Navigating the 600-hour SAC requirement as a new counsellor can feel overwhelming without a clear roadmap. This guide breaks down the main post-graduation pathways in Singapore - from SSAs, schools, and non-profits to group practices, D2C platforms, EAP providers, and solo practice - to help you build your caseload efficiently, avoid administrative burnout, and clock those needed hours.
Many counselling students start their degree programme with a passion to help people. But they soon realise that they’re on their own when it comes to clocking the 600 hours required to be a Registered Counsellor with the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC).
It’s tragic that there are counsellors ready to help and clients who need it, but a gap in between.
This post is my small attempt to partially bridge this gap. I hope that it will reduce some of the stress and friction for new counsellors, and get more clients the help they need.
If you spot any errors or would like to suggest additions or removals, please get in touch.
Why Become an SAC Registered Counsellor
Currently, you don’t need to be registered with SAC to practise as a counsellor in Singapore.
But there are some advantages to becoming an SAC Registered Counsellor, in addition to the benefits listed on SAC‘s website:
Some employers and platforms require you to be an SAC Registered Counsellor.
For private practitioners, being an SAC Registered Counsellor may give potential clients more confidence to choose you.
For private practitioners, you’ll be able to take on clients who pay with insurance, as insurance companies generally require the counsellor to be an SAC Registered Counsellor.
You’ll be able to supervise other counsellors, which is another source of income.
If the counselling profession becomes regulated at some point, the process is likely to be easier if you’re already an SAC Registered Counsellor.
What are SAC’s Requirements
The requirements for becoming an SAC Registered Counsellor can be found on SAC’s website. Please read them carefully before embarking on your hours.
Do note that even after you’ve become an SAC Registered Counsellor, you’ll still need to clock 400 hours every 2 years to maintain this status (on average 4 clients a week). It’s not a one-and-done kind of deal!
Where to Get Your Hours
The quickest and most straightforward way of clocking hours is to be employed as a full-time counsellor, e.g. at a school or a Family Service Centre.
Alternatively, you can have a combination of sources, depending on your preferred client group, working environment and income level.
I would caution that the more sources you tap on, the heavier the administrative burden becomes. My advice is to try to increase clients from two or three sources rather than taking a scattergun approach.
Another tip is to try to find a place that provides SAC recognised supervision hours. The cost of 60 supervision hours can mount up!
Also, if you choose your practicum site(s) carefully during your degree programme, you’ll have an easier route to clocking your hours when you graduate.
Disclaimer:
I’ve listed below various options to the best of my ability, as a starting point for your own research.
I can’t guarantee that this list is correct, current or complete.
I can’t guarantee that any of these organisations will provide a good working environment or adequate supervision.
I don’t endorse any of the organisations I’ve listed. Please do your due diligence to select organisations that align with your own values.
It’s your responsibility to verify with SAC whether the hours you clock at an organisation will meet their requirements.
The pros and cons I’ve listed for each option are based on my own experiences and conversations with fellow therapists. Each organisation is unique. I’d suggest that you find out more from someone who’s working (or who used to work) there.
(a) Your Practicum Site(s)
If you had a good experience at your practicum site(s), start there.
Reach out to your supervisor or department head to ask if there are any opportunities available.
(b) Schools & Tertiary Institutions
If you enjoy working with young people, you can work as a full-time, part-time or contract counsellor at a school or tertiary institution.
Pros:
Stable employment
Clock hours quickly
Gain deep and broad experience with your preferred client group
Multidisciplinary support
Follows school hours and calendar (useful if you have young children)
Cons:
High caseload
High-pressure and bureaucratic environment
Heavy administrative burden
Risk of burnout
Search:
Local school counsellors: MOE’s webpage
Other positions: Search for “Counsellor” positions on Jobstreet
(c) SSAs/FSCs
You can also seek employment as a counsellor with a Social Service Agency (SSA), especially one with a Family Service Centre (FSC).
Pros:
Stable employment
Clock hours quickly
Gain experience with diverse clients and issues
Good training ground for community casework
Cons:
High caseload
High-pressure and bureaucratic environment
Heavy administrative burden
Complex, high-risk, multi-problem cases - you may do more crisis management than counselling
Social work takes precedence over psychological work
High risk of burnout and moral injury
Search:
Major agencies: Fei Yue, Care Corner, Allkin, Thye Hua Kwan, TOUCH and REACH. Find the full list in MSF’s directory or ICA’s directory.
Search for “Counsellor” positions on Jobstreet and My Careers Future.
(d) Non-Profit Organisations
You can join a non-profit organisation (NPO) as a resident or volunteer/pro bono counsellor.
Pros:
Resident: Stable employment / Volunteer: Flexible hours
May be able to clock hours quickly
Access to therapy rooms
Gain deep and broad experience with your preferred client group
Fulfilment from helping a population you care about
Cons:
Resident: Modest salary / Volunteer: No income
Organisational constraints (manpower, resources and systems)
Search:
Resident: Search for “Counsellor” positions on Jobstreet.
Volunteer counsellor positions are rarer than you may think, due to NPOs’ responsibility to safeguard vulnerable populations and lack of manpower to supervise rookie counsellors.
Volunteer counsellor positions are also rarely listed (a few on Giving.sg).
I’ve listed below some NPOs that offer counselling services, but they may or may not take on volunteer counsellors. You can try reaching out to an NPO’s lead counsellor to see if there are any opportunities available.
I’ve marked faith-affiliated organisations with an asterisk (*). Note that some may require you to be of a certain faith.
-
Our Journey (social enterprise)
Shan You *
You can also check with your local church, mosque or temple to see if they’re taking on volunteer counsellors
-
-
-
-
(e) Group Practices
Larger group practices are a good option if you’re interested in private practice. You can join as an employed, freelance or trainee counsellor.
Pros:
Employed: Stable income / Freelance: Flexible hours
Access to therapy rooms
Group practice handles marketing, admin and liability
Visibility on group practice’s website
Stepping stone to starting your solo practice
Cons:
Fees may be modest after the group practice takes a cut for overheads
The number of hours you can clock will be variable
Clients may be referred to employed counsellors first
You may be responsible for finding your own clients
Search:
Most group practices do not advertise positions.
You’ll be in a better position if you did your practicum with them.
If you know any of the counsellors in the group practice, ask if they can make a warm introduction. Otherwise, you can try reaching out to the clinical lead or head counsellor via LinkedIn.
I’ve listed below some group practices that were taking on trainees and/or fresh graduates at the time of publication. Please check their websites for the latest information before contacting them.
(f) Direct-to-Consumer Platforms
You can join direct-to-consumer platforms as a trainee counsellor or a fresh graduate.
To stand out in a crowded platform, think about your niche (see my post, A Therapist’s Guide to Finding Your Niche) and how to craft your profile so that it speaks to your ideal client’s pain points.
Pros:
Flexible hours
Platform handles marketing and admin
Some platforms provide access to therapy rooms
Visibility on platform’s website
Stepping stone to starting your solo practice
Cons:
Fees may be low, depending on the platform
High competition on some platforms, with some trainee counsellors charging as little as $40 an hour
Constrained by platform’s policies and processes
Search:
These are the main direct-to-consumer platforms in Singapore:
(g) EAP Providers
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providers generally require you to have some counselling experience.
But if you have a corporate background, language skills or specialisations that would serve their clients, it may still be worth enquiring.
And if you secure an affiliate position, be sure to craft your profile carefully to attract your ideal clients.
Pros:
Flexible hours
Depending on the provider and your niche, you may get a steady stream of clients as the fees are covered by their employers
Provider handles marketing, admin and liability
Access to therapy rooms
Visibility on provider’s website
Stepping stone to starting your solo practice
Cons:
Fees may be modest
Competition with a fair number of counsellors at the provider
Pressure to cap the number of sessions per client
Constrained by provider’s policies and processes
Search:
Positions may be shown on the provider’s website or LinkedIn page.
If you know any of the counsellors at the provider, ask if they can make a warm introduction. Otherwise, you can try reaching out to the clinical lead via LinkedIn.
These are the main EAP providers in Singapore:
(h) Solo Practice
If you’re planning to have your own practice eventually, my advice would be to have it ready when you graduate, even if you can’t do it full-time yet.
Clients from your practicum site(s) may want to continue seeing you or refer their friends to you.
Your family, friends and classmates may refer clients to you.
You’ll earn more fees from seeing clients directly.
You can slowly build and market your practice while seeing clients from other sources (please be careful not to poach clients).
If you don’t want the hassle of registering an entity, you can keep it simple provided you conduct business using your full name as reflected in your NRIC.
Just think about what you’d need to have in place if someone wanted to refer a client to you right now (e.g. fees, room, intake form, write-up).
In terms of fees, if possible I would suggest that the fees you set for your private practice should be the same as or less than what you charge on other platforms. This is to prevent cannibalising your own practice. Also, if a private client finds out they could have seen you for less through a different platform, they wouldn’t be too pleased!
Find out more in my post: A Therapist’s Guide to Setting Up a Private Practice in Singapore (2026).
Conclusion
If you made it to the end, congratulations!
I hope you found this post useful. Feel free to share it with your classmates or other new counsellors to make their lives easier.
I always enjoy meeting fellow therapists, so get in touch if you’d like to chat more over coffee.
Eunice Tan
Trauma & Attachment Psychotherapist, Free From Trauma
I help people heal from painful memories.
Starting out in private practice or feeling stuck? Discover why finding your niche is essential for preventing therapist burnout, sharpening clinical expertise, and helping the right clients find you in the age of AI. Explore two practical approaches to discovering your clinical sweet spot and how to align your lived experience with your practice.