Your 2026 National Psychology Exam Study Checklist

Preparing for the National Psychology Exam can feel overwhelming, especially with the updated curriculum coming into effect in 2026. Many provisional psychologists find themselves unsure about where to start, what to prioritise, and how to structure their study in a way that feels manageable alongside work, supervision, and life in general. This checklist brings everything back to basics, giving you a clear roadmap you can follow from day one of exam prep through to the final week.

The 2026 National Psychology Exam Dates

To study effectively, anchor your preparation to the exam window you intend to sit. Below is the full 2026 schedule, including exam periods and registration deadlines.

February 2026 Exam Window

Exam: Monday 2 February – Friday 20 February 2026

Registration: Tuesday 9 December – Friday 16 January

May 2026 Exam Window

Exam: Monday 4 May – Friday 22 May 2026

Registration: Tuesday 10 March – Friday 17 April

August 2026 Exam Window

Exam: Monday 3 August – Friday 21 August 2026

Registration: Tuesday 9 June – Friday 17 July

November 2026 Exam Window

Exam: Monday 2 November – Friday 27 November 2026

Registration: Tuesday 8 September – Friday 16 October

Mark these dates in your calendar early. Many provisional psychologists underestimate how quickly registration deadlines pass.

1. Understand the 2026 Curriculum Structure

Before you begin studying, make sure you’re clear on what the exam is assessing. The 2026 National Psychology Examis organised into four domains:

• Ethics (30%)

• Assessment (30%)

• Intervention (30%)

• Communication (10%)

Understanding the structure will guide your study plan and help you prioritise high-value areas.

2. Gather Your Core Study Materials

A focused study plan starts with the right materials. At minimum, you’ll need:

• The official NPE curriculum

• The AHPRA Code of Conduct and Core Competencies — ensure you are using the versions effective from 1 December 2025, as they differ from earlier guidelines

• Practice vignettes or NPE-style MCQs

• A structured study support tool or companion

• The NPE recommended reading list (if you plan to study without a course)

Avoid overwhelming yourself with unnecessary documents. Stick to the materials that directly align with the NPE curriculum.

3. Build a Realistic Study Schedule

One of the biggest mistakes provisional psychologists make is trying to “cram” the exam. Instead:

• Allow 3–6 months of structured preparation

• Break your study into domain blocks

• Use short sessions for memorisation and longer sessions for vignette-based reasoning

• Track your progress each week
  

Small, consistent study sessions are far more effective than occasional long days.

4. Start with Ethics

Ethics underpins every domain and appears in the majority of vignette questions. Make sure you review:

• Ethical principles

• Confidentiality and informed consent

• Professional boundaries

• Record keeping

• Mandatory reporting

• Risk management

• Communication principles
  

Ethics and communication together make up 40% of your exam, and understanding these core principles will strengthen your responses across every domain. These are also the areas many candidates find challenging due to the “grey” nature of ethical decision-making.

5. Strengthen Your Assessment Knowledge

Assessment is content-heavy and often misunderstood. Make sure you can:

• Select appropriate assessments for different presentations

• Understand the limitations of commonly used tools

• Explain why a test is, or isn’t, suitable

• Identify when collaboration or referral is needed

• Score, interpret, and clinically evaluate the six core assessments (WAIS, WISC, PAI, SDQ, DASS, K10)

• Demonstrate strong knowledge of diagnoses and differential diagnoses as outlined in the AHPRA curriculum

• Conduct essential clinical interviews, including mental status examinations, risk assessments, and case-history taking
  

Assessment requires sound clinical judgement, but it also relies on having a broad knowledge base to draw from when answering exam questions.

6. Understand Evidence-Based Interventions

This section requires an in-depth understanding of:

• Which interventions align with which presentations, and the principles of evidence-based practice

• Core theory and application of treatment modalities listed in the NPE curriculum

• How to adapt interventions to ensure they are culturally responsive

• Key principles of psychopharmacology

• The broader principles guiding good psychological practice

Intervention questions test reflective decision-making, your ability to integrate assessment findings into treatment planning, and how well you individualise your approach for the client in front of you.

7. Review Communication and Professional Conduct

This domain is often underestimated. Despite its 10% weighting, there is considerable crossover with Ethics. Strengthen your understanding of:

• Managing therapeutic ruptures

• Working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams

• Delivering feedback clearly and effectively

• Maintaining boundaries

• Navigating workplace dynamics and supervision issues

These questions assess professionalism, clinical competence, and how effectively you communicate with clients and other health professionals.

8. Complete Regular NPE Practice Questions

Aim to:

• Complete at least 200–300 practice questions

• Review rationales thoroughly

• Identify weak areas early

• Use vignettes wherever possible

The goal is not to memorise answers — it’s to improve your clinical reasoning.

9. Use a Study Checklist to Stay Organised

Your weekly checklist might include:

• Review core NPE documents (curriculum, candidate manual, reading list)

• Summarise key concepts for one domain

• Complete 20–30 MCQs

• Analyse rationales

• Discuss dilemmas in supervision

• Revise weaker areas

• Schedule mock exam practice
  

Structure reduces overwhelm and helps you stay focused.

Final Thoughts

Preparing for the 2026 National Psychology Exam is entirely manageable when you have a clear structure, the right materials, and a realistic timeline. Whether you’re balancing work, supervision, or life outside training, steady and intentional progress will get you there.

If you want guided support, access to hundreds of practice questions, and a structured study system designed specifically for the 2026 curriculum, my NPE Course is fully updated — including a custom AI study companion, exclusive to course members, to help you revise more effectively.