How to Check an Aesthetics Course Is Properly Regulated Before You Pay

Aesthetics training is easy to sell and hard to compare. Two courses can promise a certificate, use the same words on the advert and cost about the same, and still be completely different things. Before you pay a deposit, ten minutes of checking is worth it.

Here is what we would check if we were in your shoes.

Regulated, accredited and CPD are not the same thing

A regulated qualification is one an awarding body, such as ProQual, offers under Ofqual’s rules. It has a qualification number, a set level on the national framework, fixed units and external quality assurance.

Accredited and CPD courses can be perfectly good training, and many are designed to support insurance for a particular treatment. But they are not on Ofqual’s register, so they should not be described as a regulated Level 5 or Level 7.

We teach both kinds, so this is not about one being bad. It is about knowing which one you are buying.

How to check a qualification on the Ofqual register

1. Ask the provider for the awarding body and the qualification number. For example, the ProQual Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice is 610/4479/9.
2. Search that number on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications.
3. Check that the title, level and awarding body match what you were told, and look at the dates shown so you are not registering on something about to close.
4. Ask the provider to confirm, in writing, that they are an approved centre for that qualification. The awarding body can confirm it too.

Questions worth asking before you pay

• Who are the models, and how many treatments will I do? On the ProQual Level 7, every practical competence has to be observed at least ten times.
• How are complications taught and assessed? It should be a proper part of the course, not a slide at the end.
• How does prescribing work? For anti-wrinkle training, someone has to prescribe the botulinum toxin, both during the course and once you are treating clients.
• What first aid do I need, and do you run it?
• Which insurers accept this certificate for the treatments I want to offer?
• What happens if I miss a practical day?
• Who can I ask when I start treating clients?

Red flags

• A “Level 7” with no qualification number, or one you cannot find on the Ofqual register.
• A promise that you can buy or prescribe Botox yourself after the course. Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine.
• No live-model practice at all for injectable treatments.
• Pressure to pay in full on the day, before you have seen the qualification details in writing.
• Silence on complications. If a provider does not want to talk about what can go wrong, that tells you something.

Where the law stands in 2026

No law in England currently names a qualification you must hold to give toxin or filler. The government has said a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures is coming, and on 21 October 2026 it opened a consultation on restricting some higher-risk procedures to healthcare professionals. Botulinum toxin and dissolvable facial fillers are not on that list. We explain it in our guide to the October 2026 consultation.

Giving botulinum toxin or dermal filler for cosmetic reasons to anyone under 18 is already an offence in England. Until licensing arrives, a regulated qualification is the clearest evidence of your training you can show clients and insurers.

How we do it

City Hair & Beauty Academy is a ProQual approved centre in Wood Green, North London. Our regulated diplomas run from Level 3 to Level 7, and every course page lists the qualification number so you can check it yourself. Practical training is on live models in small groups, and our CPD courses and ABT-accredited courses are labelled as exactly what they are.

Looking at a course and not sure what you are buying, ours or anyone else’s? Send us a WhatsApp message and we will give you a straight answer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ProQual Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice regulated?

Yes. It is an Ofqual-regulated qualification, number 610/4479/9, awarded by ProQual.

Is a CPD certificate the same as a diploma?

No. A CPD certificate shows you completed a course. A regulated diploma has a qualification number, a level on the national framework and external quality assurance by the awarding body.

Can I get insured with a CPD or accredited certificate?

Often, for the specific treatment you trained in, but it depends on the insurer. Check with them before you book, not after.

How do I check an aesthetics course in London is regulated?

Ask the provider for the awarding body and the qualification number, then search that number on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. The title, level and awarding body should match what you were told.