The Counselling Training HUB is an independent counselling training college that designs, delivers, assesses and awards its own qualifications.

Unlike colleges delivering qualifications awarded by an external awarding organisation such as CPCAB, we award our own Skills in Counselling Certificate and Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.

Our training is developed around the professional competencies, ethical expectations and practical skills required within the counselling profession, with particular reference to the standards of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS).

This allows us to maintain direct responsibility for our curriculum, teaching, assessment and student support.

Yes, although both are routes into counselling education.

CPCAB is an independent awarding organisation that designs and awards counselling qualifications, including qualifications regulated by Ofqual.

The Counselling Training HUB is an independent training provider that awards its own qualifications, rather than delivering qualifications from CPCAB.

The important distinction is that CPCAB qualifications and HUB qualifications have different awarding and regulatory arrangements.

Our approach focuses on professional competence, ethical practice, experiential learning and preparation for further training and, at diploma level, counselling practice.

We encourage students to consider the course content, training hours, supervised practice, professional recognition and their intended career pathway when comparing qualifications.

Our HUB-awarded qualifications are not Ofqual-regulated qualifications.

Ofqual regulates recognised awarding organisations and their regulated qualifications in England. It does not regulate the counselling profession itself.

Counselling training can be delivered through several routes, including Ofqual-regulated qualifications, university awards and independently awarded professional training.

For prospective students, it is important to understand both the qualification's regulatory status and how it relates to professional membership, registration and employment requirements.

The short answer is both. Our Higher Diploma L5 (equiv) is Course Training in that it can be used towards the 450 guided learning hours needed when applying for NCPS professional accreditation and BACP accreditation, moving to column B under SCoPed - It meets both professional body's criteria of being face-to-face and having assessed elements. It can also be used towards the yearly CPD as required of professional counsellors. 

NCPS Quality Checked is a formal recognition category awarded by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society.

It provides independent recognition that the course has been reviewed through the Society's Quality Checked process.

For our Level 3 students, this offers additional reassurance about the course they are undertaking.

However, Quality Checked recognition is different from accreditation of a qualifying practitioner training course. The Level 3 Certificate is a foundation in counselling skills and does not, by itself, qualify someone to practise as a professional counsellor.

Our Level 4 Diploma is designed around relevant professional training standards and prepares students for the next stage of their professional development.

Formal accreditation is a separate assessment process undertaken by the relevant professional body. Until that process has been completed and accreditation awarded, we do not describe the Diploma as an accredited course.

Students should also understand that completing a non-accredited core training course may still provide a pathway towards professional membership and registration, subject to the relevant body's eligibility and assessment requirements.

We are happy to explain the current recognition status of our Diploma and the professional routes available to students before enrolment.

Yes. The Counselling Training HUB is registered on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP).

UKRLP is a national register of UK learning providers. Registered organisations are verified as legal entities and assigned a unique UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN).

Our inclusion provides an independently verifiable record of the HUB as a learning provider.

UKRLP registration is not, in itself, educational accreditation, Ofqual regulation or a guarantee of course quality. Our course recognition and professional standards are explained separately.

You can search the register at UKRLP.

These terms have different meanings.

Professional standards alignment: A training provider designs its teaching and assessments with reference to a professional body's published standards. This does not necessarily mean that the body has formally assessed the course.

Quality Checked: A course has received recognition through a specific quality-checking scheme, such as the NCPS scheme awarded to our Level 3 course.

Accredited: A course has successfully completed a formal accreditation process under the relevant professional body's requirements.

Individual registration or accreditation: This relates to the counsellor personally, rather than the college or qualification. It is based on the individual's training, competence, experience and the requirements of the professional body.

We clearly distinguish these statuses so students can make informed choices about their training.

The HUB has a close working relationship with Counselling on Sea, our associated counselling service.

This gives eligible Diploma students access to an established placement pathway.

Placement is conditional on successfully completing the required Fitness to Practise assessment and meeting the relevant professional, insurance, supervision and service requirements.

Students must demonstrate that they are ready to work safely and ethically with clients before beginning placement.

Fitness to Practise is an assessment of whether a student is sufficiently prepared to begin working with clients.

It considers areas such as counselling skills, self-awareness, ethical understanding, boundaries, professionalism, reflective capacity and the ability to work safely within the limits of training.

It is an important safeguard for both students and future clients.

Passing academic assessments alone does not automatically mean that a student is ready to undertake client work.

Yes. Our Level 4 Diploma requires students to complete 60 hours of personal therapy, normally divided into 30 hours during each year of training.

Personal therapy supports self-awareness, emotional understanding and the ability to recognise how personal experiences may influence therapeutic relationships.

It also helps students experience counselling from the client's perspective.

Students are responsible for arranging and funding their own personal therapy.

Diploma students must complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervised counselling practice with appropriate clients.

These hours form part of the practical requirements of the qualification and must be supported by appropriate supervision, documentation and assessment.

Students also need to meet the required professional and ethical standards throughout their placement.

We expect students to attend regularly and participate fully.

Both Level 3 and Level 4 have a minimum attendance requirement of 85%.

Counselling training is experiential, meaning students learn not only through reading and written work but through interaction, practical skills exercises, feedback and personal reflection.

Missing too many sessions can therefore affect both learning and eligibility to complete the course.

We welcome applications from people with different learning styles, disabilities and neurodivergent experiences.

We encourage applicants to discuss any support needs or reasonable adjustments with us before enrolment so that we can consider how to make training accessible.

Our courses are face-to-face, experiential and involve group participation, reflective learning, practical assessments and attendance requirements.

Reasonable adjustments are considered individually, while maintaining the essential competencies, professional safety requirements and learning outcomes of the course.

We cannot guarantee that every course format will suit every learner, but we are happy to discuss the demands of training and help applicants make an informed decision.

Yes, provided you meet the relevant membership criteria.

Students undertaking our qualifying Level 4 Diploma may apply for student membership with BACP or NCPS, subject to the professional body's eligibility requirements.

BACP updated its student membership requirements for courses starting from 1 February 2026, including minimum training duration, tutor contact hours and supervised placement requirements.

Students taking our Level 3 Skills course alone should not assume that they are eligible for BACP student membership, as this is not a qualifying practitioner course.

Professional membership can provide access to ethical guidance, learning resources, professional information and support throughout training.

We encourage Diploma students to become familiar with their chosen professional body early in their studies.

The Level 4 Diploma is our core practitioner training programme.

To successfully complete it, students must demonstrate the required counselling competencies, complete all assessments, undertake personal therapy and fulfil their supervised placement requirements.

This includes a minimum of 100 hours of supervised counselling practice with suitable clients.

Once all course requirements have been met, successful graduates receive their Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.

They can then consider appropriate professional membership or registration routes and opportunities for employment or private practice, subject to any additional requirements.

Graduates can explore professional registration through BACP or NCPS, but the route depends on the recognition status of their qualification and the individual membership requirements.

For BACP, graduates of non-BACP-accredited core training generally need to satisfy the relevant eligibility requirements and successfully complete BACP's Certificate of Proficiency before joining the BACP Register.

NCPS operates its own training recognition and registration requirements, which must be checked against the graduate's qualifications and circumstances.

A HUB Diploma does not automatically confer registration with either professional body.

We encourage students to plan their intended professional registration route from the beginning of their Diploma training.

Not necessarily.

BACP provides accreditation routes for suitably experienced counsellors who have completed non-BACP-accredited core training, provided they meet the relevant requirements.

Accreditation is generally a later professional milestone, involving additional clinical experience, supervised practice and evidence of competence.

However, different routes may have different eligibility requirements, and certain accredited courses can offer more direct progression opportunities.

Students should check the requirements of their preferred professional body before choosing a course.

NCPS Quality Checked is a formal recognition category awarded by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society.

It provides independent recognition that the course has been reviewed through the Society's Quality Checked process.

For our Level 3 students, this offers additional reassurance about the course they are undertaking.

However, Quality Checked recognition is different from accreditation of a qualifying practitioner training course. The Level 3 Certificate is a foundation in counselling skills and does not, by itself, qualify someone to practise as a professional counsellor.

Our Level 4 Diploma is designed around relevant professional training standards and prepares students for the next stage of their professional development.

Formal accreditation is a separate assessment process undertaken by the relevant professional body. Until that process has been completed and accreditation awarded, we do not describe the Diploma as an accredited course.

Students should also understand that completing a non-accredited core training course may still provide a pathway towards professional membership and registration, subject to the relevant body's eligibility and assessment requirements.

We are happy to explain the current recognition status of our Diploma and the professional routes available to students before enrolment.

At Counselling Training HUB, we believe that becoming a competent, ethical counsellor involves much more than completing assignments and collecting a certificate.

Our approach combines theoretical knowledge, practical skills, personal development, reflective learning and professional responsibility.

As a specialist counselling training college, we focus specifically on counselling and therapeutic education.

Students benefit from face-to-face learning, experienced tutors, regular practical skills development and access to an associated counselling placement service.

We also offer opportunities for further development through our Higher Diploma, specialist practitioner training and CPD programmes.

Our guiding principle is simple: Competent Ethical Therapists.

Our Level 3 Skills course is the usual preparation for our Level 4 Diploma.

Applicants with relevant previous counselling training or equivalent experience may be considered individually.

Entry to the Diploma involves an assessment of suitability, previous learning, interpersonal skills and readiness for practitioner training.

Because the Diploma involves supervised client work, we need to be satisfied that applicants have a suitable foundation before progressing.

Graduates can explore several pathways, depending on their qualifications, professional registration and experience.

These may include counselling employment, volunteering, agency work, private practice or further professional training.

Our associated Counselling on Sea service also provides an established environment in which eligible graduates may explore the transition from supervised placement to appropriate post-qualification practice arrangements.

For those wishing to continue developing their skills, the HUB offers further learning opportunities including our Higher Diploma and specialist practitioner courses.

Absolutely. In fact, continuing professional development is an important part of a counsellor's career.

After completing their Diploma, counsellors may wish to broaden their theoretical knowledge, develop specialist skills or deepen their understanding of more complex therapeutic work.

The HUB offers Higher Diploma study, specialist training and downloadable CPD resources to support continued learning.

Professional development does not end when a counsellor receives their initial qualification.

No. Our Level 3 Skills in Counselling course is designed for people who are beginning their counselling training journey.

You do not need to be an experienced counsellor or have an existing counselling qualification.

The course introduces essential counselling skills, self-awareness, ethical considerations, communication and reflective practice.

It is also suitable for people who want to improve their listening and interpersonal skills without necessarily intending to become professional counsellors.

Our Level 3 Skills course is the usual preparation for our Level 4 Diploma.

Applicants with relevant previous counselling training or equivalent experience may be considered individually.

Entry to the Diploma involves an assessment of suitability, previous learning, interpersonal skills and readiness for practitioner training.

Because the Diploma involves supervised client work, we need to be satisfied that applicants have a suitable foundation before progressing.

Level 3 – Skills in Counselling

• Foundation counselling skills
• Approximately seven months
• Develops listening and helping skills
• Experiential learning and assessed skills practice
• Does not qualify you as a counsellor

Level 4 – Diploma

• Practitioner training
• Two years
• Develops therapeutic competence
• Theory, assessments, supervised practice and personal therapy
• Intended as a qualifying practitioner programme

Our Level 3 course is delivered part-time, with weekly classes during term time and additional scheduled training days.

The Level 4 Diploma is a two-year programme requiring regular attendance, independent study, reflective learning, written assessments, skills practice and personal development.

Diploma students must also arrange and complete personal therapy and, at the appropriate stage, supervised client placement hours.

We recommend allowing regular study time outside classes rather than leaving assignments until deadlines approach.

We expect students to attend regularly and participate fully.

Both Level 3 and Level 4 have a minimum attendance requirement of 85%.

Counselling training is experiential, meaning students learn not only through reading and written work but through interaction, practical skills exercises, feedback and personal reflection.

Missing too many sessions can therefore affect both learning and eligibility to complete the course.

We welcome applications from people with different learning styles, disabilities and neurodivergent experiences.

We encourage applicants to discuss any support needs or reasonable adjustments with us before enrolment so that we can consider how to make training accessible.

Our courses are face-to-face, experiential and involve group participation, reflective learning, practical assessments and attendance requirements.

Reasonable adjustments are considered individually, while maintaining the essential competencies, professional safety requirements and learning outcomes of the course.

We cannot guarantee that every course format will suit every learner, but we are happy to discuss the demands of training and help applicants make an informed decision.

Our Level 3 and Level 4 practitioner training programmes are primarily face-to-face.

We believe that developing therapeutic relationships, responding to others in real time and receiving practical feedback are important aspects of counselling training.

For qualified counsellors and other professionals, we also offer separate downloadable CPD courses that can be completed independently.

These short courses are not substitutes for our face-to-face qualifying practitioner training.

At Counselling Training HUB, we believe that becoming a competent, ethical counsellor involves much more than completing assignments and collecting a certificate.

Our approach combines theoretical knowledge, practical skills, personal development, reflective learning and professional responsibility.

As a specialist counselling training college, we focus specifically on counselling and therapeutic education.

Students benefit from face-to-face learning, experienced tutors, regular practical skills development and access to an associated counselling placement service.

We also offer opportunities for further development through our Higher Diploma, specialist practitioner training and CPD programmes.

Our guiding principle is simple: Competent Ethical Therapists.

Our Level 3 Skills course is the usual preparation for our Level 4 Diploma.

Applicants with relevant previous counselling training or equivalent experience may be considered individually.

Entry to the Diploma involves an assessment of suitability, previous learning, interpersonal skills and readiness for practitioner training.

Because the Diploma involves supervised client work, we need to be satisfied that applicants have a suitable foundation before progressing.

Further training can contribute valuable evidence of professional development, particularly where it is relevant to the competencies required for a particular membership or accreditation route.

However, BACP and NCPS each have specific eligibility requirements, and not all additional courses count in the same way.

Our Higher Diploma should therefore be viewed as an opportunity for advanced professional learning rather than a guaranteed route to a particular membership level.

Students who have a specific accreditation goal are encouraged to discuss it with us and check the current requirements of their chosen professional body.