Stage One

Applicants who meet the entry requirements will be invited to enter Stage One. We will collect information covering:

1. Herbal training, to include their training in human anatomy & physiology, human pathophysiology, human nutrition & plant chemistry, pharmacology and pharmacognosy
2. Clinical experience
3. Other professional memberships
4. Practice history
5. A personal statement covering why they became a herbalist, their philosophy and approach, and why they would like to join the Institute
6. Their fitness to practice

The fee for Stage One is £70. Applicants will also be asked to submit their qualification certificates and evidence of their  professional memberships, and a copy of a photographic ID document.

Our team will conduct a preliminary assessment based on the Stage One application. If they consider that the applicant meets the requirements, they will appoint two assessors to review the application.

If both assessors agree, the applicant will be invited to proceed to Stage Two.

If it is determined that an applicant has not met all the requirements of Stage One the applicant will be notified that they are unable to progress. There is no right of appeal to this decision and the fee is non-refundable. The notification will indicate which areas of the Stage One process still need to be addressed if applicable, and where appropriate it will include suggestions for how the applicant can fulfil these requirements before reapplying. 

We aim to complete Stage One within one calendar month of receipt of payment and the full information, including any extra documentation that may be required.

Stage Two

Applicants are asked to submit: 

1. A case study of their own (with pre-set marking scheme and guidance for completing)
2. Their prescription and treatment plan for 2 allocated case studies provided by us
3. Two years of CPD records
4. A list of 20 herbs that they use regularly in their practice and would be happy to discuss during the video meeting.
5. Two Letters of recommendation from either/both of herbal colleagues, herbal tutors and herbal mentors

And then they will be invited to join an hour-long video discussion with two IA assessors to whom the documents above have been pre-submitted.

The video session will cover:

• Review of the clinic reports
• Discussion of the CPD records (reflection)
• Dispensary management 
• Competency based questioning, which may include discussion of how they use some of the herbs on their list of 20.

These assessors make a recommendation to the Admissions Panel, either for immediate entry onto the Institute register or for progression into Stage Three.

The fee for Stage Two is £300.

We aim to complete Stage Two within three calendar months of receipt of payment and all information. 

We anticipate that the majority of applicants that progress to Stage Two will be successful without needing further assessment. But in rare cases, the assessors may consider that certain areas need additional evidence, study or experience.

In rare cases, applicants will enter Stage Three.  If a Stage Three is required, then its assessment will be set by the original assessors at the end of Stage Two, and will vary depending on the circumstances.

• The assessors may simply require evidence that some additional training has been completed, and to receive an update of their CPD since the original submission if it has been over a year.
• In more complicated situations, they may ask for any or all of the Stage Two assessments to be repeated or for completion of an alternative assessment of an equivalent level.

Stage 3 fees will be agreed commensurate with the work required of the assessors, and will only be levied where significant further work is required, with a cap at £300. Usually the applicant will continue with the same assessors, but applicants have the option to request new assessors, and the current assessors have the option to step down.