FAQs for Applicants

You will need to complete the application process.

if you are registered as a psychologist in Canada or the US, please click here.

if you are not registered as a psychologist, please click here.

if you obtained your graduate degree from outside Canada or the US, please click here.

A very helpful publication has been developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. Applicants or those not previously involved with regulatory bodies may benefit from this information. Click here to access the document.

For applicants who have completed all requirements for their degree, but have not yet convocated, the Board will accept a pre-convocation transcript for the purposes of registration. The transcript must be accompanied by a signed letter from the Senate or Registrar of the University or Director/Dean Graduate Studies, confirming the date that all of the applicant’s degree requirements have been successfully completed as well as the expected date of convocation.  This letter and the transcript must be sent to NSBEP directly from the university.

If the individual’s degree is not conferred within six months of the expected convocation date, or if at an earlier time the Board determines the degree will not be conferred, such registration will be considered null and void. Individuals must provide verification to the Board once the degree has been conferred.

Any of the following would be acceptable means of proving subsequent convocation:

• A letter confirming the degree has been conferred and on what date (this must be sent to NSBEP directly from the university )
• If your university posts a list of Program graduates online, including the date of convocation, you may provide NSBEP with the precise website URL for verifying this information;
• As a last resort, applicants may bring their actual degree to the Board office for staff to view/copy.

Finally, if you are planning to become registered on the basis of a doctoral degree, but you already possess a master’s degree in psychology acceptable to the Board, then you may consider initially applying for registration on the basis of your master’s degree. After obtaining your doctorate, you could request that the Board approve your doctoral degree.  Please see the appropriate FAQ below, for more information.

The Board requires a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology that is acceptable to the Board from an educational institution approved by the Board.

I will be applying for registration on the basis of a master’s degree but soon completing a doctoral degree in psychology; how can I have my registration reflect this degree?

This is not uncommon.  You do not need to submit another application once you are registered on the basis of a master’s degree.  Rather, have an official transcript forwarded to NSBEP along with a request to have your registration reflect the doctorate.  If you have completed all requirements for your doctoral degree but have not convocated, click here for the requirements.

As per the Psychologists Act (2000), those registered on the Candidate Register will need to complete at least one year of post doctoral supervision before being eligible to take the Oral Exam (final step before placement on the Register of Psychologists). Additional supervision is not a requirement for those already registered on the Register of Psychologists.

The Board will need to review your request at the corresponding meeting of the Board before you can hold yourself out using the doctorate.

This is not uncommon.  You do not need to submit another application once you are registered on the basis of a master’s degree.  Rather, have an official transcript forwarded to NSBEP along with a request to have your registration reflect the doctorate.  If you have completed all requirements for your doctoral degree but have not convocated, click here for the requirements.

As per the Psychologists Act (2000), those registered on the Candidate Register will need to complete at least one year of post doctoral supervision before being eligible to take the Oral Exam (final step before placement on the Register of Psychologists). Additional supervision is not a requirement for those already registered on the Register of Psychologists.

The Board will need to review your request at the corresponding meeting of the Board before you can hold yourself out using the doctorate.

A listing of some acceptable programs as well as clarifying information about acceptable and unacceptable programs is available in the following document.

Additionally, the complete criteria for acceptable degrees in psychology is available from this document.

The application fee of $250.00 is payable by all applicants.

The Transfer Interview fee of $500.00 is payable by transfer applicants only.

The Registration Fee is payable by all applicants prior to being granted registration; information about the registration fee can be accessed by visiting the Information for Registrants section.

Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Cheque and Interac Transfer.  You can pay any fees online by clicking here.  Paying the fee online will provide you with a receipt by email as soon as you complete the process.  Alternatively, you may call or fax your credit card information into the office or send payment by mail.

A Supervisor must be secured when one submits an application for registration.

There are several options in finding psychologists to contact about potential supervision:

1. You can contact the Board for a list of names;

2. You can utilize the Directory of Psychologists;

3. The website of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (APNS) provides a private practice directory as well as biographical information about members.

4. Psychologists – even if they themselves are unavailable to supervise – might be able to recommend some potential supervisors.

Please note: If all other requirements of the application process are complete, the Board may conditionally review and approve an application for registration pending the applicant securing a NSBEP supervisor.  However, before applicants can be registered on the Register of Candidates, they must secure and provide the appropriate documentation for an appropriate Supervisor to gain NSBEP approval.

When submitting your Application for Registration, you should declare only the populations you expect you will be working with in the near future. You should not declare an area of practice or an age group for which you will not be working with, or receiving supervision for, during your candidacy.

If you are declaring more than one practice area during your candidacy period, the amount of hours spent in each area
must be at least equal to 20% of your full-time hours (e.g., 7.5 out of 37.5 hours total worked each week). Note that NSBEP must approve your areas of practice and age groups at the start of your candidacy. If you would like to add an area of practice or age group during your candidacy period, this will require NSBEP approval, and may require that you submit a learning plan. See the Supervision Handbook for details.

It can be challenging for candidates to find enough working hours during their candidacy period in order to adequately cover an additional practice area and/or population, as they have other obligations such as examinations and ongoing supervision. Ethically, psychologists are also expected to exercise self-care, reflection, and other activities to ensure their ability to provide an appropriate quality of service to clients. In most cases it is best for candidates to focus on their primary practice area and population(s) during their candidacy period, and then pursue an expansion of practice following placement on the Register of Psychologists. However, in keeping with professional standards, the registrant would need to ensure that their knowledge of the area into which they wish to expand is current, or they undertake the necessary activities.  Making changes to one’s practice profile would be governed by professional standards as noted below.

Standard IV.1 (NSBEP Standards for Providers)

Psychologists shall limit their delivery of services to those areas of competence as defined by verifiable training and experience. 

Interpretation: In the event that a psychologist chooses to expand services beyond the range of those usually delivered, the psychologist shall obtain pertinent training and/or appropriate professional supervision.

Standard IV.3 (NSBEP Standards for Providers)

Psychologists who wish to change their service specialty or to add an additional area of specialization must meet the same requirements with respect to subject matter and professional skills that apply to a post-graduate training in the new specialty. 

Yes, please see the Board’s policy on Candidate Residency for more information:

https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Requirements_candidate_residency.pdf

NSBEP’s jurisdiction is over the registration and regulation of psychologists in Nova Scotia. We are unable to answer questions specific to immigration requirements.

Given we do not have immigration in our portfolio, we refer you to the provincial resource that you may wish to consult to obtain more information about the requirements for immigration in Nova Scotia. This resource is called the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration; their website address is: http://novascotiaimmigration.com

If you wish to apply for registration with NSBEP, here is the section of the website outlining the process for internationally trained applicants seeking registration:
https://www.nsbep.org/applicants/international-applicants-2/