The NCA is the UK's leading independent college, teaching degree level acupuncture and our Chinese Medicine Nutrition Diploma. Join us!
About Northern College of Acupuncture
Welcome to the NCA, a world leader in training acupuncturists, Chinese herbal medicine practitioners and nutritional therapists.
“We aim to be a person-centred, progressive, sustainable community embodying integrity and quality.”
Pioneering
The Northern College of Acupuncture was founded in 1988 by Hugh MacPherson and Nicholas Haines, when we offered our fi
rst acupuncture programme. The College is now a registered charity, and we added programmes in Chinese herbal medicine in 1994 and nutritional therapy in 2008, and more recently our home for acupuncture practitioners, The Practitioner Hub, in 2021. We have a strong track record of developing and running programmes leading to both professional and academic qualifications, and we have always been pioneers in the field. We were the first teaching institution of any kind in the UK to offer a University degree in acupuncture (the MSc in Acupuncture with the University of Wales, in 1995), the first to offer a post-graduate degree in Chinese herbal medicine (MSc in Chinese Herbal Medicine with the University of Wales, in 2004), and the first to achieve professional accreditation for our acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and nutritional therapy programmes (in 1996, 2003 and 2010 respectively). Community
The College is a vibrant learning community built around our large team of teachers - practitioners who love their work, inspire our students, and are committed to excellence. Our students come to train with us from all over the UK and beyond, from many different backgrounds and become highly successful practitioners. We place clinical practice at the heart of our work, with students involved in our teaching clinic from the start of their courses, and interactive learning focussed on clinical casework. We are proud of our gradates working around the globe helping their communities with the skills and knowledge they learned at the NCA. Person Centred
The NCA is a small and friendly College – we know our students by name and all our staff are focused on our student’s wellbeing and learning journey. From the first phone call, throughout your time as a student, to becoming a practitioner, you will find the NCA a supportive place to learn. On graduation our acupuncture students can join The Practitioner Hub which is the NCA’s home for acupuncture practitioners offering CPD (online and in person), mentoring and a welcoming community of like-minded practitioners. Sustainable
As an educational charity all our profits go into ensuring the growth, sustainability and longevity of the College and enabling our students to become successful practitioners. Our nutrition, and acupuncture courses are taught by blended learning and our students learn via a blended model of in-person or online classroom teaching, in-person or online clinic, e-learning and home study. This dynamic mix helps our students to continue to fit their studies around their work and other commitments, cut down their travel and costs and study in a more sustainable way. Our Chinese herbal medicine course is mostly taught online. The College and our acupuncture and nutrition teaching clinics are located in the centre of the historic city of York, in a beautiful Georgian building on the historic street of Micklegate a few minutes’ walk from the river. We are a short walk from the railway station which is on the main East Coast railway. Integrity and Quality
Our acupuncture courses, nutrition courses and Chinese herbal medicine courses are designed to meet high standards of excellence and quality. They have a focus not just on acquiring knowledge and learning techniques of practice but also on developing as a practitioner. Our aim is to help our students to become balanced and well-rounded practitioners as well as educating them to a high academic level AND giving them the business skills, they need to succeed as a practitioner and a small business owner. The College is validated by the University College of Osteopathy, reviewed by the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency, and accredited by the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB) for acupuncture, Nutritional Therapy Education Commission (NTEC) for nutrition and European Herbal & Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (EHTPA) for Chinese Herbal Medicine. Validation and government recognition means that students have access to undergraduate and postgraduate government loans. Progressive
We are continuously looking at ways to help practitioners become better at what they do. In 2023 we are launching a new course– our Diploma in Chinese Medicine Nutrition which is a totally online extended CPD course for acupuncture practitioners who want to learn more about how to support their clients with good nutrition. From the outset the NCA has been research focussed and the College is a community of highly qualified staff and students engaged in research. From learning how to become a research literate practitioner, to conducting MSc Research Projects to support to PhD. The College has contributed to the research work into the effectiveness of acupuncture for low back pain and our founder the late Hugh MacPherson was a global leader in acupuncture research. We hope you will love following our page and finding out more about our vibrant healing community.
20/08/2026
We often get asked what types of people choose to study acupuncture with us. With nearly 40 years as proudly independent, small not-for-profit college, we can honestly answer… there is not a “typical” NCA student!
Some students choose to study with us as a first career after leaving school, and some as a final career before (and even after) retirement.
Many of our students are choosing to completely change their career - often after experiencing the benefits of acupuncture themselves.
If you have an interest in acupuncture and want to learn more about becoming a practitioner, we’d love to show you what it’s all about.
18/08/2026
Fight ❗ Flight 🏃♀️ Freeze ❄
We talk about these stress responses constantly in clinic — but do you have a framework for treating them? Do you know that ancient practitioners were also working with these responses?
Our upcoming explores how the premodern concept of hún and pò 魂魄 (the Ethereal and Corporeal Souls) offers a clinically grounded lens for understanding trauma reactions, dissociation, hyperarousal, and sleep disturbance.
Drawing on 25+ years of clinical practice, teaching, and research, Minh Kai Mai-Thi shares practical methods for harmonising and strengthening hún pò function — helping patients move from dysregulation toward self-soothing, recovery, and resilience.
If you treat anxiety, trauma, or sleep disorders in your practice, this is a framework worth adding to your toolkit.
📆 Join us - Wednesday 16th September 2026
💳 £35 – Free for Practitioner Hub members (must still book)
How confident are you in treating musculoskeletal pain and disability with acupuncture? 🦴
The NCA is delighted to be hosting a 2-day workshop on Orthopaedic Acupuncture with Anthony Von Der Muhll.
Anthony is a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine with over 20 years of clinical and teaching experience. This weekend-long, hands-on workshop is going to be a fantastic learning opportunity for practitioners, as well as a great way to connect with other members of the acupuncture community
Book your ticket today and join us in York, 31st October and 1st November.
🕰️ 10am – 5pm
📅Single day: £170 | Full weekend: £320
📍61 Micklegate, York YO1 6LJ
12/08/2026
We had our final Chinese Medicine Nutrition Diploma session for 2026 last night🌿
As part of our goodbyes, the wonderful cohort of students (all acupuncturists) shared ways in which they’ll integrate the diploma into their lives and practices.
Some of the ideas included:
🧡 writing recipe books for their patient groups
🧡 researching dietary advice within the Classics
🧡 offering 1-2-1 consultations in Chinese medicine nutrition
🧡 making seasonal and local fermented foods at home and in community workshops
🧡 growing their own veggies at home for their family
🧡 having advanced explanations for dietary and lifestyle advice within their acupuncture clinic
🧡 holding events at the local allotment about holistic approaches to nutrition
running seasonal cooking workshops
🧡 hosting an energetics of foods supper club with a local chef
It was a diverse and impressive ending to a great course. A huge thanks to everyone who joined us this year for some really interesting discussions on ways to integrate food as medicine in our practice.
Be sure to register your interest if you’d like to know when we’re next running the diploma!
07/08/2026
🎉 Huge news for the acupuncture community! 💫
The four-month blood donation deferral following an acupuncture treatment is being removed, provided the treatment was carried out by a fully qualified and registered practitioner.
This is a significant and welcome recognition of the high standards of safety and professionalism that qualified acupuncturists uphold every day. It also means more people who receive acupuncture may now be eligible to donate blood, helping to strengthen the UK's blood supply 🩸
Thank you to everyone across our profession for your ongoing commitment to safe, high-quality practice.
Happy Friday, everyone, and keep up the fantastic work!
06/08/2026
Our capacity to self-soothe, recover from stress, take meaningful action, and cultivate lasting resilience is deeply influenced by the balance and vitality of the hún pò (魂魄).
Drawing on premodern medical perspectives, the ethereal and corporeal souls offer a powerful framework for understanding the many ways stress can manifest, from hypervigilance and anxiety to dissociation, freeze responses, and disrupted sleep.
This September, we're delighted to welcome Minh Kai Mai-Thi for a practical and thought-provoking online seminar exploring her unique approach to harmonising and strengthening the hún pò functions.
Drawing on more than 25 years of clinical practice, teaching, and research, Minh will share insights and treatment approaches to help practitioners support patients experiencing heightened alertness, dissociation, sleep disturbances, trauma responses, and other stress-related presentations.
Whether you're looking to deepen your understanding of the hún pò, expand your therapeutic toolkit, or integrate ancient wisdom into modern clinical practice, this session offers valuable perspectives you can take straight into the treatment room.
£35 | Free for Practitioner Hub members
7:00pm–9:00pm | 16 September 2026 | Live via Zoom
04/08/2026
Practical learning is at the heart of studying for an acupuncture degree with the NCA.
From bodywork and pulse diagnosis to point location and needling techniques, you'll develop your skills through hands-on teaching in every stage of your degree.
Working alongside experienced tutors and supportive classmates, you'll build confidence in the classroom before putting your knowledge into practice in our busy teaching clinics.
For nearly 40 years, our independent college in the heart of York has been helping students become skilled, compassionate acupuncture practitioners.
01/08/2026
We're so excited to be welcoming prospective students through our big red door today...and on Yorkshire Day too!
There's no better day to discover our hands-on acupuncture degree and experience what it's like to study from our home in the heart of York.
Whether you're just starting to explore a career in acupuncture or ready to take the next step, we'd love to meet you, answer your questions, and show you around.
Happy Yorkshire Day, and we'll see you soon! 🧡
30/07/2026
Discover a career in acupuncture at our open day in York this Saturday!
Are you curious about studying acupuncture? Come along to our open day in the heart of York and experience what it's like to train at an independent acupuncture college dedicated to high-quality education and personalised learning.
✨ Meet our experienced tutors
✨ Tour our teaching facilities
✨ Ask questions about careers in acupuncture and student life
Whether you're considering a complete career change or looking to deepen your interest in holistic healthcare, this is the perfect opportunity to explore your future.
Our acupuncture degree course uses diverse, modern teaching methods to reflect the subject's rich tradition.
During classroom teaching at the NCA, students explore practical skills like massage, point location, pulse and tongue diagnosis, and needle techniques that are later taken into our teaching clinics.
In live, online classes, we discuss topics including traditional Chinese medicine, biomedicine, personal and professional development, Chinese philosophy, research, and business skills. Interactive e-learning alongside at-home study perfectly complements classroom and clinical work.
If you are interested in studying acupuncture at our independent, fully accredited college, we’d love to hear from you!
Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in York?
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