Welcome to the International College of Oriental Medicine
The International College of Oriental Medicine is a world-renowned Acupuncture college in East Grinstead, West Sussex. ICOM is fully accredited by the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board. We offer a degree-level Acupuncture Licentiate qualification which can be studied full or part time.
Founded by Dr Van Buren in 1972, the college has trained many key figures in the Acupuncture profession. ICOM’s roots stand firmly in the classical tradition and it strives to educate and inspires its Acupuncture students to be committed seekers of an ever-deepening understanding.
Why Study at ICOM?
Are you considering training to be an Acupuncturist? There are many reasons to choose the Acupuncture course at ICOM. Here are just some of them:
- You will study at the UK’s longest established Acupuncture training college. We have trained hundreds of first class Acupuncturists, including Giovanni Maciocia, Sandra Hill and Peter Deadman.
- We keep our class sizes small to maximise contact time and student support, particularly for clinical modules.
- You’ll have more fully supervised one-to-one patient consultations than at any other institution.
- You’ll also learn all of the acupuncture points and channels, as well as their connections and how to make the best use of them in clinic, providing you with the most solid foundation for your future career.
- We are internationally renowned for introducing our students to the study of Stems and Branches theory which is the foundation of traditional Chinese medical thinking and is unique to ICOM.
Online Study Elements
To assist those who live further away, and those who wish to study whilst juggling work commitments and families, ICOM has adopted the “flipped classroom” model for teaching with some of the teaching now taking place online. Practical teaching still needs to take place at the college, but the proportion of online study means learning with us can be more flexible than ever. Find out more.
Applications for our Acupuncture course
You can apply for our Acupuncture course all year round and we do not charge an application fee. There is no application deadline, but there may be a discount available for early applications. You can visit our admissions page to find out more about entry requirements, eligibility and the application process. Find out about our fees and ways to pay here.
Open Days
The best way to find out more about our Acupuncture course is to attend one of our Open Days. These usually take place online via Zoom. The summer 2023 Open Day series is now complete but we are still accepting applications to fill the remaining places for the coming academic year. Please do get in touch if you have any questions or you would like to arrange a visit to the college.
A Living Acupuncture Tradition of Teaching & Clinical Excellence
Are you considering a career in acupuncture? Upon completion of our Acupuncture course, students are awarded a Licenciate in Acupuncture through the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB) which will give you access to the register of the British Acupuncture Council. Here is what the BAAB said about ICOM in their latest report.
Student Clinics
For fifty years, part of our mission has been to make Acupuncture treatment accessible to the local community. ICOM clinic serves as a teaching clinic for our Acupuncture students which provides them with superb opportunities to observe experienced Acupuncturists at work. It enables them to learn their art, through direct experience and under the close supervision of highly-skilled registered acupuncturists. These appointments are very low-cost and sometimes even free.
The college provides a diverse, in depth look at Chinese Medicine and provides a perfect balance of practical application and theory. The student clinic is exemplary, ensuring students graduate with an extensive knowledge base and the required practical experience to confidently practice acupuncture.
ICOM is a supportive, caring community and since embarking on this course, I have never looked back.
From my first day ICOM felt like home – everyone was so welcoming, supportive and dedicated to helping us to develop – not only as practitioners, but as people too. The teachers are incredible with their deep knowledge, experience and most importantly, passion.
It’s amazing to be pursuing such a rewarding profession, but it’s even better doing it alongside the strong community here. I really feel privileged to be continuing the long line of incredible practitioners that the college has produced.
The best way to find out about our Acupuncture training course is to come along to one of our virtual Open Days and chat to some of our students. More information and forthcoming dates can be found here.