Your Guide to the Updated 5+1 Internship Requirements (2025 Update)

A clear, supportive overview for provisional psychologists

The pathway from provisional to fully registered psychologist is a big professional milestone, and the recent updates to the 5+1 internship requirements bring welcome clarity, structure, and flexibility. This article breaks down the essentials so you can feel confident, organised, and well-supported as you progress through your internship year.

New 5+1 supervision guidelines support provisional psychologists

A Clearer, More Structured Internship Year

The updated requirements outline exactly what your internship year needs to include. Your supervised practice now involves three key components:

1. 1,500 Hours of Psychological Practice

This is the heart of your internship and includes both direct and indirect client work.

Direct client contact (minimum 500 hours):

• Psychological assessment

• Intervention

• Formulation

• Consultation

• Providing advice and strategies

• Contact with associated parties (e.g., parents or teachers)

Up to 60 hours of this can be simulated practice, such as role plays, observation, or virtual client work.

Client-related activities: These support your direct work and may include scoring assessments, writing reports, researching for formulation, or discussing cases with colleagues.

2. 80 Hours of Supervision

Supervision is recognised as a core teaching and developmental process.

• At least 50 hours must be one-on-one with your principal supervisor

• Includes direct observation of your practice

  • Two assessment sessions every 6 months

  • Two intervention sessions every 6 months

• Can be face-to-face or via telehealth

• Supervision must focus on developing the eight professional competencies required for general registration

  
  

A secondary supervisor is also required and can support with specific client groups, offsite arrangements, or when the principal supervisor is unavailable.

3. 60 Hours of Education and Training Activities

This includes any learning activity that enhances your knowledge, cultural capability, and competency as a psychologist.

Examples include:

• Workshops, lectures, seminars

• Self-directed learning

• National Psychology Exam preparation

• Reading peer-reviewed articles

• Training that supports culturally safe practice and work with diverse groups

Your Internship Plan

Before beginning direct client work, you must have:

• Provisional registration

• An Internship Program Plan completed with your supervisor

• An approved psychological work role

Your plan outlines the nature of your work, how the competencies will be met, your supervision arrangements, and your education and training schedule. It can be updated throughout the year if your role or supervision changes.

What Counts as Psychological Work

Your role must give you opportunities to apply psychological skills and knowledge in real practice. This means involvement in:

• Assessment planning

• Diagnosis

• Intervention

• Formulation

• Risk identification and prevention

Roles that are not psychological in nature, such as tutoring, research-only roles, or roles without direct or indirect client work, cannot be approved.

You are also not permitted to operate independently or work as a sole provider. You must be supported, supervised, and working within a structured placement.

Reporting and Record-Keeping

Throughout your internship you will complete:

A weekly logbook that documents:

• Practice hours

• Supervision details

• Education and training activities

• Supervisor comments and feedback

Six-monthly progress reviews

Completed collaboratively with your principal supervisor, these reflect on your development, growth, and competency trajectory.

A final assessment of competence

Completed at the end of your internship year, after you pass the National Psychology Exam.

The National Psychology Exam

For 5+1 interns, the exam is a mandatory component of the pathway to general registration. It assesses your application of psychological knowledge across ethics, intervention, assessment, and communication.

You must pass the exam before submitting your final application for general registration.

Flexibility, Leave, and Changes

The updated requirements recognise real-life circumstances and provide structure around taking breaks:

• Up to 8 weeks of leave can be taken each year without approval

• Longer leave requires written approval

• Supervisor changes must be formally documented

• Work role changes require an updated internship plan

If you discontinue or pause your internship, there are clear pathways to recommence later.

Your Professional Title

Throughout your internship, your correct title is:

Provisional Psychologist (or Psychology Intern)

You cannot use the title “psychologist” until you hold general registration.

After You Complete the Internship

Once all components are met, including the exam, you can apply for general registration. Your final application includes your logbook summaries, the final competence report, and confirmation that your internship requirements have been completed over a minimum of 44 weeks.

Final Message for Provisional Psychologists

This updated structure is designed to support you, not overwhelm you. The revised internship expectations provide transparency, fairness, and a developmental framework to help you grow confidently into your role as a registered psychologist.

You’re not expected to be perfect, just progressing, reflecting, learning, and applying your skills under supportive supervision. If you stay organised, maintain open communication with your supervisors, and engage purposefully in your professional development, you’ll be well on your way to achieving general registration.