1Course record · North West
Lancaster University
Does Lancaster test before interview? Yes, for 2027 entry: a reasoning test, 8 to 22 February 2027.
The record
Before you apply
What you must meet to apply, in the course’s own words.
Right to work and fee status
We do not accept International applicants. Please note that we have funding, residency, and language requirements which all applicants must meet to be considered.
Source: Clearing House entry requirements, updated ; checked .
Places on the programme are only available for individuals who meet the following criteria: -
EU / EEA / Swiss national who has been ordinarily resident in the EU / EEA / Switzerland for the 3 years preceding the date of programme commencement, having commenced residence and remained ordinarily resident in the UK prior to 31st December 2020. Such applicants must hold pre-settled or settled status.
OR
Be a UK citizen or hold Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK. In either case applicants must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the 3 years preceding the date of programme commencement.
OR
Hold refugee status and have recourse to public funds
You will need to be eligible AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION and not be awaiting a change in immigration status.
Source: Lancaster’s funding, residency and language page, updated ; checked .
GBC when you apply
Candidates must, at the time of application, be eligible for GBC with the BPS. Only those candidates who are eligible for GBC will be considered.
Evidence of eligibility for GBC with the BPS must be provided to the Clearing House as part of every application before the end of January or the application will not be considered.
Source: Clearing House entry requirements, updated ; checked .
English language
However, if your first language is not English, your proficiency needs to be evidenced by any one of the following ways: -
A completed qualification taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country at degree level or above (not including PG Certs) completed in the last 3 years
IELTS minimum score of 7.0 in each element
TOEFL minimum score of 20 in each element
If your first language is not English and you do not provide evidence of meeting one of the above requirements then your application to the programme will not be taken forward.
Source: Lancaster’s funding, residency and language page, updated ; checked .
Earlier NHS-funded training
Individuals who have previously been funded to participate in the programmes listed below, and commenced on or following the 31st March 2022, will be unable to access another NHS funded training in the psychological professions until two years after they qualify from that programme.
In addition, any individual who fails or is removed from any NHS funded psychological professions training will not be eligible for funding for the DClinPsy programme at any point in the future.
Source: Lancaster’s funding, residency and language page, updated ; checked .
Not mentioned on these pages: driving licence, getting to placements, degree, experience, research, other study, suitability statements and other conditions.
Our note: Lancaster’s entry tab says the course “does not have any requirement for applicant's degree classification or prior work experience”. Its funding, residency and language page shows a modified date of 7 November 2024.
Pages read: Clearing House entry requirements, updated ; Clearing House selection procedure, updated ; Lancaster course page, updated ; Lancaster’s shortlisting page, updated ; Lancaster’s selection event page, updated ; Lancaster’s funding, residency and language page, updated ; all checked .
Before interview
Reasoning test
When8 to 22 February 2027
SHL's Verify Interactive deductive reasoning test: 12 items in a standard 18-minute limit, taken online.
More about the test
It is adaptive, and scored on a combination of work rate, hit rate and question level. The course is explicit that the test alone decides who reaches interview. Applicants to more than one programme using the test sit it once, and the results are shared with each.
Sources: Lancaster’s shortlisting page, checked ; Lancaster’s selection event page, checked .
At interview
A group task, a written task, a role-play with an actor or panel member, a filmed scenario, a written clinical vignette and a panel interview.
When“First round interviews (AM or PM): Monday 22nd March 2027, Tuesday 23rd March 2027, Wednesday 24th March 2027. Second round interviews (~90 minutes): Monday 5th April 2027, Tuesday 6th April 2027, Wednesday 7th April 2027, Thursday 8th April 2027, Friday 9th April 2027.”
Source: Lancaster University, updated ; checked .
Two rounds, both in person at Lancaster; the course states selection “cannot be undertaken online under any circumstances”. Approximately 200 candidates are invited to a first-round half day on 22, 23 or 24 March 2027: a group task, a written task under exam conditions on a laptop, and a role-play of a challenging social situation, which the course says assesses social and communication skills rather than clinical skill.
More about the interview
Up to 120 return for a second round of roughly 90 minutes between 5 and 9 April 2027: a further role-play, a video task on a difficult non-clinical scenario, a vignette exercise outlining a professional or ethical dilemma, and a structured competency-based interview. First-round panels typically include a member of the programme staff and a current trainee; in the second round one or more local stakeholders join them. For the structured interview, “The panel will not have read your application form so do not assume they have prior knowledge of your experiences.” The course says activities may change before interviews begin.
Sources: Lancaster’s shortlisting page, checked ; Lancaster’s selection event page, checked .
What your form is rated on
We invite the highest scoring candidates to our interview events later in the year. We do not rate the information on the Clearing House form.
Source: Lancaster University, checked .
A note on this record
The Clearing House short-listing list, updated 7 September 2026, gives the test window as 11 to 25 February 2027. Lancaster's own page, modified 7 October 2026, gives 8 to 22 February, and this record follows it. Lancaster points candidates at SHL's own practice tests, and notes that the deductive test used in the live sitting is not the same as the one on SHL's public practice site. Everyone who attends the interview events resits the test under supervision to verify the result.
Dates for 2027 entry
- Applications close
- 18 November 2026, 1:00 pm
- Reasoning test
- 8 to 22 February 2027
- Interviews
- “First round interviews (AM or PM): Monday 22nd March 2027, Tuesday 23rd March 2027, Wednesday 24th March 2027. Second round interviews (~90 minutes): Monday 5th April 2027, Tuesday 6th April 2027, Wednesday 7th April 2027, Thursday 8th April 2027, Friday 9th April 2027.”
Sources: Clearing House, checked ; Lancaster’s shortlisting page and Lancaster’s selection event page, checked ; Lancaster’s selection event page, checked .
Prepare for this course
- Practise deductive reasoningSets a reasoning test before interview, 8 to 22 February 2027.
The real test adapts to your answers. This practice uses a fixed set of items.
- Practise interview questionsUses six interview formats. On ethics, safeguarding and dilemmas, its record mentions “a vignette exercise outlining a professional or ethical dilemma”.
Our own questions, on the themes courses name.
- Practise situational judgementUses a filmed scenario at interview.
The scenarios here were written for this site.
Checked Report an errorCorrections
Reported online by applicants, not confirmed by the course
What trainees and applicants have said in public about selection here, paraphrased. The process may have changed since.
Posted 2024 to 2025: 10 reports about earlier years or from single accounts
Several, older: 28 accounts
An expert by experience took part in the interview, according to 28 of 29 first-year survey respondents.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 19 Sept 2025, checked .
Several, older: 3 accounts
Trainees across several cohorts say the agenda, the tasks and the competencies assessed were made clear before the day.
Sources: BPS Alternative Handbook, 19 Sept 2025, checked ; BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
Several, older: 2 accounts
Current trainees acted as hosts and offered advice before interview; an earlier trainee was offered a video call with a current trainee.
Sources: BPS Alternative Handbook, 19 Sept 2025, checked ; BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
Several, older: 2 accounts
Trainees say questions were competency-based, about values, motivation and fit, and could draw on any life or work experience rather than testing clinical or research knowledge.
Sources: BPS Alternative Handbook, 19 Sept 2025, checked ; BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
One account
One first-year trainee reports discussion of intersectionality, power and privilege during selection.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 19 Sept 2025, checked .
One account
A first-year trainee says the interview structure had changed a little since the year before.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 19 Sept 2025, checked .
One account
One earlier trainee says selection ran over two days, one online and one in person, and that the individual part has since moved in person.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
One account
One earlier trainee describes a face-to-face group task as the first stage, with experts by experience taking part, followed by elements including a role-play.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
One account
One earlier trainee wished the video task had been explained more clearly beforehand.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
One account
One earlier trainee received only a single sentence of feedback after an interview and could not ask for more.
Source: BPS Alternative Handbook, 20 Sept 2024, checked .
If you have applied here
What Lancaster says about feedback
Feedback on your performance will be emailed to candidates following the selection process. Please do not telephone or email the programme for this information.
Source: Lancaster University, selection event, checked .
Applying again: feedback from each course
- Take the test publisher’s own free practice test too. The publisher says its practice tests may not reflect the difficulty of the real one.
SHL’s free practice tests: the Deductive Reasoning Test (Mobile-Enabled, Interactive).SHL’s page carries no date; checked 24 September 2026.
This site is not affiliated with Lancaster University.
Sources
- lancaster.ac.uk: selection procedureUpdated 7 October 2026; checked 10 October 2026.
- lancaster.ac.uk: the course’s own pageChecked 10 October 2026.
- clearing-house.org.uk: which courses use a short-listing testUpdated 7 September 2026; checked 16 October 2026.