By Dr Melody Smith, Clinical Psychologist

The University College London (UCL) Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) is one of the most well-known and academically focused programmes in the UK. As part of the North Thames training group, it attracts applicants who want strong research training, a broad range of therapeutic models, and the experience of working in diverse London services.

The 2025–26 BPS Alternative Handbook gives a detailed picture of what recent trainees found helpful, what they appreciated, and what they found difficult. Many described the training as interesting, intense and fast-paced, but also spoke warmly about supportive staff, opportunities to reflect, and placements that helped them grow.

For aspiring clinical psychologists who are considering London training, UCL may offer the breadth, structure and variety they are looking for.

Course Structure and Ethos

UCL runs a three-year, full-time course that brings together teaching, clinical placements, supervised practice and research. The structure is clear and organised, with teaching spread through the year and placements arranged across a large network of NHS services in North Central and North East London.

Trainees described UCL as having a strong academic identity. They highlighted the clear expectations, the emphasis on evidence-based practice, and the consistent encouragement to reflect on their learning. Many saw the structure as containing and helpful.

Trainees noted that the course is well organised, with clear communication and expectations, even when the workload feels demanding.

UCL teaches a range of therapeutic models. CBT, psychodynamic therapy and systemic approaches feature strongly. There is also teaching on ACT, CFT, CAT, narrative work and solution-focused practice, though some trainees wished for more depth in certain areas. Overall, the tone is pluralistic, with a focus on learning from different perspectives.

The large cohort of around 90 trainees per year shapes the experience. Some people enjoy the variety of backgrounds and viewpoints, while others find it harder to feel known or to contribute in big lecture rooms.

Placements and Clinical Experience

Placements are based in NHS services across London. This gives trainees opportunities to work with different client groups and service models, including adult mental health, CAMHS, learning disabilities and health psychology.

The Alternative Handbook comments reflected a wide range of experiences:

• Many trainees had supportive supervisors and found placements to be the most valuable part of the course
• Others described more challenging placements linked to service pressures, which is common across London training

Most trainees travelled between 30 minutes and one hour each way, and the majority felt this was manageable.

Overall satisfaction with placements was high, although experiences varied depending on the service and supervisor.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching at UCL covers a wide range of psychological models, alongside sessions on research, formulation, reflective practice and applied skills. Trainees spoke positively about:

• Engaging guest lecturers
• The use of Experts by Experience (EBE) in teaching
• Smaller seminar groups that encourage discussion
• Regular reflective sessions
• A balance of clinical and academic content

Some trainees said that certain lectures felt rushed, or that the pace of the timetable sometimes made it hard to take everything in. Others commented that the teaching room (a basement space) made concentration difficult, but appreciated when sessions were delivered online.

Many trainees said they valued the smaller seminar groups and reflective spaces, which helped them feel connected within such a large cohort.

The course aims to help trainees develop a thoughtful, reflective and evidence-based style of practice, and the teaching structure reflects this.

Research and the Thesis

UCL is a research-active department with a strong reputation for methodology and academic supervision. Trainees generally felt well supported in developing their research ideas and valued the clear structure around thesis milestones.

Most people reported:

• Good access to supervisors
• A manageable timeline
• Clear expectations
• Fair and meaningful assessments
• A helpful list of potential thesis topics

The pass/fail marking system for academic work was also appreciated, as it reduced pressure and helped trainees adopt a “good enough” approach to coursework.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Trainees gave generally positive feedback about the course’s commitment to EDI. They spoke particularly about:

• The diversity of the cohort
• The helpfulness of EBE contributions
• A culture of openness around feedback
• Staff who appeared to listen and try to improve the course

Some people felt certain teaching topics could be strengthened or delivered more consistently, and others noted that group discussions could feel dominated by certain voices. These comments were usually shared thoughtfully and reflected the natural challenges of such a large cohort.

Strengths Reported by Trainees

Based on the 2025–26 Alternative Handbook, trainees most often highlighted:

• A supportive and approachable course team
• Interesting and varied placements
• A broad range of therapeutic models
• Good research supervision
• Strong reflective spaces
• A diverse and friendly cohort
• A transparent, organised structure
• An encouraging interview process with meaningful EBE involvement

Challenges Reported by Trainees

Common challenges included:

• The intensity of the workload
• Balancing academic deadlines with placement demands
• The size of the cohort, which can limit interaction in lectures
• Variability in placement experiences
• Some teaching sessions feeling rushed
• A teaching space that some trainees found uncomfortable
• Limited study days during busy periods

Most trainees felt these challenges were not unique to UCL but reflected broader issues in London training and the NHS.

Selection and Interview Process

UCL North Thames receives a very high number of applications each year, so meeting the minimum entry criteria is necessary but not enough on its own. Applications are first checked to make sure candidates have Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), a suitable academic profile, at least 12 months full-time equivalent relevant clinical experience in the UK (with at least six months paid), the correct fee status, and the right to work in the UK for NHS-funded places.

Academically, applicants are expected to have at least a high 2:1 (defined as 67% or above) in the degree that confers GBC, or an equivalent standard in a relevant postgraduate qualification. There is a structured route for people whose overall percentage is lower, including consideration of mitigating circumstances or a strong performance at master’s or PhD level. However, applicants need to provide clear evidence of their marks, and the course will not consider applications without this.

On the clinical side, UCL is looking for experience that goes beyond observation. The minimum 12 months’ experience (gained within the last three years) should usually include direct work with client groups clinical psychologists typically support, and some exposure to structured or statutory services such as the NHS, social care, schools, prisons or clinically related research roles. Roles that allow applicants to understand the day-to-day reality of services, work alongside multidisciplinary teams, and see how clinical psychologists contribute to care are particularly valued.

Once applications meet the basic criteria, they are rated independently by two clinical psychologists. Each application is scored across four broad domains: clinical, personal, academic and research. Reviewers look for evidence of reflective capacity, a realistic understanding of the clinical psychologist role, commitment to NHS values and service users, and engagement with research or service evaluation. There are no additional shortlisting tests at UCL, so the written application carries a lot of weight. Because of the volume of applications, the course is not able to offer feedback at this stage to candidates who are not shortlisted.

Shortlisted applicants are invited to a two-part interview. The first part is an individual panel interview, typically involving at least one member of course staff and two clinical psychologists from the region. Candidates are given a clinical vignette shortly before the interview and asked to think through assessment, formulation and intervention options, alongside other clinical or professional scenarios. There is also a research vignette and questions about research methods, critical thinking and how candidates might apply evidence to practice. The panel are not expecting perfect answers, but they are looking for clear reasoning, reflective thinking and the ability to link theory to real-world practice.

The second part of the process is a group discussion task. Here, candidates work together on a topic or scenario in front of a panel made up of two Experts by Experience and a course staff member. This part of the interview focuses less on “getting it right” and more on how applicants listen, include others, manage differences of opinion and hold service-user perspectives at the centre of the discussion. It offers a space to show interpersonal skills, values and the capacity to think in systems.

Selection decisions draw on performance across both parts of the interview. The course also uses equal opportunities data (for example ethnicity and disability) to take Positive Action where there is more than one candidate of equal merit, both at shortlisting and offer stage, as part of its commitment to widening access. Offers are conditional on standard pre-employment checks through the employing Trust, including DBS, occupational health and satisfactory references. Candidates are usually informed of the outcome by email around a week to ten days after the final interview day, and those who are not offered a place can request feedback from the chair of their panel.

To Summarise

UCL North Thames offers a demanding but rewarding training experience. Trainees described the programme as structured, reflective and academically strong, with a broad range of placements and a course team that is responsive and compassionate.

It may be an excellent fit for applicants who:

• Enjoy academic learning
• Value a pluralistic approach
• Feel energised by a large and diverse cohort
• Are ready to juggle a fast-paced workload
• Want to develop strong research and reflective skills

UCL will stretch you, but it also offers many opportunities to grow as a reflective and thoughtful psychologist.

Disclaimer: Details were correct at the time of writing (November 2025). Please check the most up-to-date guidance on the UCL and Clearing House websites before applying.

References

British Psychological Society. (2025). Alternative Handbook: North Thames (UCL) DClinPsy 2025–26. British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology. Data drawn from trainee feedback tables and narrative comments in the Alternative Handbook.

University College London. (2025). Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) – Programme Information for 2026/27 Entry. Retrieved from UCL Clinical Psychology website.

Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology. (2025). North Thames (UCL) Course Information. Retrieved from Clearing House course listings.

Anna Freud Centre and UCL. (2025). Division of Psychology and Language Sciences – Training and Research Information.

Supplementary context from publicly available course documentation.