Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice
Everything you need to know before you enrol: who can join, the six units, how the portfolio is assessed, what changes in January 2027 and how practical training works at our academy on Wolves Lane, Wood Green.
Prefer to chat? WhatsApp 07493 723 940 · Mon–Sat, 9am–6pm
Level 7 key facts
Taken from ProQual’s published specification, version 1.5 (August 2026).
- Full title
- ProQual Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice
- Qualification number
- 610/4479/9
- Regulated by
- Ofqual (Regulated Qualifications Framework, Level 7)
- Total qualification time
- 660 hours
- Guided learning
- 380 hours
- Structure
- 6 mandatory units, no options
- Grading
- Pass or fail
- Assessment
- Portfolio of evidence with observed practice on live models
- Minimum age
- 18 on the day you register
- Practical training
- City Hair and Beauty Academy, London
What is the Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice?
The ProQual Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice is the qualification that takes you into anti-wrinkle (botulinum toxin) and temporary dermal filler treatments. It sits at the top of ProQual’s aesthetic practice pathway and is regulated by Ofqual, so the qualification number above can be checked on Ofqual’s public register.
It is not a “weekend injectables course”. Alongside the injecting itself, you study individual facial consultation, the psychology of facial aesthetics, ethics and professionalism, and how to prevent and manage complications. ProQual built it around the standards Health Education England recommended in 2015 for people delivering cosmetic procedures.
Is Level 7 the same as a master’s degree?
It sits at the same level on the national framework as a master’s degree, but it is a vocational diploma, not a degree. What it proves is practical competence, observed and signed off, rather than academic research.
Which other Level 7 aesthetics qualifications are there?
Several awarding bodies offer Level 7 aesthetics qualifications, including VTCT and Qualifi, and ProQual itself has more than one. Whatever you choose, check the exact title and qualification number on Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications before you pay a deposit.
Who can enrol on Level 7?
ProQual sets two entry routes. You need to meet one of them, be 18 or over and pass our initial assessment.
For beauty and aesthetics professionals
- A ProQual Level 5 or Level 6 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice, or an equivalent qualification
- A Level 6 qualification that includes anatomy and professional practice
- A currently valid Level 3 first-aid qualification (First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid, or Adult Basic Life Support, AED and Management of Anaphylaxis)
For registered nurses and doctors
- Be a fully qualified, registered nurse or doctor
- You still complete every unit and every observed treatment
On either route you also need the chance to treat a range of clients, either through your job or through your training provider. At our academy that means supervised treatments on live models during your practical days.
Can I join Level 7 with only a Level 4?
Not under the current specification. You need a Level 5 or 6 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice first. Our Level 5 and Level 6 diplomas are the usual stepping stones.
My certificates are from another awarding body. Do they count?
They can, if they are regulated and cover the same ground. Bring your certificates and unit lists to your initial assessment and we will check them against ProQual’s requirements before you register.
What if my first aid has expired?
You need a currently valid Level 3 first-aid qualification before you register. Our Level 3 Basic Life Support, AED and Anaphylaxis award is a short, face-to-face course and is valid for three years.
The six Level 7 units
All six are mandatory. Hours are total qualification time (TQT) and guided learning hours (GLH) from ProQual’s specification.
| Unit | Title | TQT / GLH | What it covers in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| R/651/2415 | Consultation for Individualised Facial Aesthetic Treatments | 120 / 100 | Assessing faces, medical history, expectations and consent, then planning a treatment that suits that person |
| T/651/2416 | Psychological Aspects of Facial Aesthetics | 80 / 30 | Motivation, body image and recognising when the right answer is not to treat |
| Y/651/2417 | Values, Ethics and Professionalism in Aesthetic Practice | 80 / 30 | Legislation, limits on prescribing and administering medicines, and professional behaviour |
| A/651/2418 | Aesthetic Injectable Therapies with Botulinum Toxin | 150 / 100 | Facial anatomy, product knowledge and technique for anti-wrinkle treatments |
| D/651/2419 | Aesthetic Injectable Therapies with Temporary Dermal Fillers | 150 / 100 | Needle and cannula techniques with temporary fillers |
| J/651/2420 | Management of Complications for Aesthetic Practice | 80 / 20 | Preventing, recognising and managing complications and medical emergencies |
In the ethics unit your assessor also signs a declaration that you have shown commitment, compassion, honesty, personal integrity and respect for others. Technique alone does not get you through Level 7.
How Level 7 is assessed
There is no single end exam. You build a portfolio of evidence that our assessors mark and ProQual’s external verifiers quality-assure. It is pass or fail.
- Knowledge units (consultation theory, psychology, complications) are evidenced through written work and professional discussion.
- Practical outcomes are evidenced with photos or video of your work, an assessor’s observation report, expert witness testimony and your own reflection. ProQual is clear that a report on its own is unlikely to be enough.
- Observation numbers: each practical competence is observed at least ten times before it is signed off. For fillers, at least six treatments use a needle and at least four use a cannula. The consultation unit needs at least five observations during toxin treatments and five during filler treatments.
- Live models only for assessment: simulated practice is allowed for learning, but assessed treatments are carried out on live models aged 18 or over.
Who provides the models?
We provide live models for supervised practical training at the academy. If you work in a clinic, treatments there can also count, provided they are properly observed and evidenced.
What if I am nervous about complications?
That is a sensible worry. Complications have their own unit, and you practise under supervision until your assessor is satisfied. Feeling cautious is a good sign in this work.
Level 7, botox and prescribers
Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine. Completing Level 7 shows you are competent to deliver the treatment, but it does not make you a prescriber. If you are not an independent prescriber yourself, you work with one who prescribes for each client.
Temporary dermal fillers are not prescription-only medicines, which is why many practitioners build their filler work first. Either way, Level 7 teaches you the consultation, record-keeping and complication protocols that a responsible prescriber will expect to see.
Do nurses and doctors still need Level 7?
They can enrol directly through the healthcare route. Many do, because a registration proves clinical training, not aesthetic competence in toxin and fillers.
What changes on 1 January 2027?
In September 2026 ProQual published a new qualification, the Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice and Injectable Procedures (610/7957/1), with a start date of 1 January 2027. It keeps the same six-unit shape and the same 660 hours, but the entry bar is higher:
- a regulated Level 6 Diploma or degree in aesthetic practice plus valid first aid, or full registration with a UK healthcare regulator plus a Level 6 qualification or degree that includes anatomy and physiology, plus first aid
- evidence of sufficient English (ProQual gives an IELTS overall score of 6.5 as one example)
- for anyone who cannot prescribe, every assessed treatment supported by a registered prescriber and supervised by an assessor who holds Level 7 and has at least three years’ experience in that treatment
ProQual’s new specification does not say when, or whether, the current 610/4479/9 diploma closes. If you meet today’s entry requirements, ask us now which qualification you would be registered on and when.
Level 5, 6 and 7 side by side
| Qualification | Number | TQT / GLH | Main focus | Entry (summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice | 610/5201/2 | 435 / 320 | Microneedling, chemical peels, advanced anatomy and professional practice | Regulated Level 4 in aesthetic practice plus valid first aid |
| Level 6 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice | 610/4498/2 | 535 / 400 | Choose three or more: microneedling, peels, mesotherapy, skin boosters, fat reduction, advanced micropigmentation | Regulated Level 4, or 5 years’ verifiable beauty experience, plus first aid |
| Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice | 610/4479/9 | 660 / 380 | Botulinum toxin, temporary dermal fillers, consultation, psychology, ethics, complications | Level 5 or 6 Diploma plus Level 6 anatomy and professional practice plus first aid, or registered nurse or doctor |
Full details: Level 5 · Level 6 · the whole ProQual pathway.
How Level 7 training works in London
Initial assessment
We check your certificates, first aid and experience, and confirm your route before you register with ProQual.
Guided theory
You work through consultation, psychology, ethics and complications at your own pace, with tutor support.
Practical days
Small-group sessions at City Hair & Beauty Academy with supervised treatments on live models.
Portfolio
You collect photos, observation reports and reflections until every competence has been observed enough times.
Certification
We assess, ProQual verifies, and you receive your Level 7 Diploma.
Wolves Lane is an easy trip from Palmers Green, Southgate, Tottenham and Muswell Hill, and the Piccadilly line runs straight to Wood Green from King’s Cross St Pancras if you are coming from further afield. If you are travelling a long way, tell us and we will plan your practical days so you are not making unnecessary journeys.
How much does Level 7 cost in London?
It depends on your route and what you already hold, so we quote after your initial assessment rather than give a headline figure that may not apply to you. Flexible payment options are available.
Level 7 aesthetic practice FAQs
Can a beauty therapist do the Level 7 Diploma in Aesthetic Practice?
Can I go from Level 4 straight to Level 7?
How long does Level 7 take?
How many treatments do I need to do?
Do I get prescribing rights with Level 7?
Is Level 7 a legal requirement to inject in England?
Is the course online?
What happens on 1 January 2027?
How much does Level 7 cost?
Where will I train?
Ready to check your Level 7 route?
Send us your current qualifications and we will tell you honestly whether you can start Level 7 now or what you need first.