Joining Faqs

To apply for UPCA membership, you must have completed a UPCA Approved Course. These are training programmes that meet UPCA’s academic, professional, and ethical standards.

Membership is open to students, trainees, non clinical associates and qualified practitioners.

For detailed instructions on each membership type, including eligibility criteria and application steps, please visit our Membership Categories page.

Once we have received your application, it can take up to 28 days to process from the date we receive your completed application form. During busy periods from August-November it can take up to 6 weeks to process your application.

• Student Membership = £23 per year
• Trainee Membership = £50 per year
• Clinical Membership = £85 per year
• Non Clinical Associate Membership = £23 per year

Visit our Membership Fees webpage for more information.

Membership fees must be paid online by bank transfer (BACs) or credit/debit card.

UPCA is the Accrediting Organisation for the Universities Training College (UTC) and works in partnership with UKCP to:

• Accredit university-based psychotherapy and counselling programmes within UTC

• Ensure those programmes meet UKCP and UTC standards

• Support the academic, ethical, and professional framework of the College

By becoming a member of UPCA, you benefit from being part of a robust professional and academic community that supports high standards in psychotherapy and counselling practice.

Key benefits of UPCA membership include:

• Find a Therapist listing for both accredited and non-accredited clinical members, increasing professional visibility

• Personalised, individual responses to membership and professional queries

• Attendance at the UPCA AGM, with opportunities to hear about UPCA’s work and contribute to discussions with fellow members

• Ethical accountability, supporting safe and professional practice through an established ethical framework

• Access to the UPCA Welfare Fund, providing financial support to help cover expenses during training (subject to eligibility)

• Discounted professional indemnity insurance, negotiated with a leading insurance provider to help manage the cost of practice

• Practical member resources, including the CPD Record Resource to support accurate tracking of Continuing Professional Development

• Five-yearly re-accreditation, helping members maintain and enhance professional standards and demonstrate ongoing commitment to excellence and public trust

• Peer Support Scheme, designed to strengthen professional connection and community support among members

UPCA membership supports your professional development, accountability, and connection to recognised UK counselling and psychotherapy standards.

If you have let your membership lapse and need to re-join and backdate your membership please contact us with details of when you were last a member. 

UPCA Membership runs from 1st September – 31st August each year. You will receive a renewal reminder by email in July and you must renew your membership before the 31st August. Renewals must be made through your online portal.

The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is made up of a number of organisational members, which are grouped into Colleges according to areas of professional and academic interest.

UPCA is the Accrediting Organisation for the Universities Training College (UTC), one of the UKCP Colleges. In this role, UPCA works within the UKCP structure to support high academic, professional, and ethical standards in psychotherapy and counselling training.

Within the UKCP framework:

• Colleges are responsible for assessing and admitting members for the duration of their training

• UPCA oversees accreditation and membership for those training within the UTC

• Training programmes accredited by UPCA are aligned with UKCP professional and training standards

Once all required elements of training have been successfully completed, members may apply to become Accredited Members of UPCA. At this stage, eligible members may also apply separately for UKCP Membership and Registration. 

After joining the UKCP Register, practitioners are required to remain in membership of UPCA, as all UKCP registrants must belong to a UKCP College or organisational member throughout their registration.

For more details about how UKCP Colleges are structured and function, visit UKCP Colleges overview.

UKCP encourages members to remain with their organisational member or college because of the peer support and guidance they can offer, especially in relation to ethical questions. However, there is no requirement for full clinical members to stay with their organisation after their first year of UKCP membership.

Psychotherapeutic counsellors are counsellors who have trained to a UKCP recognised standard (normally graduate level or equivalent). In psychotherapeutic counselling, the emphasis is on the in-depth therapeutic relationship jointly created by the therapist and client.

Psychotherapists undergo a four-year, postgraduate, in-depth and experiential training in how to work with a variety of people with a wide range of emotional distress, mental health issues and difficulties. Psychotherapists are trained in one or more psychotherapy approaches.

For more in depth information about the differences in the training of psychotherapeutic counsellors and psychotherapists see the: UKCP standards of education and training

To upgrade to Accredited Clinical Membership first check with your university that you are eligible. If eligible login to your UPCA Online Profile and navigate to your Membership Status tab. Complete an ‘Upgrade Application Form’. Provide us with a copy of your course certificate and ask your university to validate PART E of the endorsement form and return to us. 

Once your accredited membership has been confirmed we will send you a certificate and you can then apply to UKCP to be placed on the national register.

While there is no single universally agreed definition of neurodiversity, the term is commonly used to recognise and address the different cognitive, learning, and sensory needs of therapists and clients.

UPCA is committed to supporting neurodiverse members. If you have specific needs related to membership, auditing, or accreditation, we encourage you to contact our Membership Manager, Helen Fisher.

By understanding your individual requirements, UPCA can work with you to tailor the membership or accreditation process, creating a more inclusive and enabling experience.

UPCA and UKCP do not approve online only training. UPCA policy is that courses are taught in-person, although some training institutions may deliver up to a maximum of 50% training online .

Likewise, client practice in training is also usually in-person although some institutions again may allow a percentage of online practice.