Prospective educational psychology applicants

Introduction

The educational psychology professional entry training in England is a three year full-time doctorate level course. The courses generally consist of a first year spent studying full time and in the second and third years students are employed by a local authority as a trainee educational psychologist, with one to two days study per week.

Applications for courses starting in September 2010

The application process for 2010 has now closed.  There will be a new process in autumn 2010 for the course starting in September 2011.

Go to the online application system.

Sections:

Process

We administer the funding for the educational psychology entry training. Selection of candidates is made by the training providers. Applicants make one application for a funded place to us. Applicants can apply to up to three training providers in this scheme.

Applications are then forwarded to the training providers, who interview applicants and make the final selection.

There is one round of applications per year. This process begins in the autumn and offers are made in late spring of the following year. There is no scope for applying for a funded place outside of this process. Where applicants are unable to accept an offer, candidates further down the shortlist are offered places.

It is not possible to apply for a deferred place. In exceptional circumstances, successful applicants may be able to defer their start date, but this is at the discretion of the individual training provider.

This course is not currently available to study part time or as distance learning.

Note to current candiates

Interview timetable for 2010 applicants

Self-funders

Some training providers offer self-funded training places. These fall outside of our remit. We are not able to offer advice about alternative course of funding.

Work experience

We do not organise work experience. For job opportunities with local authorities, visit the jobs section on the relevant local authority's website. For work experience contact your local educational psychology service directly.

Funding

The funding scheme includes a bursary for Year 1 and fees for all three years. Bursary levels for the September 2010 cohort are:

• £14,400 outside London
• £14,900 inside London

Please note : the bursary is tax free. Those in receipt of a bursary are not employees.

We pay fees directly to training providers. There will be no top-up fees for trainees starting in September 2010.

Application criteria

It is preferred that applicants have a 2.1 or above in a first psychology-based degree that grants them eligibility for Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) with the British Psychological Society (BPS). For those of you who do not have a first degree in psychology, it is possible to take a conversion course which also grants GBR. More information is available on the BPS website.

If you have a 2.2 then your application may still  be considered, dependent on further academic qualifications and high quality experience.

You will also need at least one year's relevant experience of working with children and young people. This can include roles such as assistant educational psychologist, teacher, SEN co-ordinator, classroom / learning assistant or research activity with children and young people. Other relevant experience is also considered.

Work experience from abroad is valuable, however working knowledge of the UK education system is desirable.

You must be ordinarily resident in the UK. Funding is given with the expectation that trainees continue to work in a local authority or equivalent for two years after graduating. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK. For further information about UK residency, please go to the Home Office website.

Course information for England

Below is a list of the training providers offering Educational Psychology training courses in England beginning in September 2010. Please note that training providers operate regionally in terms of work placements. Please consider this when selecting where you apply.

For more information about individual courses, please click on the training provider names below.

England

East midlands
University of Nottingham

North east
Newcastle University

North west
University of Manchester

South east, east and London
Institute of Education, University of London
Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust
University College London
University of East London
University of Southampton

South west
Bristol University and Exeter University

West midlands
University of Birmingham

Yorkshire and the Humber
Sheffield University

Training provision in the rest of the UK

Wales

• Cardiff University

Northern Ireland

• Queen's College, Belfast

Scotland

• Dundee University

• University of Strathclyde

Use of data

The Data Protection Act gives an applicant the right to access the data we hold in relation to that individual. However, the act also gives us a duty of confidentiality to third parties which includes referees. In the event that an individual requests to see a reference, we will first seek the referee's permission. We suggest that, where possible, you discuss the reference with your referee. If an applicant requests copies of their references from us, or wishes to see the other data we hold about them, please contact us. We will then send details of its policy and procedures.

We will utilise anonymous equal opportunities and application data to monitor the profile of applicants and successful candidates. These data reports will be shared with training providers and employers and may be used in our progress and evaluation reports.