College Regulations

1. Introduction

It is essential that the College maintains high academic, ethical and professional standards. These regulations have therefore been drawn up to assist and protect the students and staff of the College. They apply to all students at the College. It is the spirit and intention behind the rules that is important and the vast majority of students will not even have to think about complying with them since sensible behaviour will come automatically.

2. Attitude of Students

We promote an ethos of unconditional positive regard towards others. We therefore expect all our students to treat fellow students and staff with the same respect that they would expect to receive.

3. For students on practitioner training courses

Our ethos of unconditional positive regard towards others includes all patients and clients.

4. Acupuncture Practice

Students on the BSc in Acupuncture course may only engage in the practice of acupuncture under the direct supervision of College staff, until they have successfully completed the course.

By accepting a place on the BSc in Acupuncture course at the College, students agree that during their time in the College clinic they will comply with the Codes of Professional Conduct and Safe Practice of the British Acupuncture Council, together with the College’s additional requirements as detailed in the Acupuncture Clinic Handbook.

5. Working with Fellow Students, Patients and Clients

Students are required to work with patients of all genders in clinic as part of the learning experience.

Our courses involve hands-on practice of skills and techniques, and other practical work. Normally, all students are required to work with other students of all genders in these classes as part of their learning.

In accepting a place at the College students consent to participate in practical classes such as practice of point location, practice of clinical skills such as needling, cupping, moxibustion, palpation and massage, and practice of interviewing and basic counselling skills.

Participation includes taking the role of the practitioner and the role of receiver of treatment/consultation/demonstration. Consent may include (dependent on the course):

• Consent to treatment/consultation/demonstration from a member of staff or another student
• Role play, including with actors as patients, and experiential groups
• Practice of clinical work and point location (which may include partial undressing and intimate touch)
• Limited disclosure of personal information (students are always free to choose how much personal information they disclose)

Exceptions are allowed when:

1. the student has completed a “limitations of participation” form following discussion with the Student Services Manager (the form will specify what activities the student is able and unable to participate in); or
2. on an occasional basis when the student has a temporary health issue or other concern and chooses to opt out by informing the tutor at the start of the session (this will be noted by the tutor; repeat occurrences will require a meeting with the Student Services Manager to complete the “limitations of participation” form).

Students are responsible for bringing to the attention of the College any disability, health issue, cultural sensitivity or other matter which may affect their ability to participate in practical classes, so that appropriate adjustments can be made in line with the student’s needs and so that a “limitations of participation” meeting can be arranged at which a “limitations of participation” form can be completed. Such matters must be brought to the College’s attention at the point of accepting a place on a course, or as soon as the student becomes aware of a new concern. The College will always endeavour to support students and will make reasonable adjustments within the parameters of fitness to practise.

6. IT Minimum Specification and Attendance at Online Teaching Sessions

Students must comply with our IT minimum specification. Students attending online teaching by video conference must keep their video cameras turned on throughout the session. Tutors may record online teaching – these recorded sessions are only accessible to the student group and teaching staff. If having the camera on or being recorded is problematic for a student, they must contact the Student Services Manager in advance.

7. Fees

Students are required to pay the appropriate fees by the due dates. Details of fees for specific courses are given in the course fee sheets. Fees for individual modules are given in the module fee sheets.

At the start of the course, students are given a learning agreement signed by the College, and they return a copy they have signed to the College. The learning agreement includes a record of the fees for the course. Should a student change their study pattern, for example by splitting a year, interrupting study, or repeating a year, they will receive a new learning agreement that sets out the fees for the remainder of their course.

Students are offered the chance to pay tuition fees by nine monthly instalments. Where this is the case, the instalments must be paid by standing order, bank transfer or direct debit. Any cancellations or changes to arrangements, or failure to set up bank instructions in time for the first payment, will be subject to a £20 late payment charge.

Students are given the opportunity to pay tuition fees in one lump sum. Students who pay all their tuition fees for an academic year prior to the end of October in that year are entitled to a discount of 2.5% for that year’s tuition fees.

A 2% discount is given when the MSc Research Project/Dissertation fee is paid in one lump sum by October of the first dissertation year.

8. Invoices and Fees Statement

Students are issued with a statement of fees due for the coming year at the start of each academic year and are asked to respond with details of how they propose to pay them.

Fees statements are issued at least twice yearly which, where applicable, will include a breakdown of payments made. This statement is appropriate for tax purposes in the UK.

9. Fee Increases

For each cohort of students, the College publishes fixed fees for each year of their course. The College is committed to honouring these fees as detailed in the published fee sheets, unless the national inflation rate (CPI) exceeds 5% or is less than 1%, in which case the College reserves the right to vary the fees.

10. Account details for bank transfers

The College bank details are:

Bank: Santander Corporate & Commercial

Sort Code: 09-07-20

Account Number: 02316544

If required by overseas students:

BIC: ABBYGB2L

IBAN: GB18ABBY09072002316544

Please use your full name as the reference for a bank transfer.

11. Fees for Clinic Days

Fees for students’ scheduled clinic days are included in the overall course fees.

However, there are circumstances when additional days may be required:

1. As a requirement of the examiners in cases of referral due to fails in certain modules.
2. If a student fails to attend a clinic day, and notice is not given to the College by 9:00 am on the day, and there are no mitigating circumstances, then the student is required to pay an additional fee for a clinic day to attend on another day.
3. The full attendance requirement of 100% must normally be completed by the end of June for each clinical module, unless otherwise agreed in advance by the College. If a student is unable to complete by the end of June without prior agreement, the College will make alternative arrangements on a case-by-case basis and reserves the right to charge an additional fee for a clinic day or days arranged on this basis.

The fee for an additional clinic day is £140.

Once clinic days are scheduled students are expected to commit to the scheduled dates. Any changes to a clinic day(s) after scheduled dates have been released will be subject to a £20 administration charge per day rescheduled, on each occasion a change is requested. Clinic days that are cancelled by the student with less than 48 hours’ notice are charged at £40.

12. Fees for Resits, Resubmissions and Repeated Modules/Years

Students who fail an assessment have the right to one attempt at a resit or resubmission. There is no charge for this.

When for any reason other than extenuating circumstances a student repeats modules, or an entire year of a course, the charge is 50% of the applicable module fee(s) for the cohort the student is joining. The appropriate registration fee is also payable, where charged separately, and is due by two weeks from the start of the academic year.

Students who have to repeat a year or specific modules as a result of extenuating circumstances will not normally be charged fees for the repeat year or modules, apart from the difference between the fee applicable to the cohort they are joining and the fee they have already paid for the year or module(s), plus any additional module/course registration fee that is payable to the partner University and any fees for additional tutorials, support sessions or clinic days.

13. Fees for Students Returning to Study or Spreading Modules over Two Years

When a student:

• is permitted to take a year or more out from their studies (interruption of studies), or
• is permitted to spread modules normally taken in one year over two years

the fees payable are those appropriate to the cohort with which the student will be studying. This includes the appropriate registration fee for each year, where charged separately. The registration fee is due by two weeks from the start of the academic year.

14. Withdrawal

If for any reason a student withdraws from the College there will be no refund of fees, except when fees have been paid in advance of the due date. See the Refunds and Compensation policy for details.

15. Fees for students entering by Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Students entering a course by RPL are charged the applicable fees for the cohort the student is joining. This includes the registration fee where charged separately.

16. Late Payment of Fees Payable to NCA

In cases of late payment of fees an administration charge of £20 will be charged for each month in arrears.

In occasional and exceptional circumstances students can apply for extra time to pay a fee instalment. Students are expected to contact the Finance Manager well in advance if they have any difficulty with payment by the due date. Requests for exemption from administration charges will only be considered in exceptional and temporary circumstances. Exemption from administration charges can be granted if:

1. the student informs the Finance Manager of the circumstances before the fee instalment is due; and
2. a written agreement on payment of the fee arrears is agreed with the Finance Manager having considered the circumstances. Evidence of the circumstances and of their temporary nature may be required. The final decision will be made by the Finance Manager following a consultation with the Principal.

Appeals must be made in writing to the Resources Committee.

Students may not graduate or progress to the next year of the course until all outstanding fees are paid.

College fees are not refundable, except in cases of visa refusal and advance payment (see below).

17. Refunds and Compensation

Our full policy on refunds and compensation is published on our website nca.ac.uk, at this link.

18. Advance Payment of Fees

Students are offered the option of paying fees in 9 instalments spread over the academic year. If a student withdraws from their course or interrupts study, in any year, more than two weeks after the course start date for that year, the student is liable for their tuition fees for the current term and for any preceding terms. When some or all fee instalments are paid in advance (e.g. in cases of payment in one lump sum at the start of the year), instalments which have not yet fallen due are refundable to the student, or in the case of a loan to the lender. See the Refunds and Compensation Policy on our website for details.

19. Refund of Fees in Case of Visa Refusal

Overseas students require a visa in order to study in the UK when this requires attendance in College. At present the College is unable to accept applications from overseas students for practitioner training courses. Should this be possible in future, the following regulation will apply:

If an applicant has already made a fee payment and the applicant’s visa application is subsequently refused, the College will refund all fees paid except for an administration fee of £100.

20. Data Protection

Students have a duty as members of the College to help NCA meet its legal obligations under GDPR. Students must produce the required documents in connection with their research project module and must sign separate agreements provided as necessary in which they undertake to keep data confidential, such as video access agreements.  

Students must comply with the College’s Data Protection Policy, and specifically the Student Obligations section.

21. Library Regulations

Students are required to comply in full with the library regulations published in the library section of the College Handbook.

Students will not be allowed to progress to the next year of the course or to graduate if they have library fines outstanding or library books overdue for return.

22. Treatment in the Clinic

All students are recommended to receive acupuncture as an effective way of maintaining their health and partly to gain experience of the patient’s perspective.

However, acupuncture students cannot receive treatment which requires a full in-depth consultation in the College’s acupuncture teaching clinic.

The purpose of the policy is to ensure that there are no real or perceived conflicts of interest or confidentiality issues arising between students and students, and students and staff (who are involved in the assessment of students). The only exception to this is the provision of one or two treatments for occasional acute conditions, where these do not involve taking a full case history. No ongoing treatment is permitted.

23. College Recording of Teaching Sessions

The College may on occasion make audio or video recordings of in-person teaching sessions for use by College students and staff for educational purposes. Except with consent, video recordings will only show students from a distance. In accepting a place at the College, students consent to participate in such recordings of in-person teaching sessions.

We may occasionally record an online teaching session to be shared with future students, for example a session provided by a guest tutor. In these cases we will seek consent from the students in the group. If a student does not wish to be among the attendees who are recorded, they can opt out and then watch the recording later.

Online teaching sessions may also be recorded to be shared with the student group attending the session. This is usually to assist absent students and/or to facilitate review of the session by all students in the group.

24. Student Recording of Teaching Sessions

Students with specific learning differences can make audio recordings (not video) of teaching sessions with prior permission from the College. All recordings remain the intellectual property of the tutor or of the College, and students may not share them with anyone. Recordings must be destroyed by the start of the next academic year. Permission to record must be obtained by emailing the Student Services Manager and this email must include a statement that the student agrees to comply with this policy on Student Recording of Teaching Sessions. Permission is not granted until the Student Services Manager has replied expressly giving consent. Teaching sessions do not include clinic sessions. Students who have received this permission must make sure they switch their recording device off during breaks or at any time when personal information may be about to be shared. Examples include discussions of cases seen in the teaching clinic, or personal disclosure during discussion in class. The tutor or other students can request that the recording device is switched off, but the student is responsible for switching off the device when personal information may be about to be shared, with or without a request to do so.

Students who have received this permission to audio-record a Teams session must announce at the start of the session that they are a making a recording and have College permission to do so.

Students who do not comply with this policy, either by making audio recordings without permission, or by gaining permission but then failing to comply with the above conditions, are liable to disciplinary action.

25. Conduct

The following rules are to make students aware of the type of conduct that is detrimental to the College:

• You must not bring alcohol or recreational drugs onto College premises nor must you be in an intoxicated or drugged condition.
• There must be no betting or gambling.
• You must not engage in any form of horseplay or disorderly conduct.
• You must not smoke (including vaping) anywhere on the premises, including the outside space/car park.
• You must not eat or drink anywhere other than authorised places.
• You must not post upon College premises any signs, notices or posters without specific College approval. Neither must you distribute any publications or similar matter without approval.

26. Security

The College and its employees, guests, students and patients have the right to protect their property. The following rules have been established to help achieve this:

1. Unauthorised possession of anyone’s property is forbidden.
2. You must not remain on or enter College premises outside working hours unless permission has been obtained.
3. No meetings may be held on College premises without permission.
4. The College reserves the right to examine any parcel taken from its premises, to inspect lockers, cupboards, desks etc. and to search people leaving the College.

27. Personal Matters

Please do let us know if any changes in circumstance will affect your studies.

If you change your name, address, email address or telephone number you must notify the College immediately.

The College accepts no responsibility for private correspondence sent to its address.

The College accepts no liability for loss or damage to any personal property brought onto its premises.

The College disclaims all liability for the loss or damage to any private vehicles brought onto its property.