What qualifications do I need to become a counsellor?
Counselling is not a statutorily regulated profession, which means the title of ‘counsellor’ is not protected by law. This means that even an individual with minimal training can call themselves a ‘counsellor’. However, there are recognised benchmarks for practitioner training set by professional bodies and awarding organisations, which are associated with entry to practitioner registers and employment opportunities.
Generally, counsellors should complete the following stages of training:
An introductory ‘taster’ course to introduce students to the basic ideas and skills behind counselling; and/or
A certificate in counselling skills (typically Level 2 or 3) to introduce students to counselling theories and ethics, practical counselling skills and self-awareness; followed by
A Level 4 Diploma in counselling to provide an in-depth study of counselling theory and ethics (with a minimum of 400 hours therapy training in a classroom setting), plus a supervised practice placement of typically 100 hours. Online self-study courses alone do not meet these requirements.
Professional body requirements may be higher
Major professional bodies, such as BACP, UKCP, and NCPS, each have their own training standards and core curriculum requirements. These typically include additional requirements such as:
Personal therapy hours (requirements vary between organisations)
Ongoing professional development
Clinical supervision arrangements
Adherence to specific ethical frameworks
Quality assurance through accredited registers
Since 2012, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has maintained ‘Accredited Voluntary Registers’ to help the public and employers identify qualified practitioners. BACP, UKCP, and NCPS are all PSA-accredited, meaning counsellors on their registers have met rigorous standards for safe, effective practice.
Our commitment to quality training
At Adept Central, we deliver CPCAB-accredited courses, ensuring our training meets nationally recognised standards. CPCAB is a well-established awarding organisation whose qualifications are respected by employers and professional bodies alike, providing you with a solid foundation for your counselling career.
Our recommendation
Choose training providers who are recognised by established awarding bodies, such as CPCAB, and ensure your pathway aligns with the requirements of reputable professional bodies. This investment in quality training protects both you and your future clients whilst providing flexibility in your career choices.
I’ve done an online counselling course – does this count?
This is one of the biggest challenges facing counselling training centres today. There are many free or low-cost online courses available; however, some unscrupulous providers make misleading claims about recognition and accreditation. By the time prospective students contact us, they often discover their previous online learning doesn’t meet the requirements for progression to professional counselling training.
The crucial distinction: live vs. self-paced learning
If a course is taught by a tutor virtually in real-time (live online sessions), this is generally classed as equivalent to in-person learning by CPCAB and recognised by professional bodies. However, studying at home at your own pace through pre-recorded materials, downloadable content, or self-study modules (similar to traditional distance learning) does NOT count towards counselling training requirements.
Why live interaction is essential
Counselling training requires the development of vital interpersonal skills, which must be observed, received immediate feedback, and assessed regularly. These skills include:
Building therapeutic relationships
Active listening and responding
Managing challenging conversations
Developing self-awareness through group work
Practising counselling techniques with peers
This essential interpersonal element cannot be adequately delivered or assessed through self-paced online study, which is why professional bodies and awarding organisations maintain strict requirements for live, interactive learning.
Before enrolling in any course
Always check that any online counselling course you’re considering:
Is delivered live with real-time tutor interaction
Is provided by a CPCAB-approved centre or equivalent
Meets BACP/NCPS’s training requirements if that’s your intended professional body
Includes regular (weekly) practical skills sessions with peer interaction and tutor observation
Our recommendation
Research thoroughly before investing time and money in online counselling courses. Please check directly with the BACP, NCPS, CPCAB, or a similar organisation to determine their specific requirements. If you’re unsure whether your previous online learning experience is recognised, please get in touch with us for an honest assessment. We’d rather provide clear guidance upfront than see you disappointed later.
Remember: in a profession built on human connection and relationship, your training must reflect these same values through genuine interaction and community learning.
How much will it cost me to train as a counsellor?
Certificate courses range from approximately £999 to £1,200 per year. Diploma courses currently range from £2,200 to £3,000 a year, though some providers charge significantly more. Foundation degrees can be up to £6,000 a year and master’s degrees between £12,000 and £15,000, depending upon the course provider. See BACP for more info: Training to become a counsellor or psychotherapist.
You’ll also need to allow for all the other related expenses:
Supervision – when you start seeing clients (at diploma level), you’ll need regular and ongoing supervision. Individual supervision costs vary from around £55 to £75 an hour, while group supervision ranges from £25 to £80 per person per session. Many supervisors offer reduced rates for students, so it’s worth enquiring about student discounts when seeking supervision.
Personal therapy – on diploma courses, students are required to undergo therapy themselves. Personal therapy can cost between £40 and £80 per session, with London prices typically starting from £50 per session upwards. Many therapists offer concessionary rates for students, so be sure to ask about reduced fees when contacting potential therapists.
Insurance – if you’re seeing clients, you should be covered by professional indemnity insurance. Some placement providers will cover you under their insurance, but you should always check. Insurance can cost around £80-100 a year – some insurers offer discounts for professional body members.
Professional membership – At diploma level, Adept Central recommends that students join the BACP, UKCP, or a similar organisation. Student membership is subsidised and currently costs approximately £50-78 per year.
Books and stationery
Conferences and events
Travel and parking
Childcare – as counselling or psychotherapy is often a second career, you may have a family to look after whilst you train.
Quality assurance through CPCAB accreditation
At Adept Central, we deliver CPCAB-accredited courses, ensuring our training meets nationally recognised standards. CPCAB is a well-established awarding organisation whose qualifications are respected by employers and all major professional bodies (BACP, NCPS), providing you with a solid foundation for your counselling career whilst maintaining flexibility in your professional development options.
Can I get help to fund my training?
Finding funding for counselling training can be challenging, but there are several options available. Here are some organisations that may be able to help you with grants or loans to help fund your training:
Important update on government loans: Professional and Career Development Loans (PCDLs) are no longer available for new applications as the scheme closed in January 2019. Publishing Service Family Action. If you have an existing loan, it will not be affected, but this funding route is no longer available for new students.
Current funding options:
Family Action Educational Grants Programme – Family Action distributes grants to students in receipt of means-tested benefits studying at publicly funded Further Education Colleges at Level 3 or below. Find government funding programs and grants for: Jobs … However, as a private training organisation, Adept Central students would not be eligible for this programme as it’s restricted to publicly funded colleges.
BACP Bursary Scheme – BACP has operated a pilot bursary scheme offering entry-level bursaries for Level 2 training and progression-level bursaries for diploma level and above. The scheme is currently under review with plans to reopen – check the BACP website for updates.
Charitable trusts and foundations – Various charitable organisations may provide educational grants:
Turn2Us provides a grant search facility to help identify suitable funding opportunities
Local charitable trusts may offer support to research organisations in your area
Student Loans Company – The Student Loans Company provides loans and grants to students in universities and colleges. However, as a private training organisation, our courses are not eligible for standard student finance.
Alternative funding approaches:
Many employers offer professional development funding – speak to your HR department
Some banks offer personal loans for educational purposes
Payment plans – ask about instalment payment options for course fees
Seek training organisations that provide concessionary rates for those on benefits or low incomes
Important considerations: As a private training organisation, Adept Central does not receive government funding or subsidies that universities and further education colleges benefit from. This means we cannot access the same funding streams as publicly funded institutions, and our students are not automatically eligible for student loans. When comparing costs and funding options, it’s essential to consider the fundamental difference between private training centres and traditional educational institutions.
We recommend researching multiple funding sources and applying early, as competition for grants can be intense and application processes often take several months.
If I already have counselling qualifications, do I have to start at Level 2?
If you have already gained counselling skills and theory qualifications with a minimum of 150 guided learning hours (GLH) with another awarding organisation, it may be possible to start at Level 4. However, you’ll need to speak to a CPCAB tutor at the training centre as they select students for their courses and will be able to assess your relevant prior learning through a process called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Important considerations beyond qualifications
Each training centre has its own entry requirements and assessment processes, so what’s accepted can vary between providers. Some centres may require you to complete specific modules or demonstrate particular competencies before progressing to Level 4, even if you have prior qualifications.
It’s worth considering more than just the financial aspects, though. When you embark on your counselling training, you are starting on a journey that will change your life. Taking time to choose a training centre that meets your individual preferences and learning needs is just as important as finding the right entry point for your existing qualifications.
Our recommendation
We encourage prospective students to have an informal chat with us about their background and aspirations. This helps us understand not only your existing qualifications but also your learning style, career goals, and whether our approach to training aligns with what you’re looking for in your counselling education.
Remember, the counselling training journey is highly personal, and finding the right fit between your experience, learning preferences, and a training centre’s philosophy can make all the difference to your development as a counsellor.
Why do I need to be interviewed for a Level 2 Certificate Skills course?
The interview requirement for a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills serves several important purposes that benefit both you as a prospective student and the training programme.
Ensuring Personal Readiness
Counselling training requires emotional resilience and self-awareness, even at an introductory level. The interview allows tutors to assess whether you’re psychologically prepared for challenging course content and have adequate support systems in place.
Exploring Motivation and Commitment
Understanding your reasons for pursuing counselling skills training helps tutors gauge commitment levels and identify unrealistic expectations. Some applicants may assume the course will resolve personal difficulties, whilst others might underestimate the academic and practical demands involved.
Assessing Communication Skills
Since counselling relies fundamentally on effective communication, the interview provides an opportunity to observe your natural listening skills, empathy, and ability to engage authentically. This isn’t about being “perfect” – it’s about identifying your starting point and areas needing attention during training.
Meeting Professional Standards
Both CPCAB (the awarding body) and BACP ethical frameworks emphasise student suitability for counselling training. The interview process demonstrates that providers take seriously their responsibility to maintain professional standards whilst supporting student development appropriately.
Creating a Safe Learning Environment
Group dynamics matter enormously in counselling skills training. The interview helps ensure cohort members can work together respectfully, creating the supportive environment essential for skill development and personal growth.
The interview should feel like a supportive conversation rather than an interrogation – an opportunity for mutual assessment where you evaluate whether this course meets your needs, just as tutors consider your readiness for the programme.
What is the difference between CPCAB and BACP?
CPCAB is a specialist awarding organisation for courses – also known as an awarding body or examination board which awards qualifications – whereas BACP is a professional membership body which represents the interests of counselling. NCPS is also a professional membership body, similar to BACP.
CPCAB is statutorily regulated by Ofqual in England, Qualifications Wales in Wales and CCEA Regulation in Northern Ireland. CPCAB core practitioner qualifications are on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). CPCAB is the only awarding body in Europe to specialise in counselling.
BACP is a professional organisation which represents the interests of the counselling profession. It is made up of individual members and member organisations. As such, it has a role in setting standards and registering counsellors/supervisors, etc, protecting the public, hearing complaints and interacting with society at large. BACP also approves course content (hence BACP-accredited courses), but they cannot award qualifications, and they are not externally regulated. In practice, therefore, BACP-accredited courses may be linked to national qualifications or they may not.
NCPS (National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society) operates similarly to BACP as a professional membership body. NCPS has recently launched a Recognised Qualifications Scheme, officially awarding CPCAB Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 qualifications with Recognised Qualification status. This demonstrates the strong partnership between these organisations in maintaining professional standards.
Working together for quality
What’s important to understand is that these organisations work collaboratively rather than competitively. CPCAB qualifications are recognised by both BACP and NCPS, ensuring that students receive training that meets the standards required by professional bodies. This partnership approach means that when you train with a CPCAB-accredited centre, such as Adept Central, you receive qualifications that are respected across the counselling profession and provide pathways to membership with the major professional bodies.
The key distinction remains: CPCAB creates and awards the qualifications, whilst BACP and NCPS provide professional membership, ethical frameworks, and ongoing professional development for qualified counsellors.
Why aren’t Adept courses accredited by the BACP or NCPS?
Adept Central offers CPCAB qualifications, which are assessed to a national standard. These qualifications are regulated by Ofqual (the qualifications and examinations regulator), ensuring they meet rigorous educational standards.
Adept Central has gained approval from CPCAB to run CPCAB qualifications, and successful candidates are awarded CPCAB certificates upon completion of the course. However, the course itself is owned by Adept Central and since every course is unique, we would have to individually apply to BACP (and similarly to NCPS or any other professional body) for course accreditation. This applies regardless of who awards the qualification and whether the course is delivered in further education, higher education, or a private training centre.
Our approach to professional recognition and learner choice
Some CPCAB centres have chosen to apply for BACP or NCPS course accreditation; however, Adept Central does not see the need, as candidates with CPCAB qualifications can join any of the professional bodies they choose once they have completed the necessary practice hours.
Why we remain impartial
More importantly, we believe in maintaining our impartiality as a training centre. There are numerous professional membership organisations in the UK counselling field; research indicates that there are approximately 20 professional bodies available to qualified counsellors in the UK alone. If we were to seek accreditation from one particular professional body, this could inadvertently shepherd our learners towards that specific organisation, potentially limiting their understanding of the full range of options available to them.
We want our students to make their own informed decisions about which professional body – if any – best suits their values, approach to practice, and career aspirations. This choice is an important part of developing their professional identity as counsellors.
What this means for you
The critical point is that BACP, NCPS and other professional bodies fully recognise CPCAB qualifications. Whether a course has specific professional body accreditation or not, if you hold a CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, you can:
Join any professional body that recognises CPCAB qualifications
Access their registers
Work towards individual accreditation with your chosen organisation
Make your own decision about which professional body aligns with your values and practice
What matters most is the quality of training you receive and the nationally recognised qualification you achieve – both of which Adept Central delivers through our CPCAB-approved programmes, whilst preserving your freedom to choose your professional pathway.
I already have a psychology/sociology degree, can I start at the Level 4 Diploma?
The qualifications required for entry to the Level 4 Diploma are the CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and the CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, or their equivalent with another awarding organisation. These qualifications are essential because they are practical and relationally focused rather than academically focused.
Why academic degrees differ from counselling training
Most psychology, sociology, or related degrees focus on theoretical knowledge and research methods rather than the practical, interpersonal skills essential for counselling practice. A psychology degree might teach you about human behaviour and ‘mental health’ theories, but it won’t necessarily provide training in:
Active listening and empathetic responding
Building therapeutic relationships
Using counselling techniques in practice
Self-awareness and personal development
Managing the counselling process and boundaries
Minimum requirements
As a minimum, you need to have completed at least 150 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) of counselling skills and theory before applying to study the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma. You will also be expected to have an individual interview. Counselling training at this level is not suitable for everyone.
Assessment of your background
If you have met the above entry requirements for the degree you have studied, then you may be eligible to start at Level 4. However, most degrees do not include the specific practical training in counselling skills that forms the foundation of effective therapeutic practice, so you will likely need to start at Level 2.
Our recommendation
We encourage you to discuss your specific degree content and any relevant experience with us. We can assess whether your academic background includes sufficient practical counselling skills training, or whether starting with our Level 2 Certificate would provide you with the essential foundation skills you’ll need to succeed at Level 4.
Remember, starting at Level 2 isn’t a step backwards – it’s ensuring you have the solid practical foundation that will make you a competent and confident counsellor.
