Our approach to selection:
We are looking for trainees ready to embrace learning, with an existing commitment to inclusion, reflection and developing high levels of competence in research, clinical work, academic assignments and socio-cultural competence. We also want to attract trainees who are able to demonstrate that their values and behaviours align with the values of the NHS Constitution and who meet the requirements of the Clinical Psychology Trainee Job Description and Person Specification (pdf).
Our selection process:
Minimum requirements for application
All applications that meet the minimum academic and clinical requirements for the course will go through our shortlisting process. In order to apply you must have:
Graduate Basis for Registration (GBC) confirmed at time of application;
Plus one of the following
- 1st class or 2:1 psychology degree
- 1st class or 2:1 non-psychology degree plus completion of an accredited psychology conversion course, awarded at a Merit or Distinction
- 2:2 undergraduate psychology degree plus a research Masters (a course that requires completion of a research dissertation), awarded at Merit or Distinction, a DPhil or a PhD
- 2:2 without a Masters if one of the Contextual Admissions criteria (on the Clearing House Contextual survey) is met
Plus a minimum of 1 year (full time equivalent) of clinically relevant experience
Shortlisting
All applications that meet the minimum academic and clinical requirements for the course will go through our shortlisting process outlined below, please check you meet the minimum requirements before you submit an application and proceed to complete the admissions situational judgment test (Casper).
If you are unsure, please contact: DclinPsy-Exeter-Selection@exeter.ac.uk
Phase 1:
All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2026/27 admissions cycle. Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test, SJT, that takes 65-85 minutes to complete.
Casper measures different personal and professional skills that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation, and we require Casper as part of our efforts to widen participation and enhance fairness in our selection process.
- Visit takecasper.com to create an account, register to complete Casper, and learn more about this assessment, including important dates and technical requirements.
Test dates can be found here.
Please note:
Last available test date for your application to be considered is early February 2027 please check you are able to access a test date before you submit your application vis the Clearing House.
Accommodations
Applicants requiring testing accommodations to complete Casper should submit an Initial Request Form (Part 1 and 2) at least four (4) weeks prior to your scheduled Casper test date.
Learn more about the accommodations policy.
Webinars for applicants
Everything You Need to Know About Taking Casper (2026/27)
Register Here
Eligible applicants are able to apply for fee assistance to take Caspar.
Fee Assistance Program
When registering for Caspar please upload one of the following pieces of evidence to support your Fee Assistance application: We may require additional evidence if the initial supporting documentation is not considered sufficient to verify eligibility.
Free School Meals
An official letter or communication from your school/college confirming you currently receive free school meals. It must include your full name, the name of your school/college (or Local Authority) and the full date.
16 to 19 Bursary (England), or EMA (Scotland, Wales or NI)
Your official award letter or communication for academic year 2025/26 or 2026/27. It must include your full name, the name of your school/college and the full date of the award.
Learner Support (FE 19+) or equivalent for Scotland, Wales or NI
An official award letter for academic year 2025/26 or 2026/27. It must include your full name, the name of your college/place of study and the full date of the award.
Full Rate Undergraduate Student Finance Maintenance Award
Upload all pages of your award letter for academic year 2025/26 or 2026/27 showing a full rate (means-tested):
- Student Finance England Maintenance Grant/Loan or
- Student Awards Agency Scotland Young / Independent Students’ Bursary or
- Student Finance Wales or Northern Ireland Maintenance Grant
Universal Credit
One of your or your parent/guardian's Universal Credit statements dated within the last 3 months. It must include the name and address of the claimant, the date, and the award amount.
Income Support, or Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA), or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
All pages of your or your parent/guardian's award letter from a UK Jobcentre Plus, dated 2026. Parent/guardians in receipt of JSA or ESA must be entitled to the income-based benefit (e.g. means-tested) and not a contribution-based award. A proof of benefit letter can be obtained online.
Asylum Support (from the UK Government)
Your or your parent/guardian's* official award letter, dated within the last 12 months.
Help with Casper
If you have any questions, please contact the Acuity Insights team via the chat bubble on the bottom right of your Acuity Insights account or on takecasper.com. You can also review their collection of Frequently Asked Questions.
Application data
The data you provide in your application is used in the following areas:
- for processing your application and for the selection processes we use as a programme;
- for audit, research and service enhancement, which may include making anonymised data public;
- for producing and reporting monitoring statistics, which may include making anonymised data public.
Please note that when making anonymised data public, this will always be reporting data as a group and never for individuals.
DBS checks
All offers are conditional on successful completion of DBS checks (candidates are responsible for organising this) and Occupational Health checks.
Interviews
Following shortlisting, applicants will be notified whether they are being invited for interview, on the reserve list for interview, or have been unsuccessful.
The programme uses a multi-stage selection process to assess candidates across the competencies required for training [LH2.1]and practice as a clinical psychologist. Selection activities may assess areas including clinical knowledge and skills, research knowledge and skills, interpersonal and communication abilities, reflective capacity, collaborative working, and readiness for doctoral-level training.
Assessment stages may be held on different dates and will normally be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Candidates will be assessed by panels comprising programme staff, clinicians, experts by experience, and other stakeholders as appropriate.
Candidates may be required to complete preparatory activities before attending one or more assessment stages. The nature of these activities may vary between recruitment cycles and may include written, verbal, practical, individual, or group-based tasks. Details of any required preparation will be provided in advance.
Applicants who are invited for interview will be able to take advantage of our buddy system, enabling them to meet with a current trainee prior to interview to find out more about the lived experience of the course and trainee life at Exeter. Applicants who require adaptations to interview processes due to disability / additional needs should contact us.
Applicants should consult the Clearing House website to find out the dates for interview for the relevant year and whether interviews will be online or in person. In exceptional circumstances, alternative interview dates are available, please contact the course team to find out if your circumstances apply.
Once interview days have concluded, applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application (offer, reserve offer or unsuccessful). Unsuccessful and reserve list applicants will be given the opportunity to meet with the chair of their interview panel to get feedback on their interview.
All offers of a place on a course are dependent on satisfactory criminal record and health checks and compliance with health checks will be acted upon.
International Trainees
We hold our international interviews a month before our ‘home student’ interviews. Shortlisting for international interviews is done by programme staff and the interview panel is made up of a member of the programme senior management team and a Psychology Head of Service from one of our local NHS Trusts. Like the home students, unsuccessful international trainees are offered a chance to talk to the course staff that interviewed them for feedback.
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile F: view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
The programme is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across all aspects of the course, not only from a social justice standpoint, but because we recognise the immense value that a broad range of experiences and backgrounds bring to the profession of Clinical Psychology. We are committed to diversifying the profession so that clinical psychologists also reflect the diversity within the client groups we serve.
We welcome applicants from diverse cultural and personal contexts, mature applicants with extensive life experience, and applicants with disabilities. Candidates with disabilities are welcome to contact us to discuss the programme's capacity to meet their training needs. Please contact the Programme Administrator or the University AccessAbility department for further details.
Our selection procedures are designed to be fair, and informed by current thinking on broadening access, thereby enabling the Exeter programme to select the strongest candidates. We use positive action for people from racially minoritised groups and contextual admissions processes for those who have faced socio-economic disadvantage. We do not require candidates to have a driving licence; however, because of the remoteness of some of the placements this is advised.
We run two mentoring schemes for those from racially minoritised backgrounds: Breaking Through, for those considering applying for DClinPsy training, and Amplify, for those currently on training. We also have active ‘Anti-racism’ and ‘Addressing Disability’ working groups on the course so that we can continuously review and refine our processes.
DClinPsy training at Exeter is informed and enriched by input from our Lived Experience Group. Experts by experience are involved in the design and delivery of the course including selection, the curriculum and teaching, and research consultation, and we are committed to continued involvement. We encourage those with experience of using clinical psychology and mental health services to apply.
