Entry requirements

For NHS places, you need the right to work without restriction

Because NHS places are funded by trainees being employed, you need to have the right to work in the UK without restriction.

• Please see the Funding page for details of how funding works for NHS places and for self-funded places
• Please see the International Applicants section if you need more information about right to work

Have you already done NHS-funded training?

If you have already received NHS funding for training in the psychological professions you may not be able to apply this year.

England

From April 2022 you need at least a 2 year gap between finishing your previous NHS-funded training and starting NHS-funded clinical psychology training. This is a Health Education England (HEE) requirement.

Examples of psychological professions training which may be funded by the NHS in England could include (amongst others): Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner; Clinical Associate in Psychology; etc. The HEE website has a fuller list.

• Please see the HEE website for a set of FAQs about the requirements and the dates that apply

Wales

From 16 October 2023 you need at least a 2 year gap between finishing your previous NHS-funded training in any of the devolved nations and starting NHS-funded clinical psychology training. This is a Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) requirement.

• Please see the Bangor University and South Wales entries in the Courses section of our website for more details

Scotland

NHS Education Scotland (NES) funds the following psychological training:

• MSc in Applied Psychology for Children and Young People at the University of Edinburgh
• MSc in Psychological Therapy in Primary Care run jointly by the Universities of Stirling and Dundee
• NES Enhanced Psychological Practice (EPP) programme

You must wait at least 18 months from when you first enrolled on these courses before you can submit a clinical psychology application and you cannot apply if you are currently enrolled on any of these courses. This is an NES requirement.

• Please see the University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow entries in the Courses section of our website for more details

Safeguarding, NHS values, Job description and person specification

Safeguarding

All the courses involve working with children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding is therefore taken very seriously and the highest standards of behaviour are expected from clinical psychology trainees.

• Please see the Other Things to Consider section for information about fitness to practise, criminal record checks, health checks, etc.

NHS values

NHS Values are a foundation to both selection and training as a clinical psychologist.

• Please see the NHS Careers website for information about NHS Values and the NHS Constitution

Job description and person specification

You may also find useful the generic Job Description and Person Specification for a Trainee Clinical Psychologist:

This is a sample document provided as a guide for applicants, and actual Trainee Clinical Psychologist job descriptions and person specifications may differ from it.

• Please see the Courses section for information provided by individual course centres