University of Staffordshire

Who Can Apply

We are unable to consider applications from:

• Those with incomplete qualifications at the time of application that cannot be confirmed to the course by the end of January.
• Those who have received NHS funding for other training within 2 years of completing that training. See NHS funding for psychological professions training programmes for more details. The academic year for the doctoral programme usually commences at the start of the third week of September each year.
• International applicants who do not have Home Fees Status.
• Self-funding applicants.

Academic

You need to demonstrate:

• A good honours degree (2:1 or 1st) in Psychology. (We do not consider applicants with a 2:2 in their original degree).
• Where your first degree is not in Psychology, you must have a minimum 2:1 in your original degree, supported by a recognised conversion course in Psychology.
• Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society.
• If your first language is not English and your university courses were not taught and examined in English, you will need an IELTS score of 7.5 with no element below 6.5. This applies to all university courses (Undergraduate and Masters level Conversion courses).

Clinical

All applicants must have a minimum of one year full-time equivalent (FTE) paid applied experience relevant to clinical psychology. Relevant voluntary experience will be considered but secondary to paid employment.

Experience must evidence support for development of a realistic understanding of service users Clinical Psychologists are likely to work with, understanding of the profession and roles involved, as well as the NHS, health/social care/third sector settings and working practices.

Experience must evidence demonstration of resilience in working with psychological distress, and of the use of psychological principles and knowledge (e.g., delivery of psychological intervention, mental health support, psychological assessments).

Types of relevant experience include (but are not limited to):

• Work as an Assistant Psychologist or Clinical Associate in Psychology
• Work as a psychological or mental health practitioner or therapist
• Roles where direct support is given which focuses on supporting mental health or well-being e.g., healthcare assistant, support worker
• Research experience that involves participant contact with a clinical population

Primarily administrative roles in a clinical context, or simply contact with a service user with psychological needs (e.g., in a befriending role) are unlikely to provide adequate minimum experience. If roles might be ambiguous to those involved in shortlisting processes, it is applicants’ responsibility to ensure they sufficiently describe what the role entailed and be clear of its relevance to clinical psychology. 

References / Suitability Statements

Your application must include two satisfactory Suitability Statements  : one academic and one clinical.

Suitability statements will be checked as part of our shortlisting process.

Applications with one or both suitability statements omitted at the final deadline for applications to be sent to the course by Clearing House will not be considered as part of the shortlisting process.

Suitability statements should use the Clearing House template and will not be considered in alternative formats

Any application received not conforming to the following guidance will not be considered further.

Academic Suitability Statement

The person you nominate to write your Academic Suitability Statement:

• Must be able to comment on your academic ability.
• Should be from an academic institution at which you have studied.
• Must ideally have direct experience of your academic performance. However, we recognise that it may not always be possible to obtain an academic reference from the most suitable candidate (e.g., due to staffing changes since you studied at the institution) and in this instance, efforts should be made to identify an appropriate alternative.
• If it isn’t possible to identity an appropriate referee, for instance, due to the time that has passed since your most recent engagement in academic studies, you may provide an alternative. However, this person must be appropriately skilled to comment on your ability to manage the academic requirements of Doctoral study. In this instance, the reason for nominating an alternative must be included in the Other information about yourself section of your application.

Experience Suitability Statement

The person you nominate to write your Experience Suitability Statement:

• Must have direct experience of and be able to comment on your performance in a role relevant to clinical psychology (which may include research).
• Must be from your most recent experience or current employer. If this is not possible, you must include the reason for this in the Other information about yourself section of your application.

Documents required

Your application must include a document confirming your GBC status and the following:

• Undergraduate degree CERTIFICATE
• Conversion course CERTIFICATE (if completed)
• Any other Masters degree CERTIFICATE (if completed)
• Any other Postgraduate degree CERTIFICATE (if completed)
• Evidence of IELTS results if the applicant has completed university courses not taught or examined in English, as explained in Academic above

We require copies of certificates for all courses listed under the University qualifications section of the application form, as part of our shortlisting process 

Advice for your application

All applicants should be able to demonstrate: 

• A commitment to clinical psychology as a profession
• Understanding of the role of a Clinical Psychologist 
• An alignment to the values of the NHS constitution
• Awareness of the role of society and context in wellbeing and distress and a critical approach to diagnosis
• A commitment to equity and inclusion
• A commitment to meaningful service user involvement
• A willingness to engage in reflective practice
• Evidence of learning from applied experience and lived experience relevant to the role of a Clinical Psychologist
• Appreciation of the role of evidence-informed clinical practice
• Experience of research and evaluation
• Self-reflexivity

International applicants

Due to funding arrangements, we cannot consider applications from international candidates. Home fees status is required. Please see our Funding page for more details.

Applicants whose first language is not English must:

• Have successfully completed a university level qualification taught and examined in English
• Or provide an IELTS score of 7.5 with no element below 6.5