Diploma Application Form

Application - Diploma in Counselling

To complete this application form, we will ask you to submit the following documents:
- CV
- Personal biography
- Headshot (Digital Photograph - this can be taken with your phone)
- Scanned copies of certificates / supporting documentation
- Academic / Professional Reference - this should be from your current / most recent employer or educational establishment.
- Personal Reference - this could be a friend, old colleague, etc who has known you for at least 2 years.
- Therapist Approval Form (if you are currently in therapy)
Guidance for completing and submitting each document is laid out in the application form below.
Please ensure that the total size of all of your attachments when combined does not exceeed 10MB.

Please note:

There is a £135 application fee payable online when you apply. If you are not invited for an interview, this fee will be refunded.
We aren't able to support Tier 4 applications. You must already have the right to study in the UK when you apply.

Fields marked * are required

Course applied for and preferred year of entry*
Name*
First Last
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 Town County Postcode Country
Telephone Number*
Email*
Date of birth*
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Gender*
- Male
- Female
- Prefer Not to Say
- Prefer to Self-Describe
Please self-describe your gender here
Partnership status*
Children with ages*
Are you a guardian or a primary carer?*
- Yes
- No
Occupation*
Relevant previous training
Highest level of qualification*
Enter other qualification
Start Date
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Finishing Date
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Qualification(s) achieved (max. file size 2MB)
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 2 MB.
Please submit your certificates here
Please attach a scanned copy of your undergraduate degree certificate or equivalent. If you apply for the First Year Diploma / Post Graduate Diploma please attach a scanned copy of your Foundation certificate or equivalent.
- If you have any other significant, long term qualifications directly related to Counselling and Psychotherapy please include scanned copies of these too.
- If you have difficulties with scanning your certificates, please let us know.
Which institution awarded your highest qualification?
Relevant work experience*
Previous experience of personal therapy and growth work*
Other relevant courses completed
Relevant life experience
English language qualification
If English is not your first language, you need to demonstrate a capacity to study in English. Please list the highest level of courses/exams you have completed.
Please provide a brief statement of your interest in the course and how you would use it
Statement
CV
Please attach your CV (max. file size 1MB)*
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 1 MB, Max. files: 1.
This should be relevant to your application to the Minster Centre and should include a summary of your education and work experience, please start with the most recent and work backwards.
Personal biography

Please submit your Personal Biography here.

Length: 1000 - 1500 words, typed.

This is an important document that we will use to look for evidence of your capacity to reflect honestly, maturely and openly, on your background and life experience and its impact on you. Please write your biography in a way which shows this.
This biography is particularly important because training to be a therapist is likely to lead to you reflecting again on issues from you own life and will also require you to develop very high levels of self-awareness. We therefore need to assure ourselves that you are ready to undertake such training.

The following topics are likely to be relevant although there may be other areas that are important and you want to include:
- Family of origin including parents, siblings and/or any significant others
- Influences on the family such as cultural, religious or other belief, ethnic, educational, class and history.
- Main events and relationships in childhood and adolescence
- Current living situation and important relationships, including children
- Significant illnesses, accidents or other conditions or crises at any time
- Significant losses or separations
- Significant cares and concerns
- Why you would like to train as a therapist
Attach your personal biography here (max. file size 2MB)*
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 2 MB, Max. files: 1.
Headshot - Passport Style Digital Photograph

Please provide a professional looking passport style headshot (digital photograph) of yourself. This can be taken with your phone. Jpeg min 72dpi, max size 1MB
Attach your Photo here (jpeg, minimum 72dpi, maximum size 1 MB)*
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, Max. file size: 1 MB, Max. files: 1.
Academic and Personal References

Please supply two references – academic and personal.

Please note that both of the references should be either on headed paper or printed from the referee’s email account.
Please scan your references and submit them below.
If your referees would like to send their references directly to us, they can send them directly to our Admissions team on [email protected]. Please make sure they put your full name and the Course you are applying for.
Academic / Professional reference

Your academic referee should be from your current/most recent employer or educational establishment
Name of Academic/Professional Referee*
First Last
Post held / occupation*
Relationship to applicant*
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City County Postcode Country
Telephone*
Email*
Attach your Academic / Professional Reference here (max. file size 2MB)
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 2 MB, Max. files: 1.
Please make sure your referee reads this before they submit their reference supporting your application.

Dear Referee,

The applicant applied for our Diploma course in Counselling.

Practising as a counsellor or psychotherapist, and training to be one, is a psychologically, as well as intellectually, demanding process because it requires us to be open to forming and maintaining therapeutic relationships with others, who, at times, may be deeply distressed or confused. As an academic/professional referee, could you please let us know in what capacity and how long have you known the applicant? Also, please let us know why you think the candidate is suitable to complete our course.
Personal reference

Your personal referee could be a friend, old colleague, etc who has known you for at least 2 years.
Name of Personal Referee*
First Last
Post held / occupation*
Relationship to applicant*
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City County Postcode Country
Telephone*
Email*
Attach your personal reference here (max. file size 2MB)
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, Max. file size: 2 MB, Max. files: 1.
Please make sure your referee reads this before they submit their reference supporting your application.

Dear Referee,

The applicant applied for our Diploma course in Counselling.

Practising as a counsellor or psychotherapist, and training to be one, is a psychologically, as well as intellectually, demanding process because it requires us to be open to forming and maintaining therapeutic relationships with others, who, at times, may be deeply distressed or confused. As personal referee, could you please let us know in what capacity and how long have you known the applicant? Also, please let us know why you think the candidate is suitable to complete our course.
Do you consider yourself to have a disability, long term health condition or specific learning difference?*
Please see our Guidance for students with disabilities and provide a brief description of any support needs you will have for the interview and to study with us. You may be contacted by our Disability Co-ordinator.
Do you have an allergy that you think we should know about? If so, please give details.*
Please note that the Minster Centre is a peanut-free zone. Please do not bring peanuts or anything containing peanuts into the building at any time.
How did you hear about this course?*
- BACP website
- Minster Centre website
- Friend
- Colleague
- Therapist
- Internet research - please specify
- Student
- Graduate
- Event - please specify
- Other - please specify
Please specify
Will you be applying for the Helen Davis Bursary?*
- Yes
- No
- Undecided
(Please note that you can only apply for a bursary once you have been accepted onto the course you applied for)
If you would like to apply for our bursary scheme please see our Funding page for more information
Are you taking any medication?*
- Yes
- No
Have you had any physical, psychiatric or emotional conditions or any addictions for which you have had treatment during the last five years?*
- Yes
- No
Have you ever been diagnosed with a psychiatric condition?*
- Yes
- No
Have you ever been diagnosed with a serious medical condition?*
- Yes
- No
Do you have a reason why regular attendance would be difficult?*
- Yes
- No
Do you have any relationship with any staff or students at The Minster Centre?*
- Yes
- No
Do you have a criminal record?*
- Yes
- No
If you have answered 'Yes' to any of the questions above then please give details here
Therapist Approval

If you are engaged with a therapist, please complete the below Therapist Approval Form when you submit your completed Application
Click Here for the Therapist Approval Form
Your application will be screened, after an initial screening you may be invited for an interview. Please indicate any dates you are unable to attend. Thank you.
Please note that there is no discrimination intended in these questions and that it is crucial that you answer these questions fully. Information provided will be held in confidence. If you are accepted onto the course, it will be accessible to key training staff during your training. If you are not accepted onto the course, this application will be destroyed.
*
To the best of my knowledge all details given on this form are true and correct.*
Therapist Approval Form confirmation*
I understand that I must also submit the Therapist Approval Form for my application to be considered*
All Minster Centre courses involve a high degree of experiential learning and require a degree of psychological robustness and capacity for self-reflection. The Centre reserves the right to refuse admission to applicants who we judge would not, at this time, be able to benefit from our training or for whom it might be too disturbing
There is a £135 non-refundable interview fee.
Interview fee*
Price:
Credit Card
Card Details
Cardholder Name
Student/applicant diversity monitoring information

We are collecting information to allow us to monitor recruitment, attendance and progression on our courses by different groups of people so that we can consider diversity issues in a more informed way. This data will also be used to supply data to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), please note that individual data is supplied to HESA. This is a requirement because we have courses approved for postgraduate loans. For further information about HESA and your data please see the end of this form.

Please respond to the following questions. Your answers will be securely stored on your student/applicant record.

The categories offered correspond to the categories used by HESA – this will help us make the necessary returns when the time comes and will also allow us to benchmark the Minster Centre against the wider higher education sector.

Please note: there is a prefer not to say option for some questions so that you do not have to disclose information if you choose not to.
Country of birth*
Nationality*
Domicile (country of permanent home address, prior to entry to the course)*
What is your sex?*
- Male
- Female
- Other
Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were originally assigned at birth?*
- Yes
- No
- Prefer not to say
What is your ethnic origin?*
- White
- Gypsy or Traveller
- Black or Black British - Caribbean
- Black or Black British - African
- Other Black background
- Asian or Asian British - Indian
- Asian or Asian British - Pakistani
- Asian or Asian British- Bangladeshi
- Chinese
- Other Asian background
- Mixed - White and Black Caribbean
- Mixed - White and Black African
- Mixed - White and Asian
- Other mixed background
- Arab
- Other ethnic background
- Not known
- Prefer not to say
Do you have an impairment, health condition or learning difference?*
- No known disability
- Two or more impairments and/or disabling medical conditions
- A specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or AD(H)D
- A social/communication impairment such as Asperger's syndrome/other autistic spectrum disorder
- A long standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
- A mental health condition such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety disorder
- A physical impairment or mobility issues such as difficulty using arms or using a wheelchair or crutches
- Deaf or a serious hearing impairment
- Blind or a serious visual impairment uncorrected by glasses
- A disability impairment or medical condition that is not listed above
Please tick those categories that apply to you. You can select more than one option
What is the most significant or primary learning difficulty, disability or health problem that impacts on your education?*
- You do not consider yourself to have a learning difficulty and/or disability and/or health problem
- Visual impairment
- Hearing impairment
- Disability affecting mobility
- Profound complex disabilities
- Social and emotional difficulties
- Mental health difficulty
- Moderate learning difficulty
- Severe learning difficulty
- Dyslexia
- Dyscalculia
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Asperger's syndrome
- Temporary disability after illness (for example post-viral) or accident
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs
- Other physical disability
- Other specific learning difficulty (e.g. Dyspraxia)
- Other medical condition (for example epilepsy, asthma, diabetes)
- Other learning difficulty
- Other disability
Please select only one option
Which of these best describes your religion/belief?*
- No religion
- Buddhist
- Christian
- Hindu
- Jewish
- Muslim
- Sikh
- Spiritual - belief in the spiritual dimension of all life, which can be experienced directly and without the assistance of conventional religion
- Any other religion or belief
- Prefer not to say
What is your sexual orientation?*
- Bisexual
- Gay man
- Gay woman/lesbian
- Heterosexual
- Other
- Prefer not to say
What is your professional background?*
- Creative/communications industries
- Business or professions
- Health care/mental health
- Teaching/lecturing
- Home keepers
- Practical/services
- Governmental
- Alternative therapy
- Psychology applied
- Other
- Prefer not to say
HESA

HESA is the designated data body responsible for collecting and disseminating information about higher education in the UK. Every year we will send some of the information we hold about you to HESA.

Your HESA information will not be used to make automated decisions about you.

Data submitted by us to HESA includes details about the course you are studying and any qualifications awarded to you during the academic year. It also includes personal details about you such as your name and date of birth, your prior qualifications, and where you lived before starting your course. We will also be required to provide information about your disability status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religion which is classed as ‘Sensitive personal data’ under the DPA, and ‘Special categories of data’ under the GDPR. This information is necessary for monitoring equality of opportunity and eliminating unlawful discrimination in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. Your sensitive information will be used for research purposes and will not be used to make decisions about you.

Some other information is used by HESA to enable research into the provision of fair access to higher education, for example information as to whether you are a care leaver or details of any financial support you may receive from us.

All uses of HESA information must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and from 25 May 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

HESA may process information with third parties. It may charge other organisations to whom it provides services and data. Uses of your information may include linking parts of it to other information. Information provided to HESA is retained indefinitely for statistical research purposes.

For more information about data collection and data protection please see the HESA Student Collection Notice: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/about/regulation/data-protection/notices
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Application - Diploma in Counselling

To complete this application form, we will ask you to submit the following documents:

Please note:

Relevant previous training

English language qualification

Please provide a brief statement of your interest in the course and how you would use it

CV

Personal biography

Headshot - Passport Style Digital Photograph

Academic and Personal References

Academic / Professional reference

Personal reference

Therapist Approval

There is a £135 non-refundable interview fee.

Student/applicant diversity monitoring information

HESA