Funding

Most places are funded by the NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) provides the funding for most of the places on clinical psychology courses.

People accepted on these NHS funded places are employed by the NHS as Trainee Clinical Psychologists while they study. They start their training with a salary of £35,392 p.a., which is the bottom of Band 6 (April 2023 figures) on the Agenda for Change pay scale.

Course fees are usually paid by the NHS. Other costs e.g. travel costs etc, can vary between Course Centres.

Please note that the Clearing House plays no role in the funding arrangements for clinical psychology training. Individual course centres provide further details about the funding arrangements for their programme when they offer a place.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Self-funded places

UK/Irish applicants

There are self-funded places available for applicants with home fees status at the course centres listed below.

If you choose to apply for these self-funded places you will need to provide your own funding e.g. by funding yourself, by getting a scholarship, by organising sponsorship etc. You will need to fund all of your costs for the three years of training e.g. course fees, living costs, travel expenses etc. Please check the information provided by the centres concerned to see how much their course fees are.

Course Centres that have self-funded places for UK applicants
Course Centre How to apply
University of Hertfordshire Apply through the Clearing House to course 1102
or directly to the university.

International applicants

Last updated:

7th November 2023