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Student Optometrist

Regulators
  • General Optical Council
Nations
United Kingdom
Sectors
  • Health and care

Regulatory or professional bodies

Primary regulator

Regulatory authority
General Optical Council
Address

10 Old Bailey
London
EC4M 7NG

Phone number
+44 (0)207 5803898

Regulation

Regulation summary

By law, if you are a student on a GOC-approved training course in optometry then you must be registered with us.

A fully-qualified optometrist examines eyes, tests sight and prescribes spectacles or contact lenses for those who need them. They also fit spectacles or contact lenses, give advice on visual problems and detect any ocular disease or abnormality, referring the patient to a medical practitioner if necessary.

Optometrists may also share the care of patients who have chronic ophthalmic conditions with a medical practitioner. Once qualified, optometrists can undertake further training to specialise in certain eye treatment by therapeutic drugs.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

Only optometrists, registered medical practitioners or persons training as an optometrist can test sight (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/70/made).

Only registered optometrists or registered dispensing opticians with a contact lens qualification or certification, and registered medical practitioners, can fit a contact lens unsupervised. Those who do not hold the requisite contact lens qualification or certification can only fit a contact lens if the fitting is carried out under the supervision of a person who does hold the requisite qualification or certification, or where it is completed as part of an approved course of study or examination
(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/1305/made).

Protected titles

You cannot pretend to be a student registrant when you are not registered with the GOC.

More about regulated activities and titles
https://optical.org/en/about-us/how-we-work/rules-and-regulations/

Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification

By law, students on a GOC-approved training course in optometry must be registered with us.

Professionals from outside the UK

Recognition for professionals outside the UK
None - all professionals must re-qualify
Summary of routes

You cannot use the international route to registration as you must have obtained a qualification and be practising or registered to practise in order to be considered under this route. Training institutions may recognise prior learning as part of acceptance on a course.


Registration

Registration requirements

By law, students on a GOC-approved training course in optometry or dispensing optics must be registered with the GOC.

You must:
a) Complete the application form to join the student register, including a completed student identification form and correctly certified identification.
b) Pay the appropriate application fee.


Legislation

Title of relevant act or charter

Opticians Act 1989

Title of relevant act or charter

GOC rules and regulations

Licence Finder

You may need licences and permits to carry out certain activities in the UK. These are called authorisations. Use the licence finder to find what you need.