Recognition criteria - Acupuncture
To apply for recognition please contact your professional Association.
Minimum educational qualifications
For Acupuncturists to attain Bupa recognition for benefit payment purposes, the applicant must have completed, as a minimum, a four year full-time or equivalent, Australian bachelor degree majoring in acupuncture.
Any educational qualifications substantially attained by distance/online/external mode will not be recognised.
For overseas graduates, the qualifications must be at least equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree. All degree programs must conform to the current Australian Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Medicine Education, especially with regard to curriculum content, overall duration of the course, mode of delivery, and extent of supervised clinical practice.
Applicants who completed their studies in a non-English language must supply evidence of their fluency in English language competence as set by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA). Bupa requires the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) certificate as evidence of this.
Additionally, applicants must meet the Compulsory Additional Recognition Requirements.Australian Courses
The following Australian courses meet the minimum recognition criteria. (This also includes discontinued accredited bachelor degree programs in acupuncture from the following institutions):
| Educational Institution | Award Title |
| Endeavour College of Natural Health* | Bachelor of Health Science (Acupuncture) |
| RMIT University | Bachelor of Applied Science (Chinese Medicine)/Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Biology) - double degree award |
| RMIT University | Master of Applied Science (Acupuncture) |
| University of Technology Sydney | Bachelor of Health Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This course may be completed in conjunction with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies |
| University of Western Sydney | Bachelor of Applied Science (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Bachelor of Health Science/Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine [new course] |
| Southern School of Natural Therapies | Bachelor of Health Science (Chinese Medicine) |
| Victoria University of Technology | Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Acupuncture and Herbs) [Currently in teach-out mode] |
| Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine | Bachelor of Traditional Chinese Medicine |
*Endeavour College of Natural Medicine is the new name of Australian College of Natural Medicine and Melbourne College of Natural Medicine.
Overseas Courses
The following overseas courses generally meet the minimum recognition criteria:
| Country | Qualification |
| Peoples Republic of China | Bachelor of Medicine (5 year full-time on campus delivery) with a major in Acupuncture or Tuina or Traditional Chinese Medicine. |
| Republic of Korea | Bachelor of Oriental Medicine (5 to 6 year full-time on-campus delivery) from a South Korean Government approved university. |
Additional recognition requirements:
All overseas qualifications must be independently validated and assessed by VETASSESS or by the relevant Overseas Qualifications Unit (OQU).
Professional Associations
The following Associations meet the requirements set out in the Bupa Accreditation Requirements for Professional Associations. Student membership is not acceptable.
| Association | Association Contact |
| Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA) | Phone: 07 3457 1800 Fax: 07 3394 2399 Email: aacma@acupunture.org.au Website: www.acupunture.org.au |
| Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA) |
Phone: 1800 817 577 Fax: 07 5409 8200 Email: info@anta.com.au Website: www.anta.com.au |
| Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS) | Phone: 02 9809 6800 Fax: 02 9809 7570 Email: info@atms.com.au Website: www.atms.com.au |
| Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Society of Australia (CMASA) | Phone: (02) 9727 6831 Fax: 02 9727 8981 Email: cmasatcm@hotmail.com Website: www.cmasa.org.au |
| Federation of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Societies of Australia Ltd (FCMA) | Phone: 1300 367 136 Email: contactus@fcma.org.au Website: www.fcma.org.au |
| Society of Natural Therapists and Researchers (SNTR) Inc. | Phone: 0428 306 956 Email: president@snrt.com.au Website: www.sntr.com.au |
Please note that by accepting recognition with our fund you are agreeing to Our Ancillary Provider Terms.
Bupa Our Ancillary Provider Terms