Sports Psychologist
Works with athletes on well-being and performance — injury rehabilitation, burnout, transitions.
Overview
Sports Psychologists are professionals who help sportspersons work on their well-being and performance. They also help with injury-rehabilitation, team building, burnout or career transitioning. Sports Psychologists work with athletes as well as coaches, parents, administrators, fitness professionals, performers and organizations.
Where they work
- Sporting Clubs at state, national and international levels
- Individual Athletes and sportspersons
- Schools and Colleges
- Psychology Clinics and Centres
- Individual Celebrities in different performance arts
- Sports Authority of India
Work environment
You will spend most of your time working in office and hospital environments, but some of your time will also be spent in the same environments as the athletes you counsel. Work hours can remain flexible, depending on the organization.
Opportunities for work exist for differently abled in this field.
Skills and interests
This career might suit you if…
- You have strong interest in sports and psychology
- You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- You are good at building trust and maintaining confidentiality
- You are willing to serve and help others
Eligibility and education roadmap
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment.
Route 1
- 1Complete 10+2 in any stream
- 2Complete Bachelor's degree in Sports Coaching/Sports Management/Physical Education.
Alternative route 2
- 1Complete Bachelor's degree, followed by a Master's degree in the same discipline.
Alternative route 3
- 1Pursue a Diploma in Sports Management/Sports Coaching.
Forms, exams and applications
Exam names above are as printed in the source card. Application windows, eligibility and syllabi change — always check the official notification for current dates.
Where to apply
The course is offered by the Department of Psychology. This list of institutes is indicative only.
Government institutes
- Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab
- Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan
- Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- National Sports University, Koutruk, Manipur
- Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
- University of Delhi, New Delhi
- Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat
- Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam
Private institutes
Please check if the institute is affiliated and accredited before applying.
- The Sports School, Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Institute of Sports Science and Technology, Pune, Maharashtra
- St. Francis College for Women, Hyderabad, Telangana
- Amity University (campuses in various states/UTs)
- Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, West Bengal
- SVKM's NMIMS University, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- Assam Downtown University, Guwahati, Assam
These institute lists are indicative examples from the source card, not a ranked or complete directory. Always verify accreditation on the institute's official website.
Career outcomes
Growth path
- 1Junior sports psychologist
- 2Sports psychologist
Related careers to explore
Clinical Psychologist
Assesses and treats mental, emotional and behavioural disorders through counselling and therapy.
Sports Coach
Helps players and teams reach their potential by planning and running training programmes.
Student action plan
What you can do this month
- Read this whole roadmap and note any subjects, exams or institutes you don't recognise yet.
- Talk to a teacher or school counsellor about how your current subjects connect to Any Stream, Physical Education.
- Look for a school club, competition or online course related to helping people.
- Shortlist 2–3 institutes from the list above and check their official website for current admission details.
- Save this career and compare it with 1–2 others you're considering.
Example from the field
Dr. Mrinal Chakraborty — A Sports Psychologist working at Joint and Bone Care Hospital in Salt Lake, Kolkata. He specializes in Hypnotherapy, Timeline Therapy and Creative Visualization. He has been involved with major sports events like: Junior India Hockey World Cup Champion, 2016 and Indian Archery World Cup, Berlin 2017 and is a personal coach to several olympians and paralympians. Dr. Mrinal Chakraborty is a Mental Toughness Trainer for youth sports and others with the help of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).
SourceThis profile is shared for training/educational purposes only, as printed in the source card.
Sources and update notice
- Career card source: Exploring Career Paths with Career Cards, Volume 1, printed page 429 (NCERT / UNICEF India / PSSCIVE Bhopal, First Edition, April 2025).
- Income source: https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/sport-psychologist/india
- Last reviewed on this site: 2026-08-21
The Educational Pathway panel printed on this card is the Sports Coach pathway (Sports Coaching/Sports Management/Physical Education) rather than a psychology one, even though the card's own "Where will you study" panel names the Department of Psychology. It is reproduced as printed — check the psychology route (a Bachelor's and Master's in Psychology, with a sports-psychology specialisation) on the institute's official website.
Eligibility, fees, exam patterns and admissions change often. Always verify current details on official institute, exam-body or government websites before making decisions.