FAQ

Will I need to purchase additional supplies or books to go with my course(s)?
What are the prerequisites for the British Institute courses?
Do I need to take the Introductory course prior to the General Diploma in Homeopathy course?
Where will I send my course work to be graded?
What is the difference between a test and an exam?

Payment Policies and Submission Requirements

How much time do I have to complete my course(s)?
How frequently do I need to submit a lesson in my course(s)?
What is the British Institute's refund policy?
Are payment plans available?
What happens if my credit card payment does not go through or my check payment is returned?
What happens if I had to stop my course for a time and now I want to start it again?
If I become an inactive student, how much is the re-registration fee?
Will the British Institute notify me if I am in danger of becoming an inactive student?
Can I place my course on hold to prevent becoming an inactive student?

Will completing the BIH course(s) give me a license to practice homeopathy in my state?
Will completing the BIH course(s) allow me to practice as a qualified physician or licensed homeopath in my country?
Can BIH certify me as a qualified physician or licensed homeopath in my country?
Are students in the US or Canada required to certify with the Council of Homeopathic Certification (CHC) before practicing homeopathy?
Are students required to pass a CHC certification exam in order to graduate from the British Institute?
Are the study hours from BIH courses accepted by the CHC?

Will I need to purchase additional supplies or books to go with my course(s)?
Yes. Upon registration you will have access to a list of required and recommended books for your course of study. Your booklist will also include a list of online suppliers who offer discounts to BIH students.

A high school diploma will be sufficient for most courses. An Associates or Bachelors Degree is preferred but not required. Some courses, such as the Post Graduate in Homeopathy (DHM) course, would normally require the General Diploma in Homeopathy and/or the Homeopathy in Practice course as prerequesites. However, students with a significant history of homeopathic training or practice may opt to test out of the General Diploma course in some cases. Please give our office a call at 800-498-6323 if you would like to discuss your specific situation.

It is not necessary to take the Introductory course before the General Diploma course because the material in the Introductory course is also found within the General Diploma course. The Introductory course is designed for those who would like to gain a basic understanding of homeopathy and learn enough remedies to provide basic acute treatments and first aid to family, friends or pets. If you complete the Introductory course and find that you want to continue your studies in more depth, the General Diploma course would be the next step. If you are a serious student of Hahnemannian homeopathy or are considering becoming a practicing classical homeopath, you will want to start with the General Diploma Course.

Upon registration you will be assigned a personal instructor who is a practicing professional in homeopathy or the appropriate field for your course. You will send all of your coursework to your instructor as well as any questions you may have on the course material. You will be matched with the instructor that we feel will be the best fit for you based on the course you have selected, your stated goals for your studies and your educational background. You are welcome to review the bios on our Instructors page and request a specific instructor if there is someone who you feel would be an especially good fit for you. We will make every effort to accommodate your request, though specific instructor assignments cannot be guaranteed.

Tests are taken periodically throughout the course and generally cover material from only the preceding one to two lessons. There is no time limit and they may be completed with access to support material such as books, websites and personal notes. Sources are cited using APA format for footnotes and bibliography. You will send your completed tests to your personal instructor directly.

Exams are taken less frequently throughout the course and generally cover more substantial portions of the course, such as a final exam which covers the entire course or a mid-term exam which covers the first half of the course. They are subject to a three-hour time limit and no outside material such as books, websites or personal notes may be used. Because there are no outside sources, there are no citations necessary. Examinations must be proctored and taken at an outside professional facility such as a library or university. Your proctor will send your completed exams to the BIH office to be forwarded to your personal instructor.

The British Institute of Homeopathy has traditionally kept an open enrollment policy. Open enrollment allows flexibility for study and for submitting lesson papers. This is why BIH is often the school of choice for non-traditional students. Our students are comprised of busy professionals in the medical fields, people with full time job responsibilities who want to further their education, those seeking continuing education or for those people who have the care of elderly adults or young children - students who may have problems attending a traditional school. Most BIH courses can easily be accomplished within one year on a full time student schedule. However, many students prefer to extend their course time by studying on a part time basis, which is also acceptable.

Homeopathic education is a form of medical education and is a serious pursuit. Thus, continuity of studies is essential to successfully master this field. Most BIH courses can easily accommodate the busiest of schedules, meaning they can be done on a part time basis and completed within a two year time period. This two year period is considered to be a part time commitment. Some courses may require more time and others less.

The maximum time to complete each course is as follows:

Students are expected on an average to submit one lesson to their instructor per month. Each lesson submitted to the instructor usually represents one to two (1-2) educational modules or chapters of the course. This is more than adequate time for the student to complete the course easily within the allotted time period for each course. In order to maintain a good continuity of study, the student must maintain steady educational activity. If BIH does not receive a lesson within a six (6) month period, the student will lapse into 'Inactive' status.

All course material is the property of the British Institute of Homeopathy. Any and all BIH materials that have been shipped to the student must be returned prior to any refunds being calculated or issued. Electronic copies of BIH materials must be permanently deleted and an affidavit signed affirming that the material was not retained.

Fees assessed to the student for products and services such as shipping, processing, printing and/or binding or lab equipment purchases are not refundable in any case.

The student status must be 'Active' in order to be eligible for a refund. Students who have allowed their status to lapse into 'Inactive' through not submitting a lesson within a six (6) month period have exceeded the maximum refund period and are therefore not eligible for any refund.

Refunds are pro-rated based on the percentage of the course which has been completed. The percentage of the course which has been completed shall be calculated by either the ratio of completed lesson submissions for each course to the required lesson submissions received by the institution, or the amount of time since the effective date of registration, whichever is greater.

The British Institute shall retain the $200.00 registration fee portion of the fee for each course. The remaining tuition portion of the course fee is refundable on a pro-rated basis according to the following schedule:

a. Full refunds of the tuition portion of the course will only be issued within the first five (5) days of registration.

b. If the student has completed up to and including 10 percent of the course, the institution shall retain10 percent of the refundable tuition. (Refundable tuition is defined as the tuition charges remaining after subtracting the non-refundable portions of the course fee already retained).

c. If the student has completed between 10 percent and 25 percent of the course, the institution shall retain 25 percent of the refundable tuition. (Applies to students within the first month after registration)

d. If the student has completed between 25 percent and 50 percent of the course, the institution shall retain 50 percent of the refundable tuition. (Applies to students within two to six (2-6) months after registration)

e. After the student completes more than 50 percent of the course, the institution shall be entitled to retain the entire total course tuition. (Applies to students six (6) months or longer after registration)

Yes, The British Institute offers a payment plan for most courses. There will be a $15.00 processing fee per installment for all payment plans. Please contact the British Institute office at 800-498-6323 or at info@bihint.com for details.

The British Institute will assess a $25.00 fee for each declined credit card charge and a $50.00 fee for each returned check. If you receive notification that your payment was refused, please contact the office to make payment arrangements as soon as possible. Please note that no additional lessons, diplomas or certificates can be issued until all outstanding payments have been cleared.

Even if a student does lapse into 'Inactive' status, BIH as a rule is happy to re-register a lapsed student and in some cases may be able to give them credit for monies previously invested in their BIH education. A student applying for re-admission will be subject to a re-registration fee and required to produce verifiable payment receipts as proof of purchase for their original tuition payment. Depending on where the student is in their studies and how long they have been inactive, they may or may not be able to receive credit for work already completed. Other fees may apply as well.

If you currently are or think you might be an inactive student and would like to resume your studies, please contact the British Institute office at 800-498-6323 or at info@bihint.com. We will review your situation and advise you on how to proceed, including the amount of any applicable registration or course fees.

Please note that any previous outstanding balances must be paid in full prior to re-entering the program.

If you have stopped your course for any length of time without requesting a leave of absence, you may have lapsed into 'Inactive' status. Please contact the main office at 800-498-6323 or at info@bihint.com to receive a price quote for the necessary fees to resume your studies.

If you know in advance that you must take a break from your course for any reason, please contact the British Institute office at 800-498-6323 or at info@bihint.com to request a leave of absence.

No. It is the student's responsibility to maintain activity, keep current and to submit lessons in a timely manner. It is not feasible for the British Institute to routinely track lesson submissions and activity times for each of our thousands of students worldwide. If a British Institute instructor or staff member notices that a student is about to lapse into 'Inactive' status, a one-time courtesy notification may or may not be provided. The British Institute does not routinely notify students of impending lapses into 'Inactive' status, nor is it under any obligation to do so.

Yes. The British Institute does recognize that life problems can and do occur. A temporary leave of absence from studies may be considered for a variety of legitimate reasons. Students must request a leave of absence in writing from the BIH office. The request must state the reasons for requesting a leave, for what time period they require and provide proof or supporting documentation if requested.

If you know in advance that you must take a break from your course for any reason, please contact the British Institute office at 800-498-6323 or at info@bihint.com to request a leave of absence. A properly processed leave of absence will allow you to remain an active student and prevent the need for re-registration when you are ready to resume your studies.

No. Most states in the USA at this time do not issue licenses for homeopathic practice. In order to be able to issue a license, enabling legislation must exist, and such legislation does not yet exist in most states. The Federal Government has recently passed the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Bill (CAM). This bill will go into effect when certain conditions regarding a certification agency and standards of practice are initiated. The British Institute is proud to be working with several organizations that are working to ensure the highest quality homeopathic medical teaching standards.

US law is currently silent on the practice of homeopathic medicine. Please be aware that homeopaths do not diagnose or treat named diseases. Homeopaths treat people who may happen to have named diseases, but the focus of homeopathic treatment is to strengthen the immune system of a patient so the body's natural healing process can take care of the symptoms as it was intended to do.

No. The diplomas or certificates awarded by The British Institute of Homeopathy are credentials attesting to homeopathic education and are separate from any legal requirements regarding licensing in any country of the world.* Each country has its own regulations and requirements to become a certified homeopath, qualified physician or licensed practitioner of any healing art. Students seeking to become licensed practitioners must meet all state and/or national requirements and follow the licensing procedure for the region in which they intend to practice.

No. CHC Certification is not required for any student, though students planning to become practitioners in North America are strongly recommended to pursue CHC certification after completing their courses with the British Institute. CHC Certification offers many benefits to the practitioner. Please note that CHC certification does not grant a license to practice. Licenses must be granted by individual states, most of which do not issue licenses for homeopathic practice at this time. The CHC website has a good article on the difference between certification and licensing on their website.

No. The CHC Certification is not a graduation requirement for the British Institute, though students planning to become practitioners in North America are strongly recommended to pursue CHC certification after completing their courses with the British Institute. CHC Certification offers many benefits to the practitioner.

Yes, the hours of study with the British Institute are accepted by the CHC. Case write-ups and Clinical Training hours from the British Institute will also be accepted as part of the CHC certification exam prerequisites.