5+1 internship program

The 5+1 internship pathway to general registration involves a five-year sequence of accredited study (e.g. Master of Professional Psychology) followed by a one-year internship. Accredited fifth year degrees are listed on the Board’s list of approved programs of study. For information about entry requirements for fifth year degrees, please contact the university or college directly.

The internship is an intensive supervised training program that enables you to develop and demonstrate the eight core competencies required for general registration. During the one-year full-time program (or equivalent part-time), you will consolidate the skills and knowledge developed during your study and apply these in a practical setting. The internship involves:

• psychological practice carried out in an approved work role
• supervision by a Board-approved supervisor (one principal supervisor and one or more secondary supervisors), and
• professional development activities.

At the end of the internship, you will be required to sit the National Psychology Exam before you can apply for general registration. For more information on the exam, including the curriculum, see the National Psychology Exam page.

For more information about the 5+1 internship, see the Guidelines for the 5+1 internship program and the Internship FAQ.

Important: Until the Board reviews the 5+1 guidelines, they should be read in conjunction with Fact sheet: 5+1 internship - Implementing the revised registration standards.

Provisional registration

You will need provisional registration before starting your fifth-year degree. If you have submitted your provisional registration application and are waiting for it to be approved, you can commence coursework, but you must not start any supervised practice placement.

You need to maintain provisional registration for the entire duration of your degree and internship, which means you’ll need to renew provisional registration annually from the date you were initially approved. For details about applying for and renewing provisional registration, see the provisional registration page.

Starting the internship

Some higher education providers arrange internships for students graduating from their fifth-year programs (e.g. Master of Professional Psychology), or you can arrange your own internship by finding a suitable work role and supervisor. We recommend using your own networks to find a role and supervisor. Alternatively, try searching for jobs for provisional psychologists, or using our list of approved supervisors to find and contact supervisors who may be available to provide principal or secondary internship supervision.

Once you’ve developed an internship program plan, submit this to AHPRA for approval along with evidence you have successfully completed components of the fifth-year degree. You can’t start the internship until we have approved your plan. You will find the relevant forms and templates on the Forms page.

For further guidance on arranging internships, suitable work roles, and what you can expect from your supervisor, review the Internship FAQ and the Guidelines for the 5+1 internship program.

Working in addition to placements

If you want to work in a psychology role separate to your higher degree placements, you will need to apply for Board-approval (using form AWOP-76). Approval is necessary for any position where:

• you use the title ‘provisional psychologist’ or any other title that could be taken to mean you hold provisional registration, e.g. ‘intern psychologist’, ‘trainee psychologist’ etc. and/or
• you have any direct contact with clients, including providing psychology services by telephone.

Any experience obtained while you are completing your degree cannot be counted towards your internship. Provisional psychologists working in addition to placements must receive regular supervision by a Board-approved supervisor. For full details, read the Policy on working in addition to placements.

Further information

Refer to the Board’s registration standards, guidelines and policies and relevant Fact sheets and FAQ.