They serve different purposes. Here’s what you’re working towards with each route, and what to check before you commit.
Here, “CPD” means our short courses and masterclasses. Continuing professional development is broader than this: studying for a qualification can also be part of your ongoing development.
| What to compare | CPD courses | Regulated qualifications |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop a particular skill, refresh knowledge or explore a treatment within the course’s entry requirements. | Work towards a defined qualification with published learning outcomes and assessment requirements. |
| Recognition | CPD accreditation is not the same as Ofqual regulation. Our CPD courses do not award an Ofqual-regulated qualification. | The specific qualification can be checked on the official Register of Regulated Qualifications. ProQual is the awarding organisation for our regulated courses. |
| Learning & assessment | Format varies by course. Practical training can include theory, supervised practice and assessment; CPD does not simply mean attendance. | Our aesthetics qualifications combine study and practical evidence. Learners must meet the qualification’s assessment criteria, with internal and external quality assurance. |
| Time commitment | Usually focused training days, sometimes with pre-study or follow-up work. Check the individual course. | A longer programme involving independent study, practical attendance and evidence submission—not just the days spent in the academy. |
| Certificate | A course or CPD certificate, according to the provider’s completion requirements. | An awarding-organisation qualification certificate after successful assessment and the required quality checks. |
| Progression | Useful professional development, but it does not automatically meet entry requirements or convert into a regulated qualification. | May support entry to further study where the next qualification accepts it. Progression is subject to its current entry requirements. |
Explore our ProQual routes. We’ll check your existing qualifications and experience against the current entry requirements before confirming where you can start.
Explore qualificationsLook at the relevant CPD course. Check its prerequisites, practical content and assessment, as well as whether your insurer will accept it for your circumstances.
Explore CPD coursesA masterclass may suit you if you already have the required foundation training and experience. Our masterclasses are CPD, not a separate regulated qualification or a shortcut around foundation training.
Explore masterclassesAsk for the full title, awarding organisation and qualification number. Use the official register to confirm its regulated status. A CPD logo or a course name containing “Level 7” is not proof on its own.
A level describes the difficulty of learning, not the length or full scope of a course. A Level 7 diploma is not automatically a master’s degree; qualifications at the same level can have different content and sizes.
Don’t assume a CPD certificate, years of experience or one qualification automatically secures entry to the next. Send us your background for an individual check, and get written confirmation from your insurer for the treatments you intend to offer. Neither route is a promise of insurance cover, prescribing rights or eligibility under future rules.
Tell us what you’ve studied, which treatments you already offer and what you’d like to do next.