The International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA) offers an additional badge of accreditation for aromatherapy diploma courses. This option is suited for schools that wish to maintain their existing course structure and operational approach, while gaining the benefits of affiliation with the world’s first and longest-established governing body for aromatherapy. By joining as an IFA Associate School, you and your graduates can access our expert guidance, support resources, and professional recognition, without having to alter the way you currently run your course.
Benefits
Becoming an IFA Associate School provides tangible benefits that elevate your school’s credibility and support your graduates’ professional development as they embark on their careers.
For Your School
IFA Quality Mark: Display the IFA Associate School logo on your website and promotional materials.
Official Certificate: Showcase your status as an IFA-recognised school.
Referrals & Visibility: Be listed on the IFA website and attract potential students.
Teaching Support: Access expert teaching aids, specialist guidelines, webinars, and the IFA research hub.
For Your Graduates
Graduate Certification: On completion of your course, graduates are eligible for IFA Associate Membership certificate, enamel badge, and 1-year IFA membership to support their career launch. Note: The IFA logo cannot be displayed on diploma certificates issued, as the curriculum and end-point assessment is not managed by the IFA. Graduates can, however, receive the membership certificate, which may be issued alongside their diploma certificate.
PSA Recognition (UK Only): Graduates who join the membership gain IFA PSA-accredited status, recognised by the NHS, enhancing career prospects — a benefit your school can highlight in marketing.
Ongoing Support: Access 25+ free webinars with world-renowned authors and researchers, business-building tools and templates, discounted suppliers, join the practitioner community, use of the IFA & PSA logo (UK), and listing on the IFA PSA-accredited register. The full list of benefits can be found here.
With IFA Associate School accreditation, your school will have in place a governing body that continues to support your graduates after they complete their course, giving them the best possible foundation for success in their aromatherapy careers.
Registration Process
For Schools with Existing Course Accreditation
If your course is already accredited with another awarding body at Level 3 or above (e.g., ITEC, SCOTEV, VTCT), please:
Complete the registration form below.
Provide evidence of your current accreditation, such as:
A link to the awarding body’s website showing your course is accredited
Or a copy of your course accreditation certificate
For Schools Without Existing Accreditation
If your course does not yet have accreditation, please provide:
Course specifications: Full curriculum contents (including a list of essential and carrier oils), delivery methods, and assessment criteria, so we can map it against Level descriptors
Teacher qualifications
Teacher insurance, if applicable under your country’s rules
Please note: The IFA does not accredit courses below the national occupational standards (NOS) equivalent to Level 3. If your course is below Level 3, we will advise applying for CPD accreditation.
To understand what qualifies as meeting NOS, please refer to the Aromatherapy Core Curriculum, which outlines fundamental assessment methods and learning outcome descriptors for practicing aromatherapy in the UK.
Important: When accrediting courses via this route, we are not officially levelling courses, which is outside our remit. We are mapping against qualification descriptors to ensure comparability.
Fees
Please find below the fee structure for IFA Associate School registration:
Associate School Fees: £150.00 per annum (registration).
Principal Teacher Registration: £70.00 per annum for the principal teacher to be registered as an IFA associate member.
Graduate Completion Fee: £70.00 per graduate upon completion. This includes:
IFA certificate
Badge
Listing on the IFA website
Use of IFA (& PSA UK only) Logos
1 Year IFA membership
The certificates and badges will be sent to your school for dispatch to the students.
