How to become a massage therapist
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
College
You could take a course at college that will give you some of the skills and knowledge needed for this role.
Relevant courses include:
- Level 3 Diploma in Massage
- Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy
- Level 3 Diploma in Complementary Therapies
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
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Apprenticeship
You could gain some of the skills and knowledge for this role through an advanced apprenticeship like a:
- holistic wellbeing practitioner
- beauty therapist
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
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Career tips
You can specialise in a particular form of massage like:
- baby and infant massage
- Swedish massage
- deep tissue massage
- sports massage
You can take extra training to build these specialist skills.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the voluntary register of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council or the Federation of Holistic Therapists.
The General Council for Soft Tissue Therapies (GCMT) is the governing body for massage therapy. It sets the standards for the profession and can give advice on the minimum standard you'll need to practice massage therapy safely and competently.