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Enhance Your Membership

There are several ways to further enhance your membership with the BPS, including becoming a recognised Fellow, or Associate Fellow, or by joining one of our many networks and divisions.

A Fellowship is recognition of significant contribution to the advancement or communication of psychological knowledge or practice either by research, teaching, publications or public service, or by organising and developing the work of others.

It is the highest title a member can apply for.

The Society encourages applications from members who work within all settings including the NHS, prison services, social care, education, business, sport those who work in independent practice settings or within academic institutions.

The Society believes the title should be attainable by members across all areas of the discipline and the revised guidance and application information, which sets out the criteria for the award, also provides examples of who may be eligible. 

Eligibility

To be awarded the status as a Fellow of the Society, you will:

  1. either be an Associate Fellow or can satisfy the Board of Trustees that you possess the requirements for Associate Fellowship; and
     
  2. satisfy the Board of Trustees that you have the following additional qualifications:

i) been engaged in work of a psychological nature (other than undergraduate training) for a total period of at least 10 years; and

ii) possess an advanced knowledge of psychology in at least one of its fields; and

iii) made an outstanding contribution to the advancement or dissemination of psychological knowledge or practice either by your own research, teaching, publications or public service, or by organising and developing the work of others.

Benefits

As a Fellow you can:

  • use the title FBPsS - this is the highest designation the Society can bestow, showing your significant contribution and understanding of the discipline
  • become a Full member of one of our divisions and other professional groups of the Society
  • apply to become a Chartered Scientist (CSci)
  • and more…

Subscription fees and payment methods

Our schedule of fees and payment methods can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Apply/nominate

You can apply, be nominated or nominate another member to become a Fellow of the Society.

The criteria required is provided in our application or nomination for a Society Fellowship document below:

To apply, download the application form and send it, along with all the essential materials, to:

The British Psychological Society
St Andrews House
48 Princess Road East
Leicester LE1 7DR

If you have any further queries, please contact the Membership Team:

Tel: +44 (0)116 252 9911

Email: [email protected]

The title Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS) is awarded in recognition of several years' experience and contribution to the field of psychology.

Eligibility

You may apply for this title if you have satisfied one of the following conditions since first becoming eligible for graduate membership:

  1. Achieved eligibility for full membership of one of the Society's divisions and been successfully engaged in the professional application of a specialised knowledge of psychology for an aggregate of at least two calendar years full-time (or its part-time equivalent); or
  2. Possess a research qualification in psychology and been engaged in the application, discovery, development or dissemination of psychological knowledge or practice for an aggregate of at least four years full time (or its part time equivalent); or
  3. Published psychological works or exercised specialised psychological knowledge of a standard not less than in 1 or 2 above.
  4. You must normally be engaged in work of a psychological nature at the time of your application.

Benefits

As an Associate Fellow you can:

  • use the AFBPsS title. This is a mark of experience, competence and reputation of psychological knowledge through the field
  • if you are already a Chartered Member of the Society, apply to become a Chartered Scientist which entitles you to use the prestigious CSci designation.
  • and more.

Subscription fees and payment methods

Our schedule of fees and payment methods can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Process

  • For this grade, certificates are not required as the main eligibility criteria are based on time spent working in psychology.

Application form

To apply, please send a completed application form to:

The British Psychological Society
St Andrews House
48 Princess Road East
Leicester LE1 7DR

Any queries, contact the Membership Team:

Tel: +44 (0)116 252 9911

Email: [email protected]

Network and communicate with like-minded people in scientific, professional, regional and special interest groups

Divisions

Divisions help members to advance their professional interests.

They focus on training and practice and aim to develop psychology as a profession and as a body of knowledge and skills.

Full divisional membership

For members who have completed Society accredited postgraduate professional training.

In-training divisional membership

For those who hold, or wish to appy for, the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), and are enrolled on Society-accredited postgraduate professional training.

General divisional membership

For members who are not eligible for full or in-training divisional membership.

Other Member Networks

As well as its divisions, the British Psychological Society has other types of Member Networks such as branches, sections and special groups.

For further information on each of our member networks please visit their webpages.

To join one of these groups, download and complete the application form below:

Contact us

If you have any queries, contact the Membership Team:

Tel: +44 (0)116 252 9911

Email: [email protected]

The Society is able to confer the following designations on behalf of the Science Council.

For further information about these awards please contact [email protected]
 

CSci Chartered Scientist

CSci represents a single chartered mark for all scientists, recognising the highest levels of professionalism and competence in science independent of discipline.

If you have any queries relating to this then please contact the Membership Team on 0116 252 9911.

RSci Registered Scientist

RSci not only provides recognition for those in scientific and higher technician roles as professionals in their own field, but can also be a springboard to recognition as a Chartered Scientist.

This award provides a means of demonstrating a level of experience and professionalism without having reached Chartered level, and would be of particular benefit to Graduate Members working in psychology-based careers.

For more information on the award please visit the Science Council’s RSci webpages
 

RSciTech Registered Science Technician

RSciTech recognises science technicians as professionals, delivering the skilled technical support our increasingly complex infrastructure requires.

Applicants for this award need only be at least an Affiliate subscriber to the Society, and currently working as a technician in a psychology-based role.

For more information on the award please visit the Science Council’s RSciTech webpages

EuroPsy represents a European benchmark standard of psychology knowledge and skills. It does not of itself confer a licence to practise but can help to facilitate the mobility of qualified professionals across Europe. 

To apply for the EuroPsy award through the Society, you must meet at least one of the criteria noted below:

  • You must be eligible for Chartered Membership of the Society on the basis of BPS accredited postgraduate training

    OR

  • You must be registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and hold at least a Masters-equivalent degree in psychology
     

How to apply

To apply you must complete the EuroPsy application form. This requires you to outline qualifications, experience and supervision that you have undertaken.

The Society will then take up references from supervisors as part of your application.

How much will it cost?

Society members who meet the criteria above will be eligible to apply for EuroPsy at no cost.  Applications from non-members will be subject to a fee of £415.

All applications from non-members will also be subject to individual assessment and consideration by the BPS National Awarding Committee (NAC) for EuroPsy.

If you have any further questions please contact [email protected] or visit www.europsy-efpa.eu/

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