FAQ

Questions (click on the question to jump to it):

How many students are there usually in a class?
What differences are there between the weekend and the weekday course?
How easy is it to set up a practice after I graduate?
If The College integrates two approaches, will I be receiving as good an education in each lineage as I would elsewhere?
I need a student visa to live and study in the U.K. Is the college accredited for student visas?
I do not have any A' levels. Does that mean that I cannot apply to the college?
Why do I get invoiced twice in the third year?
How much support is available for students?
Am I eligible for student loans?
What kind of assessments do we have each year?
How much study time do I need to set aside apart from the time spent at college?
What happens if I get pregnant or need to defer?
Does the college do a shorter version of the course?
What is the age range of students on the course? Am I too old?
How long does an interview last?
How do I apply for an interview?
What percentage of the course hours are devoted to practical work?
What does an average day consist of?

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE THERE USUALLY IN A CLASS?
The College is accreditied for 38 students in a class and most classes start with between 25-35 students. Classes are kept small, unlike many universities, where lectures can be attended by very large numbers of students.
During the clinical programme the class is usually split in half to allow a smaller seminar and workshop based approach.
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WHAT DIFFERENCES ARE THERE BETWEEN THE WEEKEND AND THE WEEKDAY COURSE?
There is no difference in the curriculum for these two courses. The weekend course is classed as part time and takes 6 months longer to complete than the full-time course.
Because the weekday course is classed as ‘full-time’, students are potentially eligible for student loans, council tax exemption, etc. Term times are very similar to university terms, i.e, three ten-week terms starting in late September or early October, January and April. The classes are held on Mondays and Tuesdays and point location classes can also be attended on Friday afternoons. This format is popular with students who require student loans, parents who want to leave the school holidays relatively free and people who would rather work during the week than at weekends

The weekend course is technically a part-time course and students enrolled on it are eligible for part-time student loans, some council tax exemption, etc. It starts in the Spring with an initial six days and is then spread throughout the year finishing in July. There are 21 weekends, so students attend approximately every other weekend, but with longer breaks at Christmas, Easter and in the summer. This format is popular with people who work during the week, find child care or travelling long distances easier at weekends or who favour spreading their learning more evenly through the year rather than during term times.
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HOW EASY IS IT TO SET UP A PRACTICE AFTER I GRADUATE?
Some areas of the UK have a lot of practitioners whilst others have fewer. It will obviously take longer to establish a busy practice in an area with more practitioners. The number of patients seeking acupuncture treatment continues to grow, as it has done over the last 45 years, and we believe that the introduction of chartered status and forthcoming changes in the NHS will only accelerate this process. Graduates who are determined to put their skills to good use, who market themselves effectively and set up practice in appropriate locations generally build successful practices and help large numbers of patients.
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IF THE COLLEGE INTEGRATES TWO APPROACHES, WILL I BE RECEIVING AS GOOD AN EDUCATION IN EACH LINEAGE AS I WOULD ELSEWHERE?
John Hicks, Angie Hicks and Peter Mole are some of the most experienced teachers of Five Element Constitiutional Acupuncture in the U.K. The textbook they wrote on the subject is regarded as the definitive work on the subject. Many of the teachers at the College have been practising the Five Element style for over 25 years.

The TCM aspect of the course is extremely thorough and we believe that is at least the equal of any TCM course in the UK. The two styles are taught alongside each other and the College’s clinical students and graduates practise them together in a way that gives a breadth and depth of approach that is not possible if only one style is learnt.
It is important to remember that although these are distinct styles of treatment there are many aspects of acupuncture that overlap and do not have to be learned twice. For examples, point location, pulse diagnosis, needle technique, Conventional Medical Sciences etc.
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I NEED A STUDENT VISA TO LIVE AND STUDY IN THE U.K. IS THE COLLEGE ACCREDITED FOR STUDENT VISAS?
The College is not currently seeking accreditation for student visas as it is extremely expensive.
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I DO NOT HAVE ANY A' LEVELS. DOES THAT MEAN THAT I CANNOT APPLY TO THE COLLEGE?
We mainly recruit mature students and understand that some do not have these qualifications so each student is assessed individually. In some instances we ask the applicant to give us evidence of academic ability and we may take into account training and work experience that the applicant has undertaken. If in doubt, please contact Karen Starr, the Registrar.
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WHY DO I GET INVOICED TWICE IN THE THIRD YEAR?
The third year is divided into a theoretical and a clinical section. The weekend course lasts for three and a half years and the fees for the final 17 months are pro rata, the same as the first two years. The third year weekday course is more intensive and only lasts for a year but the fees are charged on the same basis.
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HOW MUCH SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS?
Each student is allocated a personal tutor. S/he can be contacted if the student has any queries or difficulties. Two meetings are scheduled with your personal tutor in the first year, one in the second and third year and three in the clinical year. You can request additional meetings with your tutor according to your needs. The regional support groups in local areas are also a source of support for students.
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AM I ELIGIBLE FOR STUDENT LOANS?
If you do not already have a degree then you will be eligible for a student loan. Students on the weekday course are eligible for a full-time student loan and those on a weekend course for a part-time student loan.
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WHAT KIND OF ASSESSMENTS DO WE HAVE EACH YEAR?
There are many different skills that need to be acquired in order to become an acupuncture practitioner so assessments are given in the form of coursework, practical assessments and exams. Different methods are used to assess the students’ progress for each programme and at different stages of the course. Assessments are in line with those required for an Honours degree course.
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HOW MUCH STUDY TIME DO I NEED TO SET ASIDE APART FROM THE TIME SPENT AT COLLEGE?
Different people study at very different speeds. We recommend 15-20 hours a week .
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WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET PREGNANT OR NEED TO DEFER?
The College does all it can to make any deferral as easy as possible.
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DOES THE COLLEGE DO A SHORTER VERSION OF THE COURSE?
No. Both the weekday and the weekend course are to a degree standard and we think that anything less is inadequte.
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WHAT IS THE AGE RANGE OF STUDENTS ON THE COURSE? AM I TOO OLD?
The average age of our students is 36. We have had students graduating in their 60s and going on to build a busy practice.
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HOW LONG DOES AN INTERVIEW LAST?
About half an hour. We need to assess your suitability for the course and ensure that you are keen to help people using acupuncture and have thought through the practical issues of finding enough time to study, financing the course, etc.
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HOW DO I APPLY FOR AN INTERVIEW?
You need to fill in an application form and send it to Karen Starr, the Registrar. You can download the application form from the website or ask Karen Starr to send you one.
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WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE COURSE HOURS ARE DEVOTED TO PRACTICAL WORK?
50% of the course is devoted to practical and 50% to theory.
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WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE DAY CONSIST OF?
Almost every day is a mixture of theory and practical sessions. In each two-day block there are five teaching sessions. Usually one is point location, one or two are on Chinese Medicine and the others might be on Conventional Medical Sciences, Qi Gong, needling, ethics, examining the body or a wide range of other topics.
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