Clinical Psychologist vs General Psychologist - What You Need to Know

What is the difference between a registered psychologist and a clinical psychologist?

All psychologists in Australia must meet professional standards set by the Psychology Board of Australia. Whether a psychologist holds general registration only, or an additional area of practice endorsement (such as clinical psychology), they must meet the same threshold competencies in knowledge, skills, and safe professional practice.

In Australia, all psychologists first gain general registration after completing at least six years of university-level education and supervised training. This can be achieved through several different pathways:

A four-year accredited undergraduate psychology degree, plus a two-year supervised internship (the 4+2 pathway, now closed to new applicants), with successful completion of the National Psychology Exam.

A five-year sequence (an accredited four-year psychology degree plus a one-year graduate diploma), followed by a one-year supervised internship (the 5+1 pathway), and passing the National Psychology Exam.

Completing an APAC-accredited two-year postgraduate degree, such as a master’s in a specific area of psychology like health, forensic, or organisational psychology. Some higher degree graduates may be exempt from sitting the exam, depending on their course and the current registration rules.

Once registered, psychologists may choose to complete additional training and supervised practice to gain an area of practice endorsement (such as clinical, forensic, health, neuropsychology, organisational, or educational and developmental psychology). Endorsement allows a psychologist to use a protected specialist title (e.g., “Clinical Psychologist”) in addition to their general registration, but all psychologists, including those with endorsements, maintain their general registration.

Clinical psychologists complete a two-year APAC-accredited university program typically a master’s or doctoral degree in clinical psychology. After graduating, they must undertake a registrar program for clinical endorsement. This registrar program involves working in a clinical role, with regular supervision by an approved supervisor to review clinical work and ensure all required professional competencies are developed and demonstrated before the endorsement is granted by the Psychology Board of Australia.

The main practical difference between registered and clinical psychologists is the Medicare rebate amount. Under the Better Access initiative, clients seeing a clinical psychologist receive a higher rebate ($145.25 per session) than those seeing a registered psychologist ($98.95 per session). This is a policy decision and does not indicate a difference in competency, scope of practice, or the quality of care delivered.

Peak bodies such as the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi) have consistently advocated for a single-tier Medicare rebate, emphasising that there is insufficient evidence showing clinical endorsement leads to better outcomes for clients. The current two-tier system has been criticised for creating financial and access barriers, particularly in rural and regional areas where most psychologists hold general registration.

The most recent available data shows that approximately 30% of psychologists in Australia hold clinical endorsement, while around 70% are registered (general) psychologists without a clinical endorsement.​

This means for every 10 psychologists:

• About 3 are clinical psychologists (with clinical endorsement)

• About 7 are general psychologists (without clinical endorsement; some may hold other endorsements, like forensic or health, but clinical is by far the most common)

These proportions can shift slightly as the workforce changes, but most practising psychologists in Australia continue to hold general registration only