Course FAQs

The Animal Acupuncture Academy offers the Certificate in Animal Acupuncture, a full-Certification practitioner course in Animal Acupuncture.

The Animal Acupuncture Academy is a Premier Approved Training Provider by the International Institute of Complementary Therapists. This means that upon graduation and receipt of your Certificate, you are eligible to become a Practitioner Member of the IICT and obtain professional insurance through them. Please make sure you read our FAQ on practicing Animal Acupuncture in different jurisdictions.

Note, the Animal Acupuncture Academy is not registered under the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) or the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). We focus on providing a professional, clinical course with industry recognition.

There are no prerequisites to enroll in the AAA course. Our course has been run in various iterations for 39 years, and during this time, we have taught students from all walks of life.

You just need to be passionate about helping animals and committed to making the most out of the course.

At AAA, we believe anyone who has an interest in promoting health and relieving suffering of our animal friends through the use of acupuncture should be supported to do so.

Past students have included animal lovers of all kinds:

• Career-changers
• Animal health professionals (e.g. animal physios/osteos/chiros, animal massage therapists)
• Vet nurses
• Veterinarians
• Retirees
• Human acupuncturists
• Human health professionals
• Horse trainers
• Dog trainers
• Animal breeders
• Racing or performance industry professionals
• Animal owners

There are no study prerequisites to enroll in the Certificate in Animal Acupuncture.

To complete the course you will need:

• Basic literacy and computer skills.
• Basic animal handling skills.
• A device (e.g. smartphone, tablet, or computer) for online learning.
• Adobe program or similar to download and read PDFs.
• Zoom program to attend the LIVE online practical day and seminars.
• A video-recording device (e.g. smartphone) to record your video case studies for assessment by your tutor.
• Access to animals of your chosen species for your case studies (this could be small animals [cats and dogs] or equines, see our FAQ below).
• If you wish to complete some of your case studies using laser acupuncture to be eligible for the Cold Laser Therapy skills validation, you will need to acquire a laser (USD 300-1,000). See our FAQ below.

If you have accessibility or learning requirements, please let us know.

Please also ensure you read our FAQ on practicing acupuncture in your jurisdiction.

The course is designed to be completed over a minimum period of 12 months. Course content is delivered weekly to you in the Online Learning Portal. We recommend you attend the LIVE Online Practical Day in Month 1-4 of your study time.

In 2024, the LIVE Online Practical Days are scheduled for Saturday 29 June and Saturday 5 October 2024.

You can find out more about the Course timeline by downloading our brochure.

You may decide to complete the course at a slower pace to suit your lifestyle. We recommend completing the course under 18-24 months to keep momentum.

There are no added fees to lengthening your study time.

We recommend you set aside 5-8 hours each week for study to complete the course in 12 months. Setting aside 3-5 hours of study each week should enable you to complete the course in 18 months. However, bear in mind every student learns at a different pace.

Practicing acupuncture requires understanding a system of medicine that is new or foreign to most people (Chinese Medicine). Our course has been tried, tested and refined over 39 years of teaching thousands of students. During this time, we have devised a unique Framework to Animal Acupuncture Mastery, which makes learning Animal Acupuncture easier and faster than before.

Learning acupuncture does require some memorisation (namely of anatomy structures and acupoints), however, you will be provided with cheat sheets and study tips to help with those tasks.

The bulk of the AAA course is available in pre-recorded or written format within our Online Learning Portal, so you can study when it is convenient for you.

The LIVE Online Practical Day (which marks the start of your clinical practice) is run every 3-4 months and you are highly encouraged to attend it LIVE online to keep momentum in your studies. You can also choose to catch the replay in your Online Learning Portal at your convenience.

In 2024, the LIVE Online Practical Days are scheduled for Saturday 29 June and Saturday 5 October 2024.

The AAA course is delivered and assessed fully online and there are no in–person practical components to attend. This means you can study anytime, anywhere in the world, at your own pace.

During the 40 years of running the AAA course (and especially during the pandemic years), we have found that studying fully online has both advantages and disadvantages, but that overall, the pros far outweigh the cons.

While in-person practical days can provide practical guidance, motivation, and peer support, the excitement of the practical day often gets in the way of memorizing and understanding acupoints and techniques.

At the AAA, teaching and examinations are conducted through our industry-leading Online Learning Portal, including through video trainings. By watching the videos multiple times, students can cement their learning in a way that is not possible during practical days. Students are assessed using written examinations and video evidence of their skills. As for support, questions can be asked during the LIVE Online course components and throughout the course via email.

Luckily, the main technique of needle insertion looks ‘scarier’ than it is and is actually quite simple to implement using appropriate guidance and demonstration. If you have any other concerns about learning acupuncture online, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us using our Contact page.

The AAA Certificate in Animal Acupuncture uses a comparative approach to teach Animal Acupuncture across a range of species more effectively.

When enrolling in the AAA Certificate in Animal Acupuncture, you will have access to all learning materials for all species. However, practical examinations occur in two streams: Small Animals [cats and dogs] and Equines.

You may select to study and be examined on both streams (with no added fees), however, please allow another 6 months in your course completion timeline.

You will need access to animals of your chosen species [Small Animals or Equines] for your practical examinations.

Regardless of which species you plan to practice on, you must also complete all examination requirements from our Core Modules.

Within our AAA Resource Bank, you will also be provided with acupuncture atlases for pigs, cattle, reptiles and birds. However, you will not be examined on this content.

The AAA course is designed to teach the fundamentals of Chinese Medicine and acupoints so you can select to practice using needles and/or cold (therapeutic) lasers depending on your jurisdiction and preferred practice. [See our jurisdiction-specific FAQs below].

Cold lasers can usually be purchased for around USD $300-1,000,

If you are from Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, please check our FAQ below to find information specific to you. Graduates from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are eligible join the International Institute of Complementary Therapists under the Modality Animal Acupuncture [with needles]. You may also select to complete some of your case studies with a cold (therapeutic) laser to become eligible to join the International Institute of Complementary Therapists under the Modality Cold Laser Therapy.

If you are a veterinarian from the USA, UK, or Europe, check our FAQ to find information specific to you.

If you are a non-veterinarian from the USA, UK, or Europe, check our FAQ to find information specific to you. You can only enrol in the AAA to practice with a cold laser (if this is legal in your jurisdiction) and your graduation certificate will clearly state ‘Laser Only’ as your technique. You cannot use needles.

Note: The above does not constitute legal advice. Always check your local laws and regulations and consult with a local lawyer if necessary.

The course is examined using:

• Multiple Choice Quizzes in your Online Learning Portal.
• Mini-assessment questions in your Online Learning Portal.
• Written case study submissions.
• Video submissions to assess your practical skills.
• One long-form essay.
• Business plan assignment.

To graduate with the Certificate in Animal Acupuncture, you must pass all examinations from our Core Modules, as well as the practical examinations relevant to your stream [Small Animals or Equines], see our FAQ below.

You can email questions to your tutor at any stage during the course, and you can expect an answer within 48 business hours.

You can also ask questions directly to your tutor on Zoom during the LIVE Online Practical Day.

The Pay in Full fee for the Full Certificate in Animal Acupuncture is AUD $4,947. This is equivalent to USD$3,340 €3,084 or £2,607 depending on exchange.

We also offer a Pay in 10 Payment Plan.

10 Monthly Payments of AUD $545. Equivalent to USD$368 €340 or £287 depending on exchange.

Students on a payment plan must remain regular with their payments to ensure they do not fall behind. Late payments will result in the course offer being revoked until due monies are paid to the AAA. The course must be paid in full for students to be eligible for Certification. Please see our Terms & Conditions.

In line with the vision of our founder, Dr Gilchrist, the AAA aims to make Animal Acupuncture training accessible to students from diverse walks of life, while ensuring our College's sustainability into the future.

The AAA course fees for a comprehensive, complete instruction program in Animal Acupuncture for multiple species compare favourably to other options on the market:

• Fees for a Certificate in animal massage (AUD$4,300) to treat only musculoskeletal disorders, only in small animals or horses (not both).
• Fees for studying small animal and equine acupuncture at an online college not approved by the International Institute of Complementary Therapists (AUD$13,766).
• Fees for a Certificate IV in Veterinary nursing at a TAFE (AUD$18,975).
• Fees for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at an Australian University (around AUD $250,000)

Animal Acupuncture is overall a low-cost, low-barrier-to-entry medical technology, with needles and cold lasers (AUD$500-1,000) becoming more affordable. The main investment comes in learning the skill of Animal Acupuncture, which can then be used and built on for a lifetime. Also consider the potential savings on veterinary fees you can obtain when treating your own animals with acupuncture — let alone the opportunities to recoup your investment when practicing animal acupuncture professionally.

The AAA focuses on providing good value to its students by keeping a lean staff team and not being registered as a TAFE (Polytechnic), with savings being passed on to students.

Payment of student fees are accepted through our secure online payment provider (Stripe) through debit or credit card.

A full refund of paid fees will be provided for standard (non-discounted) courses, including courses purchased with a payment plan, if a refund request is received in writing through the AAA Contact Page, within 14 days of the student enrolling.

Refunds will be made using the method of payment (credit or debit card) used by the student to pay the fees.

Past 14 days from the student enrolment date, no refunds will apply. All monies paid for that course are non-refundable and all course fees still outstanding and payment instalment plans are to be honoured.

No refunds are offered for presale discounted courses.

AAA graduates from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are eligible to join the International Institute of Complementary Therapists under the Modality Animal Acupuncture [with needles].

Always check your State or country's Veterinary Acts. Please note, in Western Australia, acupuncture [with needles] is considered a restricted act of veterinary science under the Veterinary Practice Regulations 2022. If you are not a veterinarian, you cannot practice with needles, however, you may still enrol in the AAA course and select Cold Laser as your technique.

If you complete a portion or all of your case studies with a cold (therapeutic) laser, you are eligible to practice professionally with a cold laser and join the IICT under the Modality Cold Laser Therapy.

Membership with the IICT or obtaining professional insurance are not required to practice professionally. However, it is strongly recommended you obtain professional insurance.

Also be aware of Protected Titles in your jurisdiction (which are usually reserved for human health professionals). For example in Australia, the term 'acupuncturist' is reserved for members of the (human) Traditional Chinese Medicine Board. You may not use the term 'acupuncturist' unless you are also a registered human acupuncturist. You may choose to call yourself an 'animal acupuncture practitioner' if you are only certified to practice on animals.

The Animal Acupuncture Academy is an Australia-based online training provider and as such, we cannot be familiar with laws and regulations from each foreign country or state - it is your responsibility as a prospective student or practitioner to check your local laws and regulations.

Note: The above does not constitute legal advice. Always check your local laws and regulations and consult with a local lawyer if necessary.

Always check your State or country’s Veterinary Practice Act and Board Requirements. In general, veterinarians with appropriate certifications in animal acupuncture can practice animal acupuncture legally with needles and/or laser and may be able to include it on their professional insurance.

Also be aware of Protected Titles in your jurisdiction (which are usually reserved for human health professionals). For example in some jurisdictions, you may not use the term 'acupuncturist' unless you are also a registered human acupuncturist.

Note: The above does not constitute legal advice. Always check your local laws and regulations and consult with a local lawyer if necessary.

If you are not a vet and are not from Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, you must check your country or state’s Veterinary Practice Regulations concerning the practice of needle and/or laser Acupuncture in your jurisdiction. The AAA can only Certify students that can practice legally in their jurisdiction.

In some jurisdictions, non-vets can get certified in using needles and must have a vet referral to practice on an animal patient or must be supervised by a vet to operate. In some jurisdictions, non-vets can only use laser and cannot use needles. In other jurisdictions, both needles and laser are illegal for non-vets.

Also be aware of Protected Titles in your jurisdiction (which are usually reserved for human health professionals). In some jurisdictions, you may not use the term 'acupuncturist' unless you are also a registered human acupuncturist.

Because the AAA is an Australia-based training organisation, we cannot check the regulations of every state or jurisdiction, so we encourage prospective students to become familiar with their local laws.

For non-vets from the USA, UK and Europe, the AAA proceeds on a case-by-case basis to assess whether the prospective student can enrol in the Certificate of Animal Acupuncture and which techniques they can get certified in (needles and/or laser).

Note, the International Institute of Complementary Therapists (the body the AAA is associated with) can only insure AAA students and graduates for needle acupuncture in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. If you are a non-vet and wish to obtain insurance for needle acupuncture beyond those jurisdictions, please enquire with a local insurance provider.

The IICT can insure AAA students and graduates for Cold Laser Therapy in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, USA, and Europe. 

Note: The above does not constitute legal advice. Always check your local laws and regulations and consult with a local lawyer if necessary.