The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board's (BAAB) primary purpose is to accredit institutions who provide courses in acupuncture. Standards of training should meet those laid out in the Guidelines for Acupuncture Education established by the Board and the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). Accreditation gives an institution official recognition by the BAAB and consequently the BAcC.

The BAAB was established in 1989 and incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in November 1990. The Board adopted and modified established processes of accreditation from the USA, based on a developmental approach.

The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board's (BAAB) procedures involve a rigorous three to six year process of Accreditation through which teaching institutions progress from Notification, through Stage 1 (Provisional) and Stage 2 Accreditation and finally to Stage 3 (Full) Accreditation. Institutions carry out an exhaustive self-evaluation of their educational methods and standards according to criteria set out by BAAB and the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). Each institution has different course formats, examinations and entry requirements. The minimum training period is three years full time or the part-time equivalent. Specific information about each course, its prospectus, application procedures, fees and its work towards accreditation can be obtained by contacting the institution directly.

The Board makes every effort to ensure that the courses it accredits are supported with appropriate resources. However, the teaching institution itself is responsible for the viability of courses and its overall financial soundness. The Board takes no responsibility for the support of non-viable courses or for students on courses that cease to be offered.

Students/graduates who wish to work abroad are responsible for ensuring that they know the requirements for working in that country. All countries have different requirements and graduates are responsible for ensuring they comply with these. To support this process, training institutions in this country will issue graduates with a transcript of completed studies on request.

The BAAB website contains further information on the work of the board. You can access guidance on what is involved in acupuncture training, including a list of fully accredited and stage 2 accredited teaching institutions that run accredited courses. There is also information for universities or colleges who may be considering developing a course for accreditation by the Board . Click here to visit our website