Course Accreditation and Awarding Bodies
How Reiki qualifications are regulated, and where we fit inThe qualification process
For a qualification to be formally regulated, the Reiki course needs to meet certain criteria, including linking to the National Occupational Standards for Reiki.
An awarding body is an organisation which is allowed to offer qualifications. Examples include BTEC, OCR, ITEC and VTCT. Before it can do so, it has to go through an approval process with the qualifications regulator.
Qualifications are the main currency for measuring skills and knowledge. As such they are a central component of workforce planning, recruitment, commissioning, training, progression and service delivery.
Where we fit in
A professional organisation, such as the UK Reiki Federation, is not able to award regulated qualifications. That can only be done by a recognised awarding body.
Individual organisations may, however, approve courses which they accept, and which may also be acceptable to insurers.
Who regulates qualifications
Regulated qualifications sit on a national framework, and each UK nation has its own qualifications regulator. The Core Curriculum for Reiki is set at level 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework.
England
Ofqual
Regulates qualifications in England, which sit on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).
Wales
Qualifications Wales
The regulator of qualifications, other than degrees, in Wales.
Scotland
Qualifications Scotland
The national accreditation and awarding body in Scotland, which has replaced the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). In its accreditation role it accredits vocational qualifications offered across Scotland and approves the awarding bodies that wish to award them.
What has changed
Older guidance, including earlier versions of this page, described qualifications being endorsed by Skills for Health and then given final approval by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). UKCES closed in March 2017, and the Qualifications and Credit Framework was replaced by the RQF in 2015, so that route no longer applies.
What the UK Reiki Federation offers
Directory of Accredited Reiki Courses
Our directory lists practitioner training courses that have been checked and assessed by qualified assessors against both the National Occupational Standards for Reiki and the Core Curriculum for Reiki.
It is an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to ensure that their training will include all the recommended criteria for professional training in the UK.
Reiki teachers
We also provide a list of Reiki teachers who offer training for non-professionals. Many also offer courses which meet the recommended standards.
It is up to the student to check that what is being offered meets the full recommendations. One quick check is that professional courses must be at least nine months long.
For teachers
Reiki teachers can have their own practitioner or teacher courses reviewed and assessed by the UK Reiki Federation for inclusion in the directory.
Choosing a course?
Our guide sets out what to ask a teacher and what a good course should cover.