These requirements must be met before an application can be considered for review by a specialty board. Specialty boards may impose additional requirements beyond these generic requirements.
Doctoral Degree Requirement
Doctoral degrees (PhD, PsyD, EdD) earned in the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada must be granted by a regionally accredited institution and meet the following requirements:
1. Doctoral Degrees Granted in 2018 or Later
The doctoral degree program must have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the degree was granted.
2. Doctoral Degrees Granted Before 2018
- If the doctoral degree program was APA- or CPA-accredited, it is deemed acceptable.
- If the doctoral degree program was listed in the Joint Designation Program of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) / National Register (NR), it is deemed acceptable.
- All other applicants must complete the ABPP Standards Committee Doctoral Degree Program Review Form. The program must have included at least one full-time academic year of residency, or the equivalent. The ABPP Standards Committee will determine the acceptability of the degree program.
Internship Requirement
Predoctoral internships completed in the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada must meet the following requirements:
1. Internships Completed in 2020 or Later
The internship program must have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the APA or CPA at the time of internship completion.
Exception: Individuals who submit their initial application to ABPP before 2027 and complete their internship before 2026 may still qualify if:
- The internship was an APPIC-member internship; or
- The ABPP Standards Committee reviews the completed Internship Review Form and determines the internship is acceptable.
2. Internships Completed Before 2020
- If the internship program was APA- or CPA-accredited, or was an APPIC-member internship, it is deemed acceptable.
- All other applicants must complete the ABPP Standards Committee Internship Review Form. The ABPP Standards Committee will determine the internship’s acceptability.
Licensure Requirement
All ABPP candidates in the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada must be licensed as psychologists for independent doctoral-level practice in a jurisdiction within the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada.
International Applicants
Individuals whose training, education, and/or licensure is from outside the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada should contact the ABPP Central Office for additional information before applying.