Speech and language therapist

Speech and language therapy is an exciting and varied career. It offers you the chance to make a difference, a high degree of flexibility and excellent employment prospects. You’ll work with patients every day to help improve their care and their lives. 

If you enjoy science, education, languages, linguistics or medicine - speech and language therapy could be the profession for you.

Working life

Speech and language therapists provide life-changing treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing. You'll help people who, for physical or psychological reasons, have problems speaking and communicating.

Patients range from children whose speech is slow to develop, to older people whose ability to speak has been impaired by illness or injury. It also includes treatment for those who have difficulty with eating or swallowing. 

Can't see the video? You’ll need to accept all cookies. Alternatively, visit our YouTube Channel to view our videos

What you’ll do as a speech and language therapist

Variety is one of the most exciting things about being a speech and language therapist. As well as helping patients with a variety of conditions, you’ll work in a multi-disciplinary team in different settings from hospitals to community clinics to patients' homes.

You'll help children with a variety of conditions including:

  • mild, moderate or severe learning difficulties
  • specific difficulties in producing sounds
  • hearing impairment
  • cleft lip and palate
  • stammering
  • voice disorders
  • selective mutism
  • developmental language disorder.

You'll help adults with:

  • communication or eating and swallowing problems following neurological impairments and degenerative conditions, including stroke, head injury, Parkinson's disease and dementia
  • voice problems
  • mental health issues
  • learning difficulties
  • physical disabilities
  • stammering
  • hearing impairment

You would also work closely with teachers and other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and psychologists. You may also supervise the work of speech and language therapy assistants.

Max Elswood

Speech and language therapist on an acute stroke unit

Speech and language therapy combines the science of medicine with building meaningful human relationships. That’s why I love it

Read Max's story
speech and language therapist

How to become a speech and language therapist

To become a speech and language therapist, you’ll need to train and study at degree or postgraduate level. A degree apprenticeship has also been approved. 

Entry requirements

To get on to an speech and language therapy degree course you usually need:

  • two or three A levels, along with five GCSEs (grades 4-9/A-C), including English language, maths and science

or alternative qualifications, including

  • BTEC, HND or HNC which includes science
  • relevant T level
  • relevant NVQ
  • science-based access course
  • equivalent Scottish or Irish qualifications

If you already hold a relevant first degree, you can apply for an accelerated postgraduate programme in speech and language therapy. These courses usually last two years.

Each institution sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check carefully. 

Annual payments

If you're eligible, you’ll receive at least £5,000 a year to help fund your studies while at university. Your personal circumstances may mean you could receive more. And the good news? You'll never have to pay it back. Find out more. 

Degree apprenticeship

There are a growing number of degree apprenticeships. Apprenticeships give you the chance to earn a living while gaining your qualification. Your employer and the government will pay the tuition fees, so apprenticeships aren’t eligible for student grants.

Must-have skills

Don’t forget – academic qualifications aren't everything. You'll need to be able to motivate and reassure people of all ages using your excellent communication skills. You'll also need to be able problem solve and show real leadership and organisational skills. You'll also need to be happy working alone and as part of a team.

Training and career development

Once you’ve qualified, you’ll have annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) check-ins, where we’ll discuss your career aspirations and plan how we can help you to achieve them, so you’re always moving forward. You may choose to specialise in a particular area of practice such as cleft and lip palate, people with swallowing difficulties or learning disability. Other options include teaching or research.

You could also do further training and an advanced clinical practitioner or move into management. As head of a local speech and language therapy service you would be responsible for a team of staff and for managing a budget.

Pay and conditions

Your standard working week will be around 37.5 hours. As an speech and language therapist, you’ll be paid on the Agenda for Change (AFC) pay system, typically starting on band 5.

You’ll also have access to our generous pension scheme and health service discounts, as well as 27 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

Displaying 1 - 5 of 42 matches

  • Speech and Language Therapy

    University of Greenwich

    Qualification
    Bachelor of Science - BSc
    Study mode
    Full-time
    Duration of the course
    3 Years
    Leading to a career in
    Speech and Language Therapy
    Contact details
    [email protected] 020 8331 9000
    Region
    South East
    Admissions address
    Central Avenue
    Chatham
    ME4 4TB
    United Kingdom
  • Speech and Language Therapy (Including Placement Year)

    University of Essex

    Qualification
    Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
    Study mode
    Full-time
    Duration of the course
    4 Years
    Leading to a career in
    Speech and Language Therapy
    Contact details
    [email protected] 01206 873666
    Region
    East of England
    Admissions address
    University of Essex
    Wivenhoe Park
    Colchester
    CO4 3SQ
    England
  • Speech and Language Therapy

    University of Essex

    Qualification
    Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
    Study mode
    Full-time
    Duration of the course
    3 Years
    Leading to a career in
    Speech and Language Therapy
    Contact details
    [email protected] 01206 873666
    Region
    East of England
    Admissions address
    University of Essex
    Wivenhoe Park
    Colchester
    CO4 3SQ
    England
  • Speech and Language Therapy (with foundation year)

    Manchester Metropolitan University

    Qualification
    Bachelor of Science - BSc
    Study mode
    Full-time
    Duration of the course
    4 years
    Leading to a career in
    Speech and Language Therapy
    Contact details
    [email protected] 0161 247 69 69
    Region
    North West
    Admissions address
    Academic Division
    Oxford Road
    All Saints
    Manchester
    M15 6BH
    United Kingdom
  • Speech and Language Therapy

    De Montfort University

    Qualification
    Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
    Study mode
    Full-time
    Duration of the course
    3 Years
    Leading to a career in
    Speech and Language Therapy
    Contact details
    [email protected] 0116 2078443
    Region
    East Midlands
    Admissions address
    The Gateway
    Leicester
    LE1 9BH
    England

Find a vacancy

Other roles that may interest you