The CPCA Student Member - Student Application Form

Must be enrolled in a college or university program which provides the minimum education criteria that facilitates the development of entry-level core competencies required for registration OR is enrolled in a course(s) which, in addition to previously acquired education, meets the minimum education requirements. Upon completion of the approved education with the developed core competencies and subsequent qualifying exam, a student member is eligible to apply for Candidate membership with the CPCA.

Upgrading of designation requires successful completion of CPCA Qualifying Exam.

Check out the CPCA Student Member Guide to answer all your questions about Student Membership

The RPC Provisional Designation - Application Form

The CPCA has two Counselling Scopes of Practice - (1) the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice and (2) the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice.  In the application form, you will be asked to choose your counselling scope of practice.  As such, the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice is aligned with the Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC) designation.  

The Provisional status to the RPC designation means that the counsellor is in the process of obtaining 600 hours of supervised counselling practice which involves:

• 150 Hours of Supervision
• 250 Direct Client Contact Hours and
• 200 Professional Practice or Currency Hours

Please refer to the CPCA Provisional Guide for Counsellors to answer questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. The provisional designation is a full practicing designation.  The Provisional status of the designation is to support members in the early stages of their counselling practice. Once the 600 hours are complete a member can complete a Qualifying Application to become a RPC full designation without the "provisional" status.

After review of your RPC Provisional application, there is a CPCA Qualifying Exam (QE) for the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice. Successful completion of the CPCA Qualifying Exam is required to obtain an RPC Provisional designation. 

Check out the CPCA Provisional Guide for Counsellors to answer all your questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. 

The MPCC Provisional Designation - Application Form

The CPCA has two Counselling Scopes of Practice - (1) the Mental Health Counselling Scope of Practice and (2) the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice.  In the application form, you will be asked to choose your counselling scope of practice.  As such, the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice is aligned with the Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC) designation.  

The Provisional status to the MPCC designation means that the counsellor is in the process of obtaining 600 hours of supervised counselling practice which involves:

• 150 Hours of Supervision
• 250 Direct Client Contact Hours and
• 200 Professional Practice or Currency Hours

Please refer to the CPCA Provisional Guide for Counsellors to answer questions about the Provisional status of your counselling designation. The provisional designation is a full practicing designation.  The Provisional status of the designation is to support members in the early stages of their counselling practice. Once the 600 hours are complete a member can complete a Qualifying Application to obtain an MPCC full designation without the "provisional" status.

After review of your RPC Provisional application, there is a CPCA Qualifying Exam (QE) for the Clinical Counselling Scope of Practice. Successful completion of the CPCA Qualifying Exam is required to obtain an MPCC Provisional designation. 

The RQS Designation - Registered Qualified Supervisor

 [Application Form]  [RQS Recommendation Form]  [Supervision Verification Form]  

• This application is only open to members who hold an RPC or MPCC designation from the CPCA and have been in clinical practice for a minimum of 8 of the last 10 years.
• This designation requires 30 hours of specific training in clinical supervision.  You can get this training from a variety of sources. [List of Supervision Training Options]
• The process to receive an RQS designation is a 2-Step process:

Step 1: Become an RQS Provisional by completing the following:

• Complete the RQS Application Form 
• Gather all documentation needed (see page 1 of application)
• Send to qualifying@thecpca.ca with "RQS Application" in the subject line with all attachments.
• Send RQS Application fee of $75 (plus applicable fees and taxes)
• Once approved, the difference in your membership dues will be required.
• Send RQS Recommendation Form to those who are recommending you (see details in the application form) and have them forward it to qualifying@thecpca.ca 

Step 2: Complete Supervision Hours as an RQS Provisional

• Complete 100 hours of documented counselling supervision as a provisional RQS
• Provide verification that you received clinical supervision for these supervision hours 
• Submit the RQS Supervision Hours Verification Form to qualifying@thecpca.ca

Note: An RQS applicant who has already completed 100 hours of supervised clinical supervision hours may be eligible to submit these hours if they were completed after 30 hours of required supervision education.