Academic requirements
Applicants must have achieved a minimum 2:1 degree or equivalent in psychology. Applicants with a 2:2 will also be considered if they have completed a postgraduate degree in a field related to clinical psychology.
Applicants must also have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Applicants whose first degree is in a subject other than psychology must, before applying, have either:
- completed a BPS-approved psychology conversion programme; or
- completed the BPS examination that confers GBC.
These applicants are expected to meet the same experience requirements as other applicants.
There may be restrictions on applying for NHS-funded clinical psychology training if you have recently undertaken other NHS-funded training in a psychological profession. Please see Health Education England’s website for further information:
Funding for psychological professions training programmes
Clinically relevant experience
We expect applicants to have experience relevant to clinical psychology. This might include working as an Assistant Psychologist, working as a Research Assistant on a clinically relevant project, or completing a clinically relevant PhD. Other experience in health and social care settings, such as working as a Support Worker, can also be useful.
Applicants are required to have at least one year of clinically relevant experience by the time they enter the course.
Relevant clinical experience would normally be gained through paid employment or as part of a postgraduate degree. Voluntary experience is only acceptable alongside other non-voluntary clinical experience. A lack of any direct experience in the NHS may be a disadvantage.
Clinically relevant experience may include:
- direct clinical or clinical research experience, including experience gained as part of a master’s or doctoral research degree;
- work as an Assistant Psychologist, Research Assistant, Graduate Mental Health Worker, Support Worker or Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner; or
- another role involving significant client contact in which the applicant is engaged in activities relevant to clinical psychology.
Applicants with experience in other relevant social care, healthcare or research roles will also be considered.
English language proficiency requirements
If English is not your first language and your university qualifications were not taught and examined in English, you will be required to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. This should be a TOEFL or IELTS Academic test, where possible.
If you require a visa to work in the UK, we can only accept IELTS Academic test scores.
The minimum scores required are:
- Internet-based TOEFL: 88 overall, including 26 in writing
- Paper-based TOEFL: 570
- IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, including 7.0 in writing
