For psychology students, graduates and trainees
Plan your route to becoming a psychologist.
Every UK practitioner pathway, every training deadline, and one place to build the evidence you’ll need to apply. Free.
- All 7 HCPC pathways
- Every fact sourced and dated
- Free to use
Upcoming training deadlines
All pathwaysHealth psychology
NES trainee health psychologist posts advertised
5 Nov 2026
Educational psychology
Educational psychology doctorate applications close (England)
11 Nov 2026
Clinical psychology
DClinPsy applications close
18 Nov 2026
Forensic psychology
BPS QFP enrolment deadline
11 Jan 2027
Every pathway
Seven routes to becoming a psychologist, at a glance
Each is regulated by the HCPC and has its own training route. Every fact links to its official source.
Clinical psychology
- Training
- 3-year DClinPsy1
- How you apply
- Clearing House, once a year1
- 2026 entry
- 6,236 applicants for 1,133 places1
18 Nov 2026: DClinPsy applications close2
About clinical psychologyCounselling psychology
- Training
- HCPC-approved doctorate3
- BPS QCoP
- Enrolments on hold4
- Funding
- Usually paid by the trainee; check each course3
Educational psychology
- Training
- 3-year doctorate5
- Funded places (England, 2027)
- 239 across 12 providers5
- First-year bursary
- £16,266 (£16,715 London)5
11 Nov 2026: Educational psychology doctorate applications close (England)5
About educational psychologyForensic psychology
- Stage 1
- BPS-accredited MSc6
- Stage 2 (QFP)
- 2 to 4 years supervised practice6
- QFP enrolment
- Four deadlines a year6
11 Jan 2027: BPS QFP enrolment deadline6
About forensic psychologyHealth psychology
About health psychologyOccupational psychology
- Stage 1
- BPS-accredited MSc9
- Stage 2 (QOP)
- 2 to 4 years supervised practice9
- Big employers
- DWP, MoJ, MoD and other government departments10
Sport and exercise psychology
About sport and exercise psychologyNot sure which?
See every application deadline in one place, or compare the routes side by side.
Sources
- 1. Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology (opens in a new tab)
- 2. Clearing House: dates to remember (opens in a new tab)
- 3. HCPC: approved programmes (opens in a new tab)
- 4. BPS: Qualification in Counselling Psychology (opens in a new tab)
- 5. AEP: Educational Psychology Funded Training (EPFT) (opens in a new tab)
- 6. BPS: Qualification in Forensic Psychology (opens in a new tab)
- 7. BPS: Qualification in Health Psychology (opens in a new tab)
- 8. NES: applied psychology training programmes (opens in a new tab)
- 9. BPS: Qualification in Occupational Psychology (opens in a new tab)
- 10. Government Occupational Psychology Hub (opens in a new tab)
- 11. BPS: Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (opens in a new tab)
- 12. CASES: SEPAR route (opens in a new tab)
Last checked 5 Nov 2026.
How it works
Five steps, one place. Each links to the tool that does it.
- 01
Plan your route
Pick your pathway and where you are now. See your gates, in order, with real deadlines.
Plan my route - 02
Get ready for the next gate
A checklist for your next step, from GBC to a doctorate application or Stage 2.
See the checklist - 03
Build your portfolio
Log experience and CPD as it happens. Your dashboard shows which competencies each entry supports.
How logging works - 04
Find roles that help
Ready-made searches on NHS Jobs, MoJ jobs and more, with why each role counts.
Opportunities - 05
Apply with confidence
Draft statements, practise interviews and export your portfolio, all from your log.
Try the apply tools
After your map
The map is the start. Your account keeps it moving.
Everything below is free with an account.
- Step 1
See where you stand
Your map shows which of the 9 competency domains your degree and experience already cover.
Example
Psychological assessment72%Intervention58%Research & evaluation41% - Step 2
Keep your evidence
Log shifts, placements, courses and projects as they happen, not the night before a deadline.
Example
Co-facilitated group programme
Work · 6 months
Dissertation: risk communication
Study · 1 year
- Step 3
Log CPD in a minute
Add training with a short reflection. Clarifio tags the competency domains it supports.
Example
Trauma-informed care workshop
3 hours · Reflection added
InterventionEthics & diversity - Step 4
Work a 90-day plan
A short list of next actions for your pathway. Tick them off and watch your progress build.
Example
- Start a reflective log
- Ask to sit in on a risk assessment
Guides
Straight answers, with sources
Written for UK psychology students and graduates, checked against BPS, HCPC, NHS and course pages, and dated.
- All pathwaysWhich psychology career is right for me? The 7 UK pathways comparedCompare the 7 UK psychology pathways: who you work with, how you qualify, how training is funded and the next deadline for each.8 min read · sources checked
- All pathwaysHow much does it cost to become a psychologist in the UK? Funding by pathwayClinical and educational training is usually funded in England; counselling usually is not. Fees, loans and funded posts for every pathway, with sources.7 min read · sources checked
- All pathwaysHow much do psychologists earn in the UK? Pay by pathway and stageOfficial 2026/27 NHS, Soulbury and HMPPS pay figures for assistant, trainee and qualified psychologists, with the source and date for each.6 min read · sources checked
- Clinical PsychologyHow to become a clinical psychologist in the UKThe UK route to clinical psychology: GBC, relevant experience, the three-year DClinPsy, Clearing House dates for 2027 entry and HCPC registration.6 min read · sources checked
- Educational PsychologyHow to become an educational psychologist in the UKGBC, experience with children and young people, then a funded three-year doctorate. How the routes work in England, Scotland, Wales and NI.7 min read · sources checked
- Forensic PsychologyHow to become a forensic psychologist in the UKThe UK route to forensic psychology: GBC, an accredited MSc, Stage 2 supervised practice via the BPS QFP or a doctorate, then HCPC registration.6 min read · sources checked
Built on trusted information
Clarifio is independent. Pathway information is checked against official sources and reviewed when those sources change, so what you read here matches what the bodies and programmes actually publish.
British Psychological Society (BPS)
Accreditation standards, Stage 1 and Stage 2 qualification requirements.
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Standards of proficiency and protected-title registration requirements.
Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP)
Educational psychology training routes, funding and entry guidance.
Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology
DClinPsy entry requirements, application timelines and course details.
University programme pages
Entry criteria, structure and duration for individual training programmes.
NHS and employer job listings
Real role requirements, banding and typical experience expectations.
These organisations are cited as information sources only. Clarifio is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the BPS, the HCPC, the AEP, the Clearing House or any university. Always check the official source before making a decision about your training.
What early users say
Feedback from psychology students and professionals who have used Clarifio.
“Planning for a psychology career gets complicated — Clarifio made it organised and structured.”
Lovelinda Zahreddine
Psychology professional
“Incredibly helpful for graduates and students — useful for universities to showcase at careers fairs and open evenings.”
Abhinav Chandrakumar
Early Clarifio user
“Seems like a really useful tool, definitely see how it could be helpful to others.”
Matt
Psychology student
- Psychology pathways covered
- 7Psychology pathways covered
- Sourced guides, dated and checked
- 14Sourced guides, dated and checked
- To use, with no card required
- FreeTo use, with no card required
Built by someone on the same route
Clarifio was built by a forensic psychology trainee who spent years working out the UK psychology pathways the slow way. It exists so the next person does not have to piece it together from scattered pages and forum threads.
Know your next gate, and be ready for it.
Free. Thirty seconds to see your route and your next deadline.
Plan my route