Accreditation Levels

Accreditation Levels

Certificate in Applied Sports Nutrition

It is the minimum educational requirement to receive provisional Registration and Insurance eligibility as an Accredited Sports Nutritionist. This is the ONLY way to be qualified and insured to provide nutrition programming (macros and meal plans) for clients without a university degree.

The reason the Sports Nutrition Association is the only organisation able to offer this is due to the policy they have established (the 3-year provisional period) ensuring that after 3 years, its members continue their education in the field. Sports Nutrition is an area that is very much still in it’s infancy and is seeing regular continual advancements annually. Which is why the Association provides annual education in the form of it’s CPD (Continuing Professional Development) to it’s professional members to ensure they are always in line with the current evidence informed Best Practises ensuring that the public who engage them are receiving a satisfactory minimum standar experience that considers their health and nutritional progress at all times.
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The Sports Nutrition Association
Provisional Process

This is for those who are not currently studying a degree or have completed a relevant exercise or Nutrition Science degree.

Study your Certificate in Applied Sports Nutrition with the Sports Nutrition Association

Become Insured and Registered to practice as an Accredited Sports Nutritionist for 3 years while keeping your skills current with annual CPD

After the 3 year provisional period either undertake additional study to be openly accredited to cease working as a sports nutritionist.

The reason that the Association is one of a kind and able to make this possible is due to its policy and pathways for continuing education and experience development which our members highly value.

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What is the 3-year provisional period?

The 3-year provisional period is a period where we focus on developing the experience of the professional member through time in the role, annual CPD support and access to the most current available research.

During this period the member will be able to ascertain if this is the career path for them, and for a small percentage of people it won’t be, and that is perfectly fine. This way they’ve been able to work this out without having to spend 4+ years at university and 50k+ on tuition fees, comparatively they’ve invested a minimum of 5-7 months and 4k for the certificate.

During or at the completion of this period the member will have been able to establish whether this is thecareer for them, as well as continually gaining experience along the way.

Once they have made the decision that they want to become an Openly Accredited Sports Nutritionist & Professional member the Association requires that they enrol in and complete either of the following programs:

A relevant* Bachelors in Applied Exercise, Sports or Nutrition Sciences / Physiology

A relevant* PGDip. In Applied Sports / Performance or Human / Clinical Nutrition

Only after completing a Relevant Bachelors, PGdip or any other relevant post graduate qualification in the field does a member become Openly Accredited.

Continued study is to ensure that you have the knowledge to provide the best service to your clients.

The Association has many private institutes and universities that it affiliates with and graduates of the certificate are either granted immediate entry into, or afforded favourable applications to certain PGDip and Bachelors programs.

As such, study timeframes and costs to become Openly Accredited can range from 9-months and 3.5k (3 recommended programs) through to 3-4 years and 40k+ (10+ other programs) with MSc and PHD programs adding more time and expense. The Association has no preference as to which program the member elects to go in.

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What is the 3-year provisional period?

The 3-year provisional period is a period where we focus on developing the experience of the professional member through time in the role, annual CPD support and access to the most current available research.

During this period the member will be able to ascertain if this is the career path for them, and for a small percentage of people it won’t be, and that is perfectly fine. This way they’ve been able to work this out without having to spend 4+ years at university and 50k+ on tuition fees, comparatively they’ve invested a minimum of 5-7 months and 4k for the certificate.

During or at the completion of this period the member will have been able to establish whether this is thecareer for them, as well as continually gaining experience along the way.

Once they have made the decision that they want to become an Openly Accredited Sports Nutritionist & Professional member the Association requires that they enrol in and complete either of the following programs:

A relevant* Bachelors in Applied Exercise, Sports or Nutrition Sciences / Physiology

A relevant* PGDip. In Applied Sports / Performance or Human / Clinical Nutrition

Only after completing a Relevant Bachelors, PGdip or any other relevant post graduate qualification in the field does a member become Openly Accredited.

If you want to work in a client centric sector you need to embody that the learning never stops and be excited in knowing your skills will be continually developed!

Why not just stop at the Certificate?

There is an existing precedent of minimum standard (bachelor’s or GDip) in personalised nutrition services in the industry, and this is shared globally. While the Association does not align with the current model of education timeframes and costs superseding experience, we also acknowledge the extensive depth of information that encompasses human nutrition and exercise physiology. The position that no ‘short course’ can substantially cover this subject matter that would provide a professional with the tools to be an excellent practitioner is one we hold.

To Provide the absolute best service for your clients.

Experience, Education & constant Progression of these.

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Find out if this is the field for you without committing yourself to a 4 year degree.

These values are ones that we want all current, future & aspiring members to hold. You should want the very best for your clients, and a part of this is understanding that you don’t know everything.

As a result, respect & consideration for the sound education and experience required to provide your clients with your best is held, along with an understanding that anything less than those will only limit your ability to help them, is a paramount foundation. Understanding and accepting that anything less is not in the best interest of the public or your clients, and is ultimately a ‘quick fix’. The exact thing you tell your clients to be wary of.

It is the Association’s position that the Certificate Program, and Accreditation Pathway is not for those looking for a ‘quick fix’, and to make them aware that any claims for ‘quicker’ and ‘easier’ pathways are illegitimate and leave both the client exposed and the coach liable as they are not insured and adequately qualified for the services they are providing. ‘Hobby’ courses, program & workshops are not legitimate education or professional registration.

There are no shortcuts to becoming a qualified and registered Accredited Sports Nutritionist.

And you should seriously question any claims that suggest or imply otherwise! So if you align with the Association’s following values and principles of:

Valuing continual education so that you can be the best possible professional and provide your clients with the best possible service.

You understand that the only other legitimate comparison for actually practising in this profession and career is 4-years of full time university.

With that in mind, following an educational pathway that:

Is 5-7 months of study initially before you start working and is equally balanced in experiential development as well as academic progression

Provides you with 3-years of experience before you are required to enrol in further formal education (but it can be done anytime within the 3-year period) more

So you can confirm that this is the career for you, and graduate that with a full client list, without spending 50k+ and years and years studying while providing entry into specific Post graduate Programs.

Wanting to become a Registered Sports Nutritionist? Find out more by registering today.

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