Psychotherapist; application for admission to the psychotherapeutic examination (new law)

After completing the Master's degree program in Psychotherapy, you can apply for admission to the psychotherapeutic examination.

After completing the Master's degree program in Psychotherapy, students can take a two-part psychotherapeutic examination leading to a license to practice as a "psychotherapist". This examination takes place every six months in spring and fall, in a winter semester in March at the earliest and in a summer semester in September at the earliest.
The psychotherapeutic examination covers the content taught during the course, which a psychotherapist must have in order to practice their profession independently and on their own responsibility (therapeutic skills).
It comprises an oral-practical case examination and an application-oriented course examination. The psychotherapeutic examination is passed if both the oral-practical case examination and the application-oriented course examination have been passed.
Participation in the examination requires prior admission.
This can be applied for here.

The subject of the oral-practical case examination is a patient history. The chairperson of the oral-practical case examination determines in agreement with the State Examination Office which patient case history is the subject of the oral-practical case examination. The oral-practical case examination is an individual examination, the examination content is determined by § 38 PsychThApprO. The oral-practical case examination can be repeated twice.

The dates for the application-oriented course examination can be found on the website of the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination Questions (see "Further links"). The examination questions for the application-oriented course examination are prepared by the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination Questions. The examination content is based on § 48 PsychThApprO. The course of the application-oriented course examination consists of two stations. In each station, two of the areas of competence listed in Section 48 (1) Sentence 2 Nos. 1 to 4 PsychThApprO are examined together. The competence area of therapeutic relationship management is tested in both stations. The application-oriented course examination can be repeated twice if it is not passed.

The application for admission to the examination can be withdrawn in writing without giving reasons as long as admission to the examination has not yet been granted. After admission to the examination, the regulations on withdrawal from the psychotherapeutic examination in accordance with § 30 PsychThApprO apply. The instructions issued for the examination must be observed.

If you have successfully completed a Master's degree program in psychotherapy at a Bavarian university and have the documents listed under "Required documents", you can register for the state examination.

The application for admission to the state examination must be submitted to the State Examination Office for Medicine, Pharmacy and Psychotherapy. The application must be accompanied by the documents listed under "Required documents".

If documents are submitted by post, no originals are to be submitted, but officially or notarized copies. The documents submitted in paper form will be destroyed after electronic entry.

The State Examination Office for Medicine, Pharmacy and Psychotherapy will send the applicant a summons to the examination.

There is an annual spring and fall examination. For the spring examination, the application must be submitted by December 10 at the latest, for the fall examination by May 10 at the latest. Admission to the state examination is not possible before the last semester of the Master's program.

The processing time is about one month.

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The application form must include an address to which the summons and, after completion of the examination, the examination result can be sent. If the address changes after the application has been submitted, the State Examination Office for Medicine, Pharmacy and Psychotherapy must be informed of the new address immediately. It may be advisable to submit a forwarding request to the post office. In the event of absence, it should be ensured that a person authorized to receive mail has a corresponding power of attorney to accept registered mail.

• The following evidence must be submitted:
  • Proof of identity
  • Proof of higher education entrance qualification and, in the case of certificates obtained abroad, also the letter of recognition from the competent authority under state law
  • Transcript of records showing the coursework and examinations completed in the Bachelor's degree program
  • the Bachelor's certificate and, if available, the statement that the professional requirements have been met
  • the notification of a degree equivalent to the Bachelor's degree, if no Bachelor's certificate according to point 4 is available
  • the transcript of records for the coursework and examinations completed in the Master's degree program
    If the transcript of records for the coursework and examinations completed in the Master's degree program cannot yet be fully enclosed with the application, a provisional transcript of records must be submitted with the university's certificate of expected graduation at the end of the semester. The complete transcript of records and the Master's certificate must then be submitted no later than three months after the psychotherapeutic examination has been fully completed (cut-off period).
  • the Master's certificate, which certifies the successful completion of the Master's degree program in accordance with §§ 7 and 9 of the Psychotherapists Act
    If the transcript of records for the coursework and examinations completed in the Master's degree program cannot yet be attached to the application in full, a provisional transcript of records must be submitted with the university's certificate of expected graduation at the end of the semester. The complete transcript of records and the Master's certificate must then be submitted no later than three months after completion of the psychotherapeutic examination (cut-off period).