What are the entry requirements for the NEBOSH Diploma?

This blog was updated in August 2022 to reflect changes made to the course entry requirements 

The NEBOSH Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals is widely considered the gold standard in health and safety training and one of the biggest questions we get asked is what learners need prior to applying for the course.
 
This blog will outline everything you need to know regarding entry requirements for the NEBOSH Diploma.

Entry Requirements

There are no exact entry requirements. However, we strongly recommend that all learners sit the NEBOSH General Certificate before trying the NEBOSH National Diploma. Some of the content removed from the NEBOSH Diploma can only now be found on the NEBOSH General Certificate course.
 
This means all learners looking to take the NEBOSH Diploma should think hard about taking the General Certificate before the Diploma.

Is the NEBOSH General Certificate a requirement?

The NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is one of the most widely held health and safety qualifications globally. It will give you the skills and knowledge to create a safe and healthy place for people to work and visit.
 
The NEBOSH General Certificate is NEBOSH's most popular level 3 qualification. The qualification is recognised worldwide by employers and professional memberships. It is a foundation course and it is recognised as a great step to take prior to the NEBOSH Diploma.

English Competency Level

The NEBOSH Diploma explores several complicated topics, and it would be beneficial to understand complex English.
 
NEBOSH suggests that anyone taking their Diploma has a minimum standard of English. This is equivalent to an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 or higher. You can find out more about this and test your standard on the IELTS website.
 

Studying Hours Requirements

It may seem like stating the obvious. But many people severely underestimate how much time they're going to have to commit to completing a NEBOSH Diploma. If studying online, the recommended study hours are 415.
 
As a baseline, the course (including assessments) should take around 14 weeks, plus 144 hours of private study. You need to consider existing commitments such as family and work and think about how study can fit around this.
 
The biggest reason that people fail their Diploma is not dedicating enough time to their studies. Too many learners underestimate how much time they will need to sacrifice to pass their exams.
 

Academic Assessment

 
We cannot forget that the NEBOSH Diploma is an in-depth qualification and is equivalent to a bachelor's degree. A pretty thorough understanding of health and safety topics is therefore needed before starting the course.
 
Learners must ask themselves whether they will be comfortable putting in the sacrifices, time and effort required to complete the course. This in turn is another reason why learners of the NEBOSH General Certificate acclimatise to the course more quickly than others.
 
Do not underestimate the difficulty or the effort required to complete the NEBOSH Diploma. Different learners prefer different learning methods. Each learning method has its own set of benefits

Learn more on the difficulty level of the NEBOSH Diploma in our blog here.
 
Explore the NEBOSH Diploma, find your ideal learning method and achieve a prosperous career in health and safety today!