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HCPC Registration

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Requirements to register with HCPC
English language proficiency

All applicants enrolling through the overseas route must confirm their English language proficiency, according to the HCPC. To work as a health professional in the UK you must be able to communicate effectively in English. Applicants will need a certificate from an English language competency exam that reveals their score to demonstrate this.

The following certificates of English language proficiency are accepted by HCPC, and must not be older than two years when the application is submitted.

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  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

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  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (*TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (IBT) *HCPC will not accept any TOEFL test score undertaken in the UK.

Required scores for all professions except Speech and Language Therapists

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 7.0 with no element below 6.5

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (IBT): A minimum score of 100/120

Speech and Language Therapists

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 8.0 with no element below 7.5

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (IBT): A minimum score of 118/120

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Level of educational qualification for entry to the Register
Bachelor's degree with honours for:

  • Biomedical scientists (with the Certificate of Competency awarded by the Institute of Biomedical Science or equivalent)

  • Chiropodists/Podiatrists

  • Dietitians

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Orthoptists

  • Paramedics

  • Physiotherapists

  • Prosthetists/Orthotists

  • Radiographers

  • Speech and Language Therapists

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Diploma of Higher Education for operating department practitioners
Foundation degree for hearing aid dispensers

Master's degree for:

  • Arts Therapists

  • Clinical Scientists (with the Certificate of Attainment awarded by the Association of Clinical Scientists, or equivalent)

  • Forensic Psychologists (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in forensic psychology, or equivalent)

  • Health Psychologists (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in health psychology, or equivalent)

  • Occupational Psychologists (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in occupational psychology, or equivalent)

  • Sport and Exercise Psychologists (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in sport and exercise psychology, or equivalent)

Professional Doctorate, or equivalent for:

  • Counselling Psychologists

  • Educational Psychologists

Process and timelines for reviewing International Applications
Step 1: Apply and Pay the Scrutiny Fee

You must provide basic information and upload appropriate documents to the online application portal in order to submit the application. Following the submission of your application, an online link will be issued for you to complete your £539.65 application scrutiny payment via the WorldPay payment facility. The link is only valid for 72 hours, and can only be generated once for each application. You can still make a payment via bank transfer or over the phone if you are unable to pay within this timeframe. An automated payment confirmation email will be issued to you following successful payment via the link. Payments made by bank transfer or telephone will not receive an email confirmation. If any information or documentation is missing, HCPC will contact you by mail.

Step 2: Initial Review & Verification Checks

Your application will be sent for verification checks once your scrutiny fee is paid. HCPC will send an email confirmation of this. The aim of the regulator is to finish this within four weeks of receiving a completed application, during which time the regulator will contact your educational institution, any relevant regulatory or professional organisations, and any professional referrals to verify information that you have provided. HCPC will not wait to hear from these contacts before moving on to the next stage of your application. You are not compelled to take any action until the HCPC has informed you of the outcome of the procedure's next stage.

Step 3: Assessment Review of Education and Training

The next step involves the examination of your regulated education and training, as well as any additional applicable education, training, or experience, with the aim of completing this process within 60 working days of receiving a completed application.

Your application will be sent to two assessors from the Register section to which you are applying. Before providing a recommendation they will take into account all of the information you have provided. They will first assess your regulated education and training to the HCPC's competency standards. If any shortfalls are discovered, they will investigate to see if they can be filled with additional appropriate education, training, or experience. The decision will be sent to the Education and Training Committee (ETC) who will then communicate their decision to you.

Please note that the HCPC can only make a decision based on the data supplied in the application. The regulator does not contact referees, training institutions, or employers for more information about your training or job experience. The HCPC will try to issue you a Record of Assessment within 60 days of receiving your application.

Step 4: Additional or Further Information 

You may receive a request for additional information in your Record of Assessment, which you must provide to HCPC in order for your application to proceed. This will almost certainly increase the time it takes for your application to be processed, so it is very important that you submit your application with as much pertinent information as possible.

Step 5: Outcome and Registration Fee

If your application is approved, you must pay a final fee, which is the registration fee for your profession's registration cycle. This begins when you join the Register and ends when you leave. You will receive a WorldPay link to pay this.

The HCPC's service level goal for assessment is 60 working days after receiving a complete application, however, this is subject to delays and is determined by the volume of applications under evaluation at any particular time. The regulator aims to complete the initial review within four weeks of receiving a comprehensive application. The process may take longer if further checks are required or if the regulator has not received the required information. If HCPC requires additional information, they will contact you through email, as well as when your application reaches each level.

HCPC Registration Support 

We have a specialised team to support you on your HCPC registration. Please contact the registration support team at support@visaroots.in. 

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