Becoming a psychologist in Australia begins with planning while you're still in high school. You'll read through university psychology course offerings to see what you need to apply to them. Once accepted into your university, you'll begin the years-long journey to your psychology career. With that behind you, you can begin supervised practice, after which you will finally become a licenced psychologist.
How to Become a Psychologist
- Decide what type of psychologist you want to be.
- Complete university studies.
- Undergo supervised practice.
- Stay on top of continuing education requirements.
- Apply for registration.
What Psychologists Do
Most people think of psychologists as people who sit in rooms with comfortable furniture, ready to listen to clients' heartbreak and struggles.
That is, in fact, an apt description of a type of psychologist. However, this discipline's reach is broad. It encompasses the whole of the human experience.
Let's say you're applying for your first major job and you have to fill out a questionnaire. Rest assured that a psychologist designed the exam, crafting every question to gain insights into your mental and emotional state.
If you've ever had occasion to visit your school's counsellor, you've spoken with a psychologist. Anti-smoking and anti-bullying campaigns? Also designed by psychologists.
Who speaks for the mental health and well-being of marginalised and remote communities? You guessed it: psychologists. At least, they've had some input into those discussions.
Psychological research is another thriving career field that attracts the sharpest, most insightful minds. With headlines like "The global loneliness pandemic" and "Mental health crises" screaming at us seemingly daily, these researchers have plenty to keep them busy.
In general, we can sort what psychologists do into five categories:
- Organisational and social change: public service campaigns, workplace teambuilding initiatives, morale and motivation campaigns
- Psychological testing: for special educational needs, dementia and general cognitive function, impacts of trauma (physical or mental/emotional), child custody matters
- In schools: counselling for students and staff, interventions (bullying and suspected abuse, e.g.), planning learning strategies for special needs students.
- Research: in human development, behaviour, and the biological drivers that influence them.
What's the Difference Between a Psychologist and a Therapist?
The fifth broad category is the one most people associate with psychology: assessment and therapy. Assessment means evaluating patients' current state and needs. Providing therapy includes recovery and healing from trauma, depression and behavioural issues.
People tend to use 'therapist' and 'psychologist' interchangeably, but the titles don't mean the same thing.
Defining 'therapist'
- any licenced person who engages in talk therapy:
- clinical therapy
- social workers
- school counsellors
- family therapists
- marriage counsellors and others
Defining 'psychologist'
- any person licenced to treat mental health conditions:
- obsessive-compulsive disorders
- bipolar disorders
- behavioural disorders
- autism spectrum 'disorders'
- PTSD and other traumatic experiences
This variety of psychology career fields proves that choosing the right degree plan for your career goals is vital. Though all Australian university psychology courses are APAC accredited, they don't all teach the same things.
The Standard Psychology Career Pathway
Starting Year 11 or even earlier, students with an eye on a career in psychology should begin investigating their options.
You must know what course entry requirements you need for the degree program you wish to apply to and what ATAR will give you access to it. Granted, many factors can impact the acceptable ATAR, such as adjustments and lack of applications. However, you have no way of getting around course prerequisites.
If your current high school course load does not meet your chosen psychology course's requirements, you can take preparation courses. However, that adds up to a year to your study plan. That's why it's best to know what you need early on, so you can meet requirements without wasting time. With that in mind, the standard psychology career pathway looks like this:
Year 11
Begin investigating psychology degree plans
Note requirements; plan your Year 12 around them.
Year 12
Set up UAC account
Make up to five psychology course selections
Year 1 uni
Declare major
Alternately, explore courses to decide your major.
Year 2
Begin major studies
Choose electives that suit your career goals.
Year 4
Complete Honours requirements.
Years 5 & 6
Complete graduate studies; specialise in your chosen field.
Alternatively, apply for provisional registration
Years 7 & 8
Begin supervised practice (in certain fields)
Alternately, pursue doctorate studies.
Years 10 - 12
Apply for licence; begin practice
Alternately, wrap up doctorate studies; begin supervised practice.
For those who prefer remote learning, the standard psychology career pathway is available online. At least, at the lower levels. You can complete your Bachelor and even Master's requirements with psychology studies online, if you wish. However, higher study levels, clinical rotations, and supervised practice will have to be in person.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychologist in Australia?
On average, aspiring psychologists spend 12 to 14 years earning their credentials to practice. Some career fields don't require such extensive training, such as social work and forensic psychology. However, you will still undergo two years of supervised practice before you can apply for licencing, regardless of the speciality you choose.
Should your ATAR and other entry requirements be lacking, you may have to spend extra time boosting them. Making up the credentials you lack could take up to a year, maybe longer. In any case, count on spending years learning about the science of psychology and building your clinical and research skills, even long after you're out of school.
Registering as a Psychologist
To register as a psychologist in Australia, candidates must have at least four years of APAC-accredited education. After that and at least a year of supervised practice, you will sit a qualifications exam, as the clip above informs us.
The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) oversees the registration process. It is a branch of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which monitors health professions across Australia.
Candidates for PsyBA provisional licencing may take one of two pathways to meet their licencing requirements.
The 5 + 1 pathway
- five years of academic study
- one year of supervised training
- pass the National Psychology exam
The higher-degree pathway
- six years of university study
- postgraduate specialisation
- pass the National Psychology exam
Most psychologists-in-training opt for the higher-degree pathway, as it's the most efficient route to their chosen field. An earlier pathway to registration, called the 4 + 2 pathway, was discontinued in 2022. It entailed four years of academic learning and two years of supervised training.
Fortunately, all of Australia's top universities for psychology offer only APAC-accredited courses. This accreditation paves your way into the registry process. In fact, it's mandatory for anyone registering as a psychologist.
You are legally required to register with the PsyBA before you can use the 'psychologist' title and engage in professional practice.
Types of Registration
You may register with a general endorsement or as a psychologist with an area of practice endorsement. This impacts the type of psychology each registrant may practice.
General endorsement
- public health psychology
- educational psychology
- emerging technology
- design psychology
- psychology in justice/corrections
- psychology in setting national policy
Area of practice endorsement
- clinical psychology
- forensic psychology
- community psychology
- counselling psychology
- sports and exercise psychology
- educational-developmental psychology
You might notice some overlap between the types of registration, such as forensic psychology and justice/corrections. That's no accident. The Australian Psychological Society estimates that around 60% of all registered psychologists have general endorsement.
That qualifies them to work the lower levels in areas where psychology is applied. By contrast, those with the higher endorsement typically have more impact on their respective fields. They also tend to earn more.
What's the Average Psychology Salary Australia?
As of August 2025, the reported average salary for psychologists in Australia is
In fact, various sources report different averages. For instance, Glassdoor puts the average at $100 000/year, while PayScale touts $85 254/year as the 2025 average salary.
Psychology salary Australia ranges between $83 759 and $118 000/year.
Salary ranges are the best way to project possible earnings.
A lot goes into projecting those numbers. Such factors include the number of survey recipients, their geographical location, and their years in practice.
It might be hard to believe that where you practice could impact your earnings. Think of this: someone practicing community psychology within a remote population isn't likely to earn as much as a clinical psychologist treating patients in Sydney. That example brings us to another vital consideration.
The higher your education level, the greater access you have to high-paying psychology careers. You could theoretically begin your career after completing a Bachelors with Honours. However, you will likely never earn more than $90 000/year with that level of education.
That's why most psychology majors return to school for advanced courses after a couple of years in the workforce.
The bottom line is: what you stand to earn as a psychologist depends on your chosen career field. As in any discipline, some aspects pay more than others and some require longer and more intensive training. How long one's been working as a practicing psychologist impacts average salary numbers, too.
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