More than 500 optometry students set to start CLiP placements in 2026

Students at seven UK universities will start their clinical learning in practice placements in the coming year, the College of Optometrists has said

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Young woman measuring glass on eyewear for a senior patient looking at camera

Getty/Zorica Nastasic

Lucy Miller

05 February 2026

More than 500 optometry students will begin their clinical learning in practice (CLiP) placements in 2026, the College of Optometrists has said.

Students at Anglia Ruskin University, Aston University, Cardiff University, City St George’s, Plymouth University, and Ulster University will begin their CLiP placements in July 2026, whilst optometry students at the University of Hertfordshire began their CLiP placements in January 2026, the College of Optometrists said.

Master's cohorts at a further four universities will start CLiP in July 2027.

The adaptation of CLiP placements across the seven UK universities comes after major changes to education and training for optometry students were implemented by the General Optical Council (GOC).

Under the new model, all students studying optometry in UK optometry schools will be working towards a Master’s degree. Most optometry schools began offering their newly-designed courses in 2023 and 2024.

The large-scale rollout of CLiP placements will begin the phasing out of the traditional pre-registration year, which has been a key feature of optometry education for more than two decades.

All students currently enrolled on existing bachelor of optometry programmes will continue to progress through the existing Scheme for Registration, including completion of the pre-registration year, the College has confirmed.

The CLiP placements will see supervised clinical training embedded into optometry degrees, placing decisions on whether students can become qualified optometrists and register with the GOC with universities.

Students will also be supported by the College of Optometrists and by their supervisors throughout their CLiP placements.

The CLiP programme provides students with a recruitment platform where they can apply for placements, a minimum of 44 weeks of patient-facing experience with supervisors approved by the College of Optometrists, regular assessments, and support to assist with their professional development.

The College called the roll-out of CLiP “a significant transition in optometric education.”

It is “a model for clinical learning that continues to prioritise patient safety, professional standards, and high-quality assessment,” the College of Optometrists said.

Lizzy Ostler, director of education at the College, said: “The new GOC requirements have given us the opportunity to build on 20 years of successful delivery of the Scheme for Registration, to ensure students are given the best possible start to their careers through the CLiP programme.

“We have also enhanced our support for all eye care professionals and employer partners that support students on their journey to registration, with more ways to collaborate, develop and assure clinical learning standards for the next generation of optometrists.”