Registered membership to senior accredited membership route 2 – from February 2026
SCoPEd framework column A to column C

Opening in February 2026, our registered member to senior accredited member (SCoPEd column A to C) route 2: Recognition of prior learning (RPL) route, will be for registered members who have successfully completed a BACP accredited core training course (aligned to column B of the SCoPEd framework)  

This route is aimed at highly experienced practitioners with significant maturity of knowledge, skills and experience gained over time in a variety of settings. While it’s not a replacement for postgraduate training, it enables those with a wealth of experience, who are not in a position to complete postgraduate training, to gain recognition that supports their professional journey.

More details about eligibility requirements and guidance to determine your readiness to apply via this RPL route are available below.

Eligibility criteria overview

To apply you’ll need to: 

• be a registered member of BACP
• have completed a BACP accredited core training course (aligned to column B) 
• be practising as a counsellor or psychotherapist. You must have been in practice for at least four years when you apply for senior accreditation
• have completed and received an award or a combination of awards for practitioner training that:  
  - included at least 500 hours of tutor contact hours. This can use a combination of awards, such as your core training hours and your certificate training hours. All hours need to be from practitioner training courses, and we need to see a clear progression through the training you submit
  - was carried out over at least two years
  - had a supervised placement as an integral part of the training
  - covered theory, skills, professional issues and personal development 
• have at least 500 hours of supervised practice accumulated within four to seven years (they don’t have to be consecutive years)
  - of the 500 hours, at least 200 hours of supervised practice must be after the successful completion of your practitioner training, which are calculated from the date on the award certificate
• have completed 160 hours of personal therapy or personal development work that has contributed to self-awareness and is applicable to therapeutic practice
• have an ongoing current contract for counselling or psychotherapy supervision for a minimum of 1.5 hours per month
• have been supervised for at least 1.5 hours per month throughout the period of practice submitted