General Optical Council Registration
The General Optical Council (GOC) requires that all students studying on an optometry training course in the UK are registered with the GOC.
The following is taken from the GOC website:
‘From September 2005 every student studying towards a degree in optometry or qualification in dispensing optics must, by law (Section 8A of the Opticians Act 1989 and General Optical Council Registration Rules 2005), register with the GOC on an annual basis.
Studying for an optical qualification involves learning the core competencies that are necessary to practise safely and effectively. These competencies include technical, clinical and communication skills. To gain these skills and appropriate clinical experience, students work with patients and the public throughout their course of study. The patients they treat need to be protected in case there is a problem.’
As a new entrant to the BSc Optometry course you will be sent a student registration form prior to enrolment which you must complete and bring with you to enrolment. Please visit the GOC website for more information on Student Registration.
If, after looking at the GOC website, you are unsure whether you will have a problem with gaining registration, please contact the GOC for clarification. This is important since, if the GOC decides you are ineligible for registration, you will not be able to complete the BSc degree course.