital to ensure successful matches. In these cases, students and agencies must communicate the track or tracks for which the student wishes to be considered, and the track or tracks for which the agency believes a student would be suitable. But they may not disclose ranking order beyond that.

Throughout the course of these discussions, neither students nor agencies are allowed to disclose or discuss their intended rank order lists:

1. Agencies may not communicate their ranking intentions to applicants or request that any applicant state how any agency will be ranked on the applicant’s rank order list.
2. Similarly, applicants may not communicate their ranking intentions to agencies or request information on how any participating agency intends to rank any applicant.

This policy protects the decisions of both students and agencies and ensures the fairness and effectiveness of the matching process. Offers and acceptances rendered prior to Practicum Notification Day are not binding.

2. Notifications for Students No Longer Under Consideration

1. For the sake of clear communication, we strongly encourage agencies to alert students who will not be interviewed and/or ranked as soon as possible.  Students should be aware, however, that ranking an agency that does not rank the student in return does not harm the chances of matching with other agencies.  Thus, students who do not hear whether they are being ranked should rank the agency if they are interested.

3. Results of the Electronic Match are Binding for All Parties

The BAPIC match results constitute binding agreements between doctoral programs, applicants, and practicum sites that may not be reversed without consent from all three parties.

4. Open Match Policies

After Practicum Notification Day, applicants who have not been placed and sites that have openings may participate in the BAPIC Open Match. BAPIC Open Match begins five days after Match Day at 11:00 am PST.

2. Sites with openings after Practicum Notification Day who do not wish to participate in Open Match will need to notify BAPIC. Instructions for notification will be sent out in advance by email.
3. Practicum offers may be extended by agencies for openings listed in Open Match when BAPIC Open Match begins.
4. Students in Open Match must wait until Open Match begins before soliciting or accepting a practicum position.
5. Open Match is not computerized, and no ranking lists or match algorithms are required in order for a match.
6. The Open Match process is ongoing until all positions are filled.
7. Verbal agreements between agencies and students during Open Match are considered binding agreements.

5. Considerations for Practicum Site Administrators

1. Site administrators are asked to finalize track information early. Changes made close to the ranking deadline may cause confusion for applicants, which could reduce the chances of a successful match.
2. Practicum agencies may not list more openings than there are available training positions. Site administrators must ensure that each track associated with their site reflects an accurate number of openings by the close of ranking. Failure to accurately represent the number of openings could result in an incorrect number of applicants matching with a given practicum site or track.
3. The practicum agency must be prepared to provide equal support (e.g., training, supervision, or any funding and benefits, as was previously described in BAPIC profile) to every applicant matched to that site on BAPIC Practicum Match Day unless otherwise specified by the agency in writing prior to the Match. 

6. Honoring the BAPIC Match Policies and Resolving Problems

All applicants, practicum agencies and doctoral programs within BAPIC agree to comply with these policies and to show good faith in honoring these policies for the benefit and fairness of the process.

4. Students who receive offers that do not comply with these policies or who in other ways become aware of violations of these policies are urged to immediately report the violation to his/her doctoral program director.
5. Practicum site administrators who become aware of violations of policies on the part of a student, doctoral program, or other practicum site are urged to immediately request compliance to the policies.
6. Doctoral program directors who become aware of violations of policies on the part of a student, practicum site, or other doctoral program are urged to immediately request compliance to the policies.
7. All compliance problems should be resolved through consultation between an applicant, practicum program, and doctoral program director whenever possible. APA guidelines on resolving differences should be fully adhered to. Repeated problems that are not able to be resolved should be reported to the BAPIC Board representatives.

We ask that students, agencies and schools work together to ensure that this BAPIC match process is fair, efficient and professional for everyone involved.