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Register as
a Psychologist

  Register as
a Psychologist

Register as a Psychologist

This section provides information and resources regarding registration requirements, fees and the forms that must be completed in order to become a registered psychologist in Alberta. Please be advised the College has released important information on the EPPP-2. Click here for the CAP update and FAQ.

The Health Professions Act and the Psychologists Profession Regulation govern the practice of psychology in Alberta. Under its legislated authority, the College has set:

  • the qualifications needed for a person to become a psychologist in the province of Alberta
  • the steps involved in becoming a regulated member of the profession of psychology
  • the rules and regulations for the professional practice of psychology

To be eligible to practice as a registered psychologist in Alberta, you must meet the registration requirements to obtain a practice permit from the College.

The Fairness for Newcomers Office began operations on March 2, 2020. The Office is established under the Fair Registration Practices Act to remove barriers associated with the assessment of foreign qualifications, aiming to ensure that qualified individuals entering regulated professions from outside of Canada do not face unfair processes or barriers to registration. To find out more information, please visit the Fairness for Newcomers Office website. You can also review the following Fact Sheets which are also available on the Fairness for Newcomers Office:

The following sections further describe the registration process:

Prior to completing any applications, applicants should read the manual titled, Process to Register as a Psychologist in Alberta. The manual provides an overview of the registration process and describes the information required by the adjudicative committee in determining eligibility for registration, including academic qualifications, registration criteria, supervised experience and examinations.

A Tip Sheet is available to assist applicants in tracking their progress through the registration process.

This section outlines all costs charged by the College. Visit the Fee Schedule page for more information.

Applicants must meet the academic requirements of the College of Alberta Psychologists (the “College”). As the first step in the registration process, applicants must apply to have the Credentials Evaluation Sub-Committee (CESC) evaluate their academic credentials based on the Criteria for Evaluating Academic Credentials and when applicable, the Criteria for Evaluating Doctoral Credentials.

The College does not pre-approve programs or courses and does not provide assistance in choosing a psychology training program.

The CESC evaluates academic credentials on the basis of the established criteria at regularly scheduled meetings. Click here for application deadlines and meeting dates.

The website is routinely updated as changes to governing legislation or registration requirements are made. Please check the website prior to submitting an application, to ensure you have the most current information.

The College has developed common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to the evaluation of academic credentials. Click here for a copy of the FAQ. 

The following three sections provide applications, criteria and further details related to the evaluation of academic credentials:

Applicants must, minimally, have earned a graduate degree with a major in psychology, or a graduate degree with content substantially equivalent to a graduate degree with a major in psychology. The degree must have been earned at a government-authorized/accredited institution, must provide the appropriate credits in psychology and must include specific psychology coursework in core and substantive content areas.

The CESC evaluates academic credentials on the basis of the following criteria for applicants who began their graduate program:

The first step in the process of registration as a psychologist is to apply to have your academic credentials evaluated. An original application must be mailed or delivered to the College. Faxed, scanned or emailed applications are not accepted.

Only a regulated member who has earned a doctoral degree in a program of psychology approved by the CESC shall use the title “Doctor” or the abbreviations “Dr.”, ”PhD”, “EdD” or “PsyD” in connection with the practice of psychology, to ensure the title protection requirements of the Health Professions Act are met.

Doctoral credentials are evaluated on the basis of the established criteria. Click here for a copy of the criteria.

Individuals having a doctoral degree who are initially applying to have their academic credentials evaluated, are not required to complete this application. Their general academic and doctoral credentials will be evaluated together at a regularly scheduled meeting of the CESC.

Current members of the College and mobility applicants must submit the Application for Evaluation of Doctoral Credentials.

To access information on fees and the fee schedule click here.

This type of application is intended for applicants currently licensed or registered for active practice as a psychologist in any jurisdiction in Canada (CFTA) or anyone who currently holds a CPQ issued by the ASPPB. If this category does not apply to you, please see the Internationally Trained Applicants section.

The College has developed common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to mobility applicants and the process of registration. Click here for a copy of the FAQ.

Three mechanisms are available for mobility applicants and are described in further detail:

What is the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)?

The CFTA is a trade agreement between all provinces, territories and the federal government.

Its objective is to reduce and eliminate, to the extent possible, barriers to worker mobility, trade and investment within Canada and to establish an open efficient, and stable domestic market.

All provinces and territories in Canada are to comply with the obligations under the CFTA.

The CFTA was entered into force on July 1, 2017 and replaced the Agreement on International Trade (AIT).

The following links provide information, forms and resources related to registration under the CFTA:

This type of registration is intended for those currently licensed or registered for active practice outside of Canada.

The following links provide information, forms and resources related to registration under Internationally Trained Psychologists (ITP):

Calendars of meeting and deadline dates are provided for the following committees:
  • Credentials Evaluation Sub-Committee for the review of academic credentials
  • Oral Examinations Committee for the jurisprudence and ethics examination
  • Registration Approvals Sub-Committee for the review of registration documents
Click here for the meeting dates. Please note that meeting dates are subject to change without notice.

This type of application is intended for applicants currently licensed or registered in another jurisdiction who wish to practice in Alberta on a temporary basis for a period of up to one year.

The following links provide information, forms and resources related to courtesy registration:

This type of application is intended for those who are not eligible to register through the regular registration process. The applicant must demonstrate evidence of a combination of education, experience, practice and training, or other qualifications that demonstrate the competence required for registration as a psychologist in Alberta.

The following links provide information, forms and resources related to registration through the substantial equivalency process:

When an applicant’s academic credentials have been approved, the applicant may submit an application for registration as a provisional psychologist.

The following provides information, forms and resources related to registration as a provisional psychologist. The website is routinely updated as changes to governing legislation or registration requirements are made. Please check the website prior to submitting an application, to ensure you have the most current information.

Click on one of the links below to access further information:

The following documents provide the application and declaration forms for registration as a provisional psychologist. Click on the links listed below to access the relevant form:

The following links provide Supervisor’s Forms for the evaluation of a provisional psychologist:

The following Examinations are required:

Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).
The EPPP is a multiple-choice computerized examination designed to establish the applicant's familiarity with the core body of knowledge in psychology. Applicants may apply to take the EPPP any time after they have been issued a practice permit as a provisional psychologist or have an approved mobility application. However, the College suggests that provisional psychologists apply to take the EPPP early in their registration process.

The LEAP Examination.
The LEAP examination will assess whether applicants demonstrate a minimum standard of knowledge and judgment in matters of jurisprudence and ethics. Provisional psychologists must pass the LEAP examination prior to following the Standards for Supervision Form B. Click on one of the links below to access the relevant information:

Other requirements for final review:

Upon completion of the EPPP, Jurisprudence and Ethics Exam and 1600 hours of supervised practice, the provisional psychologist must submit the following documents as part of the final review for registration as a provisional psychologist:

The following links provide information, forms and resources related to registration under the Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ):

Questions about evaluating academic/doctoral credentials should be directed to the Credentials department via email at credentials@cap.ab.ca

Questions about the registration process should be directed to the Registration department via email at registration@cap.ab.ca. Inquiries/emails will be responded to in the order in which they were received.