Applying to Train

In order to apply to train with us, you will first need to send a letter and short CV to the Chair of the Admissions Committee at the Institute of Psychoanalysis.

You will then be offered a preliminary interview, which will assess your eligibility and readiness to apply for the training.  At the conclusion of the preliminary interview you will be told whether you have permission to make a full application. If it is thought that you are not yet ready to go further, this will be explained and discussed with you.

If you are ready, then the next stage is to complete an application form. This is a long form, which requires both personal and professional information, and will take some time and considerable thought to complete. You will then be offered two admissions interviews, at least a week apart, with two different analysts. These are unlike most job or other course interviews: they are lengthy (usually about an hour and a half to two hours each) and invite the applicant to an in-depth personal exploration, which may be emotionally demanding and sometimes challenging. The decision on your application is made by the whole Admissions Committee, following discussion of the interviews and consideration of your application form, CV and references. You will be notified of the decision in writing. There are four possible outcomes: acceptance, rejection, occasionally an invitation for a third interview and a re-interview (RI).

If you are not successful in your first application, you will be offered feedback on the thinking behind this decision; you are allowed to make two further applications for the training. In case you are made RI, an advisor will be appointed, who will offer advice and discuss with you when it will be appropriate for you to have new sets of interviews. RI is not considered as a rejection.

Our application process is rigorous and demanding because we want to be as sure as possible that you are serious about training and have the personal aptitude and capacity to qualify and to work as a psychoanalyst. We hope that the careful choice of candidates who are able to bring these qualities to the training, will contribute to an atmosphere of enthusiasm, professionalism and mutual support.

If you are thinking about applying to our training and would like to find out more about the course, training routes or the application process from someone with first-hand experience, we would be happy to arrange an informal telephone conversation between you and a training analyst. To arrange this, please contact the Education Officer on 020 7563 5015, or by email at Rohima.Alam@iopa.org.uk.

You may submit a letter and CV to the institute at any time. Both preliminary interviews and formal admissions interviews are carried out throughout the year. However please note that in order to be considered for starting the training in the following September, you will need to have  completed an application form before the 1st November of the preceding year. In order to submit your application before the deadline, you should approach the Institute early enough, by mid-September to arrange a preliminary interview, in order to have sufficient time to prepare the application form for the second stage of your application.