What Does Membership of The Society of Sports Therapists (SST) Mean for Our Sports Therapy Students?

When you begin a sports therapy degree, you are also beginning to shape the kind of professional you want to become and the exciting opportunities you can explore after graduation.

As you prepare for professional practice as a sports therapist, the credibility of your qualification matters. So do the standards that guide how you work – the standards that underpin safe, responsible, and high-quality care.

Portobello Institute’s BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy is delivered in Dublin and awarded by University of Essex. It is also accredited by The Society of Sports Therapists (SST), the UK’s leading professional body for sports therapists.

The SST sets standards for education and professional practice, accredits degrees, and provides a professional framework for its members. It’s an important marker of professional credibility and a valuable link to the wider sports therapy profession.

As a sports therapy student on our programme, you’re invited to register as a student member of the SST when you start with us and, once you graduate, you can apply for full membership, with ongoing benefits as your career develops.

What Is The Society of Sports Therapists (SST)?

Since 1990, The Society of Sports Therapists (SST) has acted as the professional body for sports therapists in the UK, representing students, graduates, and practising members.

Although based in the UK, its membership extends internationally, including to sports therapists practising in Ireland and other countries.

The Society was established to help standardise and monitor the quality of support available to people taking part in sport and leisure, while raising standards across sports therapy education and professional practice.

Its vision is to be recognised as a leader in the sport and exercise therapy profession worldwide, while pioneering musculoskeletal healthcare, prevention, and rehabilitation across sport, exercise, health, fitness, and wellbeing.

The SST accredits and validates educational programmes, sets expectations around knowledge, competence, and professional conduct, and supports members throughout their careers.

Currently, the SST collaborates with 36 universities and accredits 43 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Portobello Institute is proud to be part of this network.

What Does SST Membership Mean for Sports Therapy Students?

Students enrolled on an SST-accredited programme like Portobello’s BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy can register as student members for the duration of their studies.

This gives you early exposure to SST standards, resources, and guidance, helping you engage with the profession from the beginning of your degree.

With SST student membership, you benefit from:

• Early engagement with the profession: Student membership identifies you as someone completing an SST-accredited sports therapy programme and introduces you to the standards associated with the profession
• Career resources and opportunities: Student members can access the SST jobs board, alongside CV and job application guidance through the Student Members Area.
• Professional knowledge and resources: Membership includes access to the British Journal of Sports Medicine and additional resources
• Further ways to engage with the profession: Student members can attend SST annual meetings and associated seminars, and may also be eligible for student scholarships and research grants
• A route to full membership: After completing an eligible accredited qualification, graduates can apply to progress to full SST membership and access further benefits

Cathal Brady, Programme Lead for the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy at Portobello Institute, recognises the value SST membership can bring as students establish themselves within the profession.

Cathal explains: “When you’re a member of The Society of Sports Therapists, you’re not just a standalone therapist. You’re part of a professional body that can support you, guide you, and help you develop your career. You’re part of a wider professional community.”

Why Professional Credibility Matters in Sports Therapy

Unlike physiotherapy and some other healthcare professions, “sports therapist” is not currently a statutorily protected professional title in Ireland or the UK. Physiotherapists, by comparison, are regulated by CORU in Ireland and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in the UK.

“That makes it really important for our sports therapy graduates to be able to differentiate themselves and demonstrate the level of education and professional preparation they have completed,” notes Cathal.

Professional credibility comes from being able to show what sits behind the title: the level of qualification completed, the competencies developed, and the standards you are expected to uphold. Over time, this can help graduates establish themselves with confidence and shape a career with real purpose.

“When you have membership of The Society of Sports Therapists attached to your name, it gives the public greater awareness of the qualification you have completed and the level you are working at," adds Cathal.

What Does Full SST Membership Offer After Graduation?

After completing an eligible SST-accredited qualification, graduates can apply to progress from student membership to full membership of The Society of Sports Therapists.

Full membership provides a more formal professional connection to the Society and recognises that you have completed the level of education and training required for membership.

Building on the benefits available through student membership, full membership offers additional professional advantages, including:

• Professional standing: Full members can use the post-nominal letters MSST (Member of The Society of Sports Therapists) after their name, showing that they have met the SST’s requirements for full membership
• Ongoing development: Members are required to maintain a valid, physically assessed first aid qualification and complete annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD), helping to keep their knowledge and skills current
• Professional insurance options: Eligible members can opt into the SST’s Medical Malpractice and Public Liability Insurance for an additional premium, subject to its insurance requirements
• Continued engagement with the profession: Membership creates further opportunities to stay connected with developments across sports therapy through SST events, forums, and professional activity

Inside the SST University Forum

One of the most valuable parts of Portobello Institute’s relationship with The Society of Sports Therapists is the opportunity to engage directly with the people and organisations shaping sports therapy education and the profession.

As our BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy Programme Lead, Cathal has attended the SST University Forum regularly since joining Portobello Institute in 2019.

The annual event brings together tutors and representatives from SST-accredited institutions to share industry developments and exchange insights.

“As long as I’ve been with Portobello, I’ve been going to the forum whenever possible,” says Cathal. “You start to recognise people, build relationships, and have conversations with others working in sports therapy education.”

Returning each year means reconnecting with familiar faces and developing a wider network across sports therapy education.

At the most recent event, speakers discussed opportunities within football, including links with the English FA and Scottish FA.

“Roles that might previously have been advertised specifically for chartered physiotherapists are now starting to become available to sports therapists too, and we’re seeing similar developments within parts of the NHS,” explains Cathal.

“The SST are opening up channels and doors for their graduates and members, which ultimately helps to increase employment opportunities.”

The Forum is also a space for universities and organisations to share research and education initiatives. Previous discussions have covered informed consent, safeguarding, student vetting, placement requirements, and scope of practice.

One example outlined recently was a programme focused on helping older adults living with chronic conditions become more active, with potential for students to become involved in community delivery and further research.

“There’s a strong educational side to it,” says Cathal. “You’re learning from situations that have happened elsewhere and thinking about how you make sure your own processes and teaching are as strong as possible.”

While the professional landscape differs between Ireland and the UK, the Forum gives Portobello Institute a valuable window into how sports therapy is evolving, where new roles are emerging, and how education can continue to reflect the realities of the profession.

For you as a student, that is the wider value of Portobello Institute’s relationship with the SST. Your education stays connected to the standards and professional community shaping sports therapy, giving you a stronger foundation for the professional you want to become and the future you want to create.

Where Could Your Sports Therapy Degree Take You?

Your professional identity isn't suddenly formed on graduation day. It develops throughout your degree through the knowledge you gain, the practical skills you refine, and the standards you learn to work to.

Membership of The Society of Sports Therapists adds another layer to that, connecting you with a recognised professional network.

From there, your degree can open the door to working with individual clients and sports teams in areas such as rehabilitation, performance, and the wider sports industry.

If you're ready to explore where a career in Sports Therapy could take you, explore the BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy programme or speak with one of our Career Pathway Consultants.