Student Application Process

Student Application Process

The application process has three phases:

1. Application Submission

A completed application must be submitted, along with reports from a physician, eye doctor, and, in most cases, an Orientation and Mobility Specialist. In some cases, Guide Dogs of America consults with an applicant’s medical and personal references for advice in evaluating a prospective student.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, but there is no upper age limit.  The application includes questions related to the following: personal and family information, housing information including ability to provide an appropriate home environment for a guide dog, past guide dog experience, financial ability to provide necessary food and medical care for a guide dog, and the general conditions under which the guide dog will be working.

To begin the application process click here

2. Interview

After we receive the completed application forms, an instructor will contact the applicant for an interview. If the interview is conducted over the telephone, we will request that the applicant record a short video of their independent travel in their home area.

3. GDA’s Selection Committee Evaluation

All applications are evaluated and discussed by GDA’s Selection Committee, which is made up of staff from the administration, training, and admissions departments. Accepted applicants will be placed in the next available class, provided there is a dog match. Accepted applicants with special requirements or requests may have to wait a longer period of time.

Travel Arrangements: Guide Dogs of America will provide round-trip transportation to clients accepted to the school. The two airports in the Los Angeles area are Burbank, which is closest to the school, and LAX, a large, international airport.

The contact person for Admissions and Graduate Services is Greg Steinmetz. To request an application packet for admission, please call (818) 833-6428, or email us at admissions@guidedogsofamerica.org.