Symposia
ALL Division session proposals must be submitted online by Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET.
A Symposium is a 60-minute session featuring 2–3 brief presentations on a shared, important topic, and at least one interactive element. Presentations may focus on research, practice, education, or other topic areas, and should aim to actively engage the audience, whether through group discussion, Q&A, or other interactions.
Sessions may begin with a short introduction from a speaker to provide context. This speaker can be the Symposium chair or simply another speaker. Some Symposia also include a discussant who draws connections across the presentations. Including a chair or discussant is optional, but if you do, you are encouraged to share your presentations in advance to support meaningful integration. 
NOTE: If a chair is named, they will act as the main contact for organizers, invite and coordinate with speakers, communicate the presentation time and location, and ensure the session stays within the 60-minute limit. If no chair is listed, the first presenter in the submission system will be treated as the main point of contact.
All APA 2026 proposals must be submitted online through the call for proposals platform by Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET.
Submit for CE
Your Symposium can offer continuing education (CE) credit! Being a CE presenter gives you greater visibility in the APA 2026 program and an additional achievement you can note on your CV.
What You’ll Need to Submit Your Symposium
Speaker Information
For each presenter participating in the Symposium, you will need their:
- First and last name
- Email address
- Affiliation
Session Information
APA Division
The APA Division you are submitting to—see the full list of APA Divisions here.
Not sure which Division to submit to? Search the list to find the ones that cover your topic. Still can’t decide? Consider reaching out to the
Division program chairs to determine if your proposal is a good fit.
Session Title
75 characters max, including spaces
TIP! Attendees often decide which sessions to attend based on their titles. Make sure yours is clear and engaging, with the key words and concepts at the beginning.
Click here for examples.
Session Description
50 words max
This is the brief description of your Symposium that will appear in the APA 2026 program. It should provide a clear overview of the session and make the case for why this topic is relevant and useful to attendees.
Real-World Applications Statements
50 words each
Include two statements that highlight the practical applications of your proposed session, whether in policy, clinical settings, research, education, or any other setting.
For example,
“This session will offer a replicable stepped-care protocol for how culturally informed care can be implemented in clinical practice with LGBT youth,” or, “This session will present actionable recommendations clinicians can use when supporting clients through the VA service-based disability claims process.”
Session Abstract
250-300 words
The abstract should describe the session's overall focus and/or goals, including any interactive component or audience engagement strategy. It should also provide a brief mention of the content to be covered by each of the individual speakers/presenters. If you submit the session for CE consideration, the abstract will also be used to review the session for CE.
Scheduling Accommodations (optional)
If any of the participants require scheduling accommodations related to religious beliefs or other protected statuses, please provide details.
Presentation Information
Each Symposium includes 2-3 presentations. You will need to provide information about each of the presentations and presenters that make up your Symposium.
Presentation Title
75 characters max, including spaces
This title should be unique to each presentation and different from the overall session title.
If your Symposium includes a session chair or discussant, indicate those roles here. For example, enter “Session Chair” as the presentation title.
Presentation Abstract
Max 300 words
Provide a 300-word abstract for each presentation in the Symposium.
If your Symposium includes roles like session chair or discussant, enter “N/A” as the abstract for the corresponding presentation.
Open Science Disclosure (optional)
APA encourages researchers to use
open science practices, and APA 2026 presenters can earn an open science badge for doing so. Badges will be placed next to eligible presentation titles in the APA 2026 program.
The Call for Proposals closed at 5 p.m. ET, January 14, 2025.
APA 2025 will feature four different session types: Critical Conversations, Flash Talks, Skill-Building Sessions, or Symposia. Learn more about each session type below.
For additional division-specific information and program chairperson contact details, click
here.
IMPORTANT! ALL presenters and program participants—members, nonmembers, and students—are required to register and pay the appropriate registration fees for APA 2026. Registration will open in April. We look forward to seeing you virtually or in Washington, DC!
