NCPS requirements for trainee counsellors, in plain English

The numbers during training

NCPS requires a minimum of 100 supervised clinical hours with clients within a relevant organisation or agency during training. While you practise, NCPS asks for a minimum of 1.5 hours of supervision per month, face to face (in the room) with a qualified supervisor, meeting no less than fortnightly, and recommends one hour of supervision for every eight hours of client work.

NCPS also gives caseload guidance most trainees never hear stated plainly: at first, see a maximum of four clients per week, rising to up to six per week once you have at least 75 hours of clinical experience.

Months with no clients

A break from supervision may be taken only in a calendar month in which you see no clients, and only with the agreement of your training provider, placement provider and supervisor. In any month where you do see clients, the supervision minimum stands. Keep the agreement in writing: a gap in your supervision record with nothing to explain it looks the same as a missed month years later.

How group supervision is counted

A mix of one-to-one and group supervision is acceptable, and NCPS publishes the same counting rule as BACP: in a group of up to four, each participant can claim half the time together; for groups of five or more the time is divided equally. So a two-hour group of four gives each member one claimable hour, and a two-hour group of six gives each member 20 minutes. Peer supervision does not count for students: the group must be facilitated by an experienced supervisor.

The hour thresholds after you qualify

The 100 hours is only the first marker. NCPS's accredited tiers ask for more, and the post-qualification split matters: Accredited Professional Registrant (PNCPS Acc.) requires at least 450 hours of supervised clinical practice, of which at least 150 must come after gaining your core qualification, at least three years from your first supervised client session, plus 30 hours of CPD in the year before you apply. Senior Accredited (SNCPS Acc.) asks for at least 500 supervised practice hours with the same 150 post-qualification, at least four years of practice, and a Level 7 qualification. If you do not record which hours came before and after qualifying, you cannot prove the split later.

Sources

NCPS, "Become a counsellor" (ncps.com/become-a-counsellor) and "Membership categories & criteria" (ncps.com/become-a-member/individual/membership-categories-criteria), both checked 3 August 2026. This page summarises published guidance; it is not advice from NCPS, and the current published criteria always take precedence.