Theoretical and Practical Clinical Neuropsychology

Entry requirements

You will typically need to be registered as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You will typically be studying or have studied on an approved degree from one of our collaborating institutions (for the list of collaborating DClin programmes please see the School of Psychological Sciences website). If you have not studied at a collaborating institution but have completed the MSc Neuropsychology programme at the University of Bristol (discontinued in 2014) you will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

In order to meet BPS accreditation requirements, you must pass an online entrance assessment (comprised of two parts) set by the University of Bristol. The two parts are both weighted at 50% of the overall assessment mark, and applicants must score 50% or higher in the combined mark to pass. Applicants must be able to provide evidence of a minimum of six months' practice experience plus at least one case report (maximum of two) formally undertaken within the prior training programme of our collaborating institution. Please note: the first stage of application is to submit an Expression of Interest form to the School at postgrad-psychology@bristol.ac.uk.

You must submit all required documents as detailed in the programme's Admissions Statement to be considered for review.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Our professional programmes in clinical neuropsychology are delivered in partnership with North Bristol NHS Trust. Our clinical programmes aim to engage and inspire clinicians to enhance their skills in clinical neuropsychology and support entry onto the BPS Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN). This diploma supports the adult knowledge and practice component of the competency requirements for advanced training in clinical neuropsychology.

This diploma is similar to our MSc in Clinical Neuropsychology and delivers both knowledge component (adult only) and practice component required for entry to the SRCN. However, it allows you to bring forward learning and case experience from your DClinPsych to streamline and accelerate the postdoctoral training required to enter the SRCN. To be eligible to apply to this degree, you must be studying a DClinPsych at a UK University which has a collaborative agreement with the University of Bristol. You can find a list of collaborating institutions at the bottom of this page.

Around 80% of the taught content is delivered by practising clinicians. You will learn about a range of neuropsychological disorders and pathologies, as well as focusing on principles of assessment, formulation and rehabilitation.

To accrue relevant clinical experience for the practice component of this degree, it's your responsibility to secure paid employment within a neuropsychology service during your enrolment in the diploma. It's also your responsibility to secure supervision for your work when enrolled on the course. However, we provide additional oversight and support towards developing your case portfolio and helping to ensure that your clinical experience demonstrates the required competencies for entry to the SRCN. This support is provided by clinicians on the SRCN and offers opportunities for feedback on case reports, including a practice viva experience, a mid-study review of progress and regular formulation workshops to facilitate peer discussion of cases and conceptual issues relevant to neuropsychological practice.

This programme is largely online and can be taken from home or work. If you're interested in applying to this programme, you may wish to discuss the process with your DClinPsych team and find out how to apply.

Our courses delivering the practice component require evidence of research competencies meeting standards and requirements for entry to the SRCN. Therefore, the gap between completion of DClinPsych and this degree must normally be less than 8 years, and anyone considering a significant deferral should contact us to discuss.

Information for international students

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Fees and funding

NHS England now provides significant amounts of funding to support the costs of training in clinical neuropsychology. This funding can support both knowledge component and practice component requirements for entry to the Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists (SRCN).

The process of allocating and distributing funding to Trusts will be led primarily by NHS England regional colleagues and supported by Psychological Professions Networks. You are strongly encouraged to explore potential sources of funding which can be used for both September 2026 and January 2027 entry to this programme.

For further information on other potential sources of funding, please check our online funding search tool.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.