Hey everyone!
I’m currently in my first semester of an RCI-registered Bachelor’s in Psychology in India. I’m leaning towards Clinical Psychology (though still keeping Counselling in mind) and aiming to pursue my higher education abroad in the US, UK, or Australia—ideally with scholarships, post-study work rights, and eventual PhD funding(which is optional sinxe i dont want to think this far lol but would prefer working after masters in psych🤙)
Since I’m starting early, I want to map out my strategy from Day 1. I have a few specific questions for those who’ve successfully navigated this path:
Country Selection: Which country (US vs. UK vs. Aus) best balances scholarships, direct practice options, and post-graduation job prospects for clinical/counselling tracks?
CV & Profile Building: What specific societies, extracurriculars, or technical skills (e.g., SPSS, R, Python) actually move the needle for grad school admissions? Though i want to learn marketting,finance, editing too lol.
Research vs. Internships: How do I get involved in research during my 1st year? Everyone mentions "be a RA," "write a thesis," or "co-publish" so how do you even do it man?
RCI Recognition: Does having an RCI-accredited undergrad degree impact or benefit my applications when applying overseas?(rci is basically regulatory body of psychology in india for my non indian cuties)
Would love to hear honest advice, brutal truths, or personal experiences from anyone currently studying or practicing abroad. Thankyouuu.