At ICOM we teach five element theory and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, ICOM is internationally renowned for its philosophical and practical application of the Stems and Branches theory. This theory allows students to go into much greater depth and breadth than that given by conventional acupuncture approaches and is unique to ICOM.

Stems and Branches is a unique philosophy which shows us how the energies of the cosmos blend with the cycles on earth and how the human being interacts with both. Stems and Branches is introduced towards the end of the second year and developed further in the third, final year of the course; this development leads to a deeper and more refined understanding of the five elements and meridian system taught up to this stage.
The 10 Stems follow a 10 year cycle and the 12 Branches a 12 year cycle, which combine and interact with the 6 Divisions, taking 60 years to return to the starting point. The Stem, Branch and Division of a year give an imprint to the person; they represent the character, personality and physicality of the individual. This gives us a rare and deep insight into the individual's potential strengths and weaknesses and informs our treatment accordingly. It allows us to foresee potential times of difficulty for a person, as well as to understand the best way to correct (treat) those times of imbalance.

It is possible to study part time only during Years 1 and 2. Year 3 can be studied full-time only. The six modules for Year 1 and 2 are split over two years and information about this is detailed in the Course section of the website.

No, you only go through UCAS for full-time study.

We feel that three years, full-time study in acupuncture is required to do justice to this fascinating medicine (art). To offer training in herbal medicine alongside would mean compromising the time needed to cover every aspect of the acupuncture course fully.

You will receive a BSc Honours degree from a UK university. We are in the process of finalising our university validating partner (please see section "University Association" under Courses). You will also receive the professional licentiate, which in turn gives you eligibility for membership of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), the professional body for trained acupuncturists. You have this eligibilty because our college is fully accredited by the BAAB (British Acupuncture Accreditation Board) who work on behalf of the BAcC.

BAAB (British Acupuncture Accreditation Board)
who work on behalf of the BAcC.

Not at all. At ICOM we have an extremely busy on-site clinic with a wide range of patients and at the beginning of the academic year you will be allocated all of your clinic days. The fact that we find the patients for you means you can concentrate on studying and not on having to organise where your next patient will come from!

The age range is from 18 to late 50s and the average age of our students is late twenties.

Yes, treatment is free to ICOM students when treated by a final year student in their supervised / trainee clinics or with the second year practical day groups.

Our academic year comprises two semesters, of between 12-13 weeks, with holiday breaks at Christmas, spring and a longer break over the summer. For final year students, trainee clinics extend into the summer holidays. Each lecture is a day long, starting at 9.30am and finishing at 4.00pm, with breaks during the morning, afternoon and for lunch.

Please see fees section of the website. For both full-time and part-time study for more information tel: 01342 313106 or email info@orientalmed.ac.uk). Please note that our tuition fees are the same for UK and international (non EU) students.

The course is full time and you will be eligible to apply for a student loan to help cover your fees and / or living expenses. We are one of only a limited number of fully accredited acupuncture colleges that offer full time courses and therefore eligibility for government funding loans.
You may receive your loan after the academic year has begun. However, please note that we ask first year students to pay fees on time at the beginning of each year (or by instalment for Year 2 and 3 students) and when the loan money is received we will reimburse you the monies paid in advance.

As a Registered Charity the College is a non-profit making organisation and endeavours to keep fees as low as possible, though as we are a private independent college, our fees are higher than standard university tuition fees. We offer a high amount of contact time, and are proud of our practical clinical training. Since our course is full time you are eligible to apply for a student loan to cover a proportion of the fees. Please contact your local LEA and they will send you the relevant forms to apply for a student loan. Also see our Funding Option sheet.

ICOM is a small and friendly college, situated in beautiful grounds. We usually have a total of around 55 to 65 students attending. Class sizes are small - they can vary between 12 to 20 students. We aim to have around 20 students in each year group as this gives students the great opportunity of receiving more individual attention.

In the final year, you will be given practice/business management lectures plus career planning development help. These will help you to understand all the aspects necessary to start your own practice, including planning, marketing, finance, taxation. In addition there may be post graduate courses on business management run by our committee and also other career planning events available from the University.

Of course the answer is yes. As in any profession your commitment and effort will bring reward. You will have to allow for a period in which you build up your practice and client base, but once this is established a very good income can be made. Acupuncture is an area of healthcare that is growing well – it is used more and more each year, both within the NHS and by private patients.

Assessments take place throughout the year. These comprise both summative tasks (where the marks count towards the final module assessment) and formative tasks (where the marks are not counted but the assessment is designed to help you review your performance). Assessment tasks include weekly tests, termly tests (both practical and theoretical), projects, presentations, and also final year written and/or practical examinations.

This is a dissertation, of 10,000 words, and represents the culmination of your learning throughout the course. It is essentially the opportunity for you to research an area of acupuncture that is of particular interest to you. It shows us that you are able to undertake a short study and apply the skills that you have developed through your learning journey.

Our fees are the same for international students as UK students. Advice for international students:
Funding and living costs - you should contact your local British Council Offices to see what awards may be available (the address in your country can be found by contacting your local British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate). Before you begin your studies here you should make sure that you have adequate funds to cover your living costs for the duration of your course.

These qualifications are recognised internationally, but each country has its own regulations regarding acupuncture. For example in some European countries acupuncturists can only practise if they are also trained medical doctors. Please check the regulations of the country where you intend to practise.

At present we don’t have halls of residence and all accommodation is arranged privately either in a shared house with other students or renting a room with use of kitchen etc with local landladies. Some of our students live in Brighton in shared houses and share car travel to the college daily. Our notice board has adverts for accommodation locally and we are happy to advise if needed.