Psychology is more than just a degree. It is a journey of understanding people, supporting communities, and creating meaningful change. In South Africa, becoming a psychologist requires formal academic training, supervised practical experience, and registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
For many students, especially those who are the first in their families to enter this field, the process can feel unclear or difficult to navigate. This guide is here to simplify that journey.
Whether you are beginning your undergraduate studies or preparing for postgraduate applications, this page will help you understand what to expect, where to study, and how to move forward with confidence.
Choosing an Accredited University
If you plan to become a registered psychologist in South Africa, it is essential that you study at a university accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Only accredited programmes are recognised for registration purposes after graduation.
You can view the latest official list of accredited institutions and psychology programmes below.
Entry Requirements to Study Psychology in South Africa
To study psychology at a South African university, you need to meet certain minimum requirements for a Bachelor’s degree. These vary slightly from one university to another, but the general expectations are similar across most public institutions.
| Requirement | Typical Standard |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Pass | Required for all psychology degree programmes |
| English (Home or First Additional Language) | 60–70% or higher |
| Mathematics or Math Literacy | Often accepted; BSc Psychology may prefer Maths Core |
| APS (Admission Point Score) | Usually between 28 and 36 |
| Life Orientation | Usually not included in APS calculation |
What Happens After You Meet the Minimum Requirements?
So, you’ve passed matric and you know you want to study psychology. But now you’re wondering:
“What degree do I apply for? Is it called Psychology? Where do I even start?”
You’re not alone, many students think there’s a degree called “Bachelor of Psychology” at every university. But here’s how it actually works:
Apply for a General Bachelor’s Degree (With Psychology as a Major)
At most South African universities, you don’t apply for a degree called “Psychology.” Instead, you apply for a BA (Bachelor of Arts), BSocSci (Bachelor of Social Science), or sometimes a BSc (Bachelor of Science) and then choose Psychology as one of your majors.
A “major” is one of the subjects (modules) you’ll focus on throughout your 3-year degree. You usually take 2 majors in first year.
Where to Study Psychology in South Africa (Undergraduate Level)
Below is a list of universities in South Africa that offer undergraduate psychology programmes, with direct links to their Psychology departments. These pages will give you the most accurate information about what each university offers, how to apply, and what their entry requirements are.
While we do our best to keep this list updated, universities may change or move their web pages from time to time. If a link doesn’t work, we recommend visiting the university’s main website and searching for “Psychology Department” directly.
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
University of South Africa (UNISA)
University of the Western Cape (UWC)
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
University of the Free State (UFS)
University of Mpumalanga (UMP)
What Can You Do with a Psychology Degree?
Many students believe they can become psychologists straight after their degree. In reality, your undergraduate degree is just the first step in a longer journey. You will still need to complete an Honours degree, a Master’s degree, an internship, and a board exam to register with the HPCSA.
The Honours Year
Once you’ve completed your undergraduate degree, the Honours year is your next academic step and it’s where things start becoming more focused and competitive.
During Honours, you’ll:
- Take advanced modules in key areas of psychology (e.g. assessment, research, abnormal psychology)
- Complete a supervised research project or mini-dissertation
- Learn core academic and practical skills required for Master’s
This is also the stage where you start thinking seriously about your future specialisation. The modules you choose and how well you perform can influence whether you’re accepted into Clinical, Counselling, Educational, or another stream at Master’s level.
Choose Your Modules Wisely
- If you’re aiming for Clinical or Counselling Psychology, make sure you select modules like psychopathology, psychological assessment, or intervention strategies (where available).
- If you’re leaning toward Educational Psychology, focus on modules related to child development or learning and education.
- If you want to pursue Research Psychology, prioritise research methodology, statistics, and report writing.
What Happens After Honours?
Once you’ve completed your Honours degree in Psychology, the next step is to apply for a Master’s programme accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). These programmes prepare you to specialise in one of the recognised professional categories of psychology in South Africa.
Admission is highly competitive and involves an extensive selection process, which may include written tasks, interviews, academic performance reviews, and other assessments depending on the university.
“There are six categories of registration in psychology, i.e. Clinical, Counselling, Educational, Industrial, Neuropsychology and Research Psychology.”
— Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)
Here is a brief overview of each category:
1. Clinical Psychologist
- Provides continuing and comprehensive mental and behavioural healthcare to individuals and groups across the lifespan.
- Includes assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of psychological and mental health disorders.
- Disorders range from mild to severe and complex.
- Psychological assessment, diagnosis, and formulation are based on biological, social, and psychological factors.
- Clinical psychologists deliver a range of high-intensity psychological interventions.
2. Counselling Psychologist
- Promotes personal, social, educational, and career functioning and well-being.
- Serves individuals, couples, families, groups, organisations, and communities.
- Assists with normal developmental issues and prevents and alleviates psychological and mental health disorders ranging from mild to moderate severity.
- Psychological assessment, diagnosis, and formulation consider people’s lived experiences and sociocultural contexts.
- Interventions consider the therapeutic potential of positive relationships and people’s strengths and resources.
3. Educational Psychologist
- Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and intervention to support learning and development.
- Emphasis on children and young people.
- Frequently consults with children and young people in settings such as family, school, early childhood and development contexts, social, residential, and mental health settings.
- Involves parents, caregivers, and teachers.
- Strong foundational knowledge of learning theory, developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology across the lifespan, particularly neurodevelopment and cognitive functioning.
- Conducts individual, group, and family therapy and other therapeutic interventions.
4. Industrial Psychologist
- Industrial/Organisational Psychology is the science and practice of professionals.
- Functions in organisational and occupational settings.
- Aims to ethically explain, assess, and influence human behaviour.
- Focuses on individual, group, and organisational levels.
- Promotes sustainable development of all affected stakeholders.
- Addresses topics such as employee selection, training, and development.
- Enhances workplace productivity, job satisfaction, and organisational performance.
- Develops and implements strategies for effective leadership and team dynamics.
5. Neuropsychologist
- Focuses on cognitive-behavioural and emotional changes.
- Changes result from compromised functioning of the central nervous system.
- Utilise neuropsychological tests and assessments to evaluate cognitive functions.
- Work with individuals experiencing conditions such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, and neurological disorders.
- Develop and implement treatment plans to address cognitive, emotional, and behavioural issues.
- Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care.
6. Research Psychologist
- Concerned with the use, development, and application of research methodologies.
- Aims to advance psychological knowledge in understanding human behaviour.
- Research psychologists possess advanced assessment knowledge.
- Expertise includes the use of psychological tools, administration, scoring, and interpretation of psychological assessments.
- Contribute to the development, validation, translation, and adaptation of psychological tests.
- Focus on ensuring psychological tests are suitable for the South African population.
For more detailed information on each category and the requirements for registration, please visit the HPCSA’s official Psychology Board page.
Internship, Board Exam, and HPCSA Registration
All psychology students must complete a 12-month full-time internship at an HPCSA-accredited site. This is a structured and supervised year of practical training in your chosen psychology category.
- The internship must match the category of your Master’s degree (e.g. Clinical, Counselling, Educational, etc.)
- Your university may assist with placement, or you may need to apply independently
- The internship includes supervision and structured learning goals.
Write the HPCSA Board Examination
After your internship, you will be eligible to write the National Board Examination set by the HPCSA’s Professional Board for Psychology.
- This exam tests your applied knowledge, ethical understanding, and professional readiness
- It is mandatory for registration in your psychology category
- You must pass the board exam with 70% minimum to proceed with registration
Once you pass the board exam, you can apply to be officially registered as a psychologist in your category.
- Only registered professionals may legally use the title “Psychologist” in South Africa
- Registration is done through the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)
Additional Step: Community Service for Clinical Psychologists
If you are training as a Clinical Psychologist, you are also required to complete one year of community service in a public healthcare facility.
- This is arranged in partnership with the Department of Health
- It must be completed after your internship and before final registration
- It applies only to the Clinical Psychology category (not Counselling, Educational, etc.)
Considering Another Path? Explore the BPsych Route
Not everyone chooses to pursue a Master’s degree and not everyone gets in on their first try. One alternative path to registration with the HPCSA is through the BPsych or BPsych Equivalent route. These programmes allow you to register as a Registered Counsellor or Psychometrist, depending on the stream you follow.
They are professional qualifications in their own right and offer meaningful ways to work in the field of psychology without needing a Master’s degree.
What is a Registered Counsellor?
A Registered Counsellor provides short-term psychological support focused on prevention, psychoeducation, and early intervention. They do not diagnose or treat mental illness, but they play a vital role in promoting mental well-being in schools, communities, and workplaces.
Scope of work includes:
- Individual and group counselling
- Psychoeducation and mental health promotion
- Trauma debriefing and crisis intervention
- Community outreach and referral support
Registered Counsellors work in schools, NGOs, clinics, correctional services, and private practice.
What is a Psychometrist?
A Psychometrist is trained to administer and score psychological assessments under the supervision of a registered psychologist. They do not provide therapy, but they are skilled in testing areas like:
- Cognitive functioning
- Educational and career assessments
- Personality and emotional functioning
- Neuropsychological screening (in some cases)
Psychometrists often work in private practice, corporate HR, recruitment, educational settings, or alongside clinical teams.
How Do You Qualify?
You must complete either a:
- BPsych degree, or
- BPsych Equivalent (offered after Honours at some universities)
Both routes include:
- Formal academic coursework
- A minimum of 720 hours of supervised practicum
- Completion of board exams through the HPCSA
Once you complete the programme and pass your board exam, you can register with the HPCSA as either a Registered Counsellor or Psychometrist.