Level 3 Counselling Course Online: What to Expect
A Level 3 counselling course online is the CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, delivered through live Zoom lessons with a tutor and a fixed group. At The School of Counselling the course runs over 30 weekly evening lessons in the standard format or 18 daytime lessons in the intensive format, carries 90 guided learning hours, and costs £1,495 or £1,995. You need Level 2 or an equivalent to start, and the qualification is the entry route to the Level 4 diploma.
What the Level 3 qualification is
The CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies is the second step on the UK route to practising as a counsellor. Level 2 teaches you the skills. Level 3 teaches you the theory behind them and asks you to look harder at yourself. You study the main counselling approaches, ethical frameworks, mental health awareness, and how to work with difference and diversity. You keep practising skills with your peers, but the practice now carries theory with it: you are expected to say what you did and why.
The qualification is regulated by Ofqual and awarded by CPCAB, the UK's specialist awarding body for counselling. The online version and the classroom version lead to the same certificate. CPCAB approves centres to deliver Level 3 online, and the assessment criteria do not change with the delivery format.
How online lessons work
Every lesson is live on Zoom. There are no recorded lectures to watch alone. You join the same group each week, cameras on, and you work in the full group and in breakout rooms for skills practice. Your tutor runs the lesson, observes practice, and gives feedback in the room.
In the standard format, lessons run one evening a week for three hours across 30 weeks. In the intensive format, lessons run one day a week from 9:30am to 3pm across 18 weeks. Both deliver the same 90 guided learning hours and the same content. You choose the format at the start and stay with it; students cannot switch between standard and intensive partway through.
Attendance matters at Level 3 in a way it did not at Level 2. The published benchmark at The School of Counselling is 85 per cent. Skills practice and group process cannot be caught up from notes, and your tutor's witness statements of your practice form part of your portfolio.
What changes from Level 2
Three things change. First, the written work gets heavier. You keep a reflective journal, write assignments against the criteria, and build a portfolio assessed by your tutor and sampled by an external moderator. Second, the self-development work goes deeper.
Level 3 asks you to examine your own history, your prejudices, and your patterns in relationships, because those shape how you sit with a client. Third, supervision is introduced. You learn what clinical supervision is, how to use it, and why it is a condition of ethical practice before you reach a placement at Level 4.
Students who found Level 2 comfortable sometimes find Level 3 confronting. This is the design. The course checks whether you hold difficulty, in the group and in yourself, before anyone trusts you with a client.
Entry requirements and who it suits
You need the CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills or an equivalent qualification from another awarding body. You also need to be 18 or over and have GCSE English at grade 4 or an equivalent, because the written work is substantial. A short interview confirms readiness. No degree is required at any point on the CPCAB route.
Level 3 suits people who have decided they want to practise and are ready to commit to the route. It also suits people in support, helpline, pastoral, or care roles who want deeper theory without going on to the diploma. Level 3 alone does not qualify you to work as a counsellor. The Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling is the practitioner qualification.
Fees, deposits and payment plans
At The School of Counselling, Level 3 costs £1,495 in the standard format and £1,995 in the intensive format. The fee includes CPCAB registration, assessment and VAT. A £400 deposit secures your place once your group has confirmed numbers to run. The balance is requested after your first lesson, and you pay in full or by monthly instalments: six payments on the standard course, four on the intensive. Instalments are collected by direct debit.
Fees are paid one level at a time. You finish Level 3, then decide whether to apply for Level 4. Nothing commits you to the diploma when you enrol on Level 3.
When courses start and what comes next
Level 3 groups at The School of Counselling start in September, with further intakes in the week commencing 22 February 2027 and in April 2027, subject to numbers. Groups are built around the days students choose, so your lesson day is set when your group is confirmed.
Completing Level 3 makes you eligible to apply for the Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. Level 4 includes an interview assessing readiness for supervised client work, and the self-development and theory you did at Level 3 are what the interview tests. Students who complete Level 3 with the intention of practising often apply for the diploma straight away; others pause, consolidate, and return when the time is right for them.
Frequently asked questions
Is an online Level 3 counselling course recognised?
Yes. The CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies is an Ofqual-regulated qualification whether you study online or in a classroom. CPCAB approves The School of Counselling to deliver it online, and the certificate you receive is identical.
How long does a Level 3 counselling course take online?
At The School of Counselling, 30 weeks in the standard format with one three-hour evening lesson a week, or 18 weeks in the intensive format with one daytime lesson a week. Both carry 90 guided learning hours plus written work between lessons.
Do I need Level 2 before starting Level 3?
Yes. Level 3 requires the Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills or an equivalent. If you hold a skills qualification from another awarding body, send the certificate and syllabus and the school will confirm whether it counts.
The School of Counselling delivers CPCAB-accredited Level 2 and Level 3 counselling training online via Zoom, and a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling in person at monthly weekend intensives with monthly online lessons. Course details and start dates are at schoolofcounselling.com.
