One of the most frequently asked questions I hear from aromatherapy students, graduates, and enthusiasts is: How do I become a Registered Aromatherapist (RA)?
As you may already know, an RA is an aromatherapist who has successfully
demonstrated a core body of aromatherapy knowledge by passing the Aromatherapy Registration Council’s (ARC) Examination. The ARC RA Examination’s primary focus is the safe administration of essential oils and covers topics such as scientific principles, administration, and professional issues in aromatherapy. It is also available in Japanese and Korean as well as English.
Once you have successfully passed the ARC RA Examination, you are added to the online international database of ARC Registered Aromatherapists. The RA registration (which is valid for five years) confirms your high standard of aromatherapy education and demonstrates a commitment to the ethical, safe use and administration of essential oils when working with the public.
An additional perk: ARC will also verify your registration status at the request of employers, government agencies, and anyone who needs to verify your professional qualifications.
But how do you become a Registered Aromatherapist (RA)?
The first step before applying for any credential is to ask one simple question: Do I meet the qualifications?
All students, including international students, can sit for the ARC RA Examination if they:
Next, you’ll want to ensure you’ve marked the upcoming Application Deadlines and Examination Window Dates on your calendar. ARC has these dates listed on their website here: https://aromatherapycouncil.org/test-dates/
The Candidate Handbook is a must-have resource when preparing for the ARC Exam. As I mentioned above, you can download your copy from the Professional Testing Corporation’s (PTC) website by clicking on the “ARC – Registration Examination in Aromatherapy” link here: https://ptcny.com/test-sponsors/arc
The Candidate Handbook will help you understand the following:
Once you’ve reviewed the Candidate Handbook, you’ll know what to expect on the Examination. You can also check out the recommended reading in the Candidate Handbook.
The ARC Examination is a computer-based examination comprising a maximum of 250 multiple-choice questions with a total testing time of four hours. Need some practice questions? Don’t forget to utilize the sample questions in the Candidate Handbook.
The content of the Exam will be weighted approximately based on the following topics:
I. Basic Concepts of Aromatherapy……………………. 20%
II. Scientific Principles……………………………………… 30%
III. Administration …………………………………………… 35%
IV. Professional Issues ……………………………………. 15%
As an educator, I know studying takes time and energy. Don’t forget to maintain your health and wellness while preparing for the Exam:
To complete your online application you will need:
The application fee for the exam is $370. You have a few options when paying your exam fee. You can:
DO NOT send cash or paper checks—be sure to pay through one of the options listed above.
Once you’ve submitted your application, PTC will contact you within 11 weeks before the testing period begins to send you a Scheduling Authorization.
The Scheduling Authorization will tell you how to schedule your examination appointment and remind you of the available exam dates. The ARC Examination is offered twice a year during established three-week testing periods, Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays.
Remember: Exam appointment times are first-come, first-served, so schedule your appointment as soon as you receive your Scheduling Authorization. This will increase your chances of being able to take the exam at your preferred location and time.
New in 2023, you can also schedule a remote proctored exam (note that instructions and communications with the remote proctor are only in English). Click here to find a testing center or schedule a remote proctored exam.
Once you’ve scheduled your appointment, Prometric will send you a confirmation email with the date, time, and location of your exam. Be sure to review this information carefully, and contact Prometric immediately if you notice any errors.
Now it’s time to take your exam!
Be sure to get plenty of sleep the night before, drink lots of water, eat a nutritious breakfast, and allow for adequate travel time, so you arrive at your examination center on time and ready to succeed! Don’t try to “study crunch” the night before. If you’ve taken the time to study in the weeks leading up to the exam, you’re already set up for success.
Remember to plan accordingly on the day of your exam: You are not permitted to take any paper, books, or phones into the examination room. If you are in a testing center, somebody will check you in before entering the examination room at the beginning of your test and if you re-enter after taking a bathroom break.
If you are using a live remote proctor (LRP), find out in advance before you schedule your appointment if the computer you will use meets the requirements for LRP. On exam day, log on for the LRP appointment early to ensure the connection is ready ahead of the appointment. You will not be permitted to leave the room or have anyone (or pets) enter the room while taking the exam via remote proctoring.
Once you have completed your exam, it will be sent to PTC for grading. You will need to correctly answer about 70% or more of the answers to pass the exam. The passing score is 72%.
Your score reports and registration packet will be emailed if you’ve passed the exam. PTC will prepare a Registration Certificate. This process can take four to six weeks. Be sure to check that all of your information is correct in the Registered Aromatherapist Registry. Once an RA has updated their information through ARC’s website https://aromatherapycouncil.org/updating-your-info/, PTC will update the Registry.
You can find the current Registered Aromatherapists (RA) listing here: https://aromatherapycouncil.org/find/
Remember, as a Registered Aromatherapist, you are responsible for ensuring your information on the Registry is accurate and up-to-date. If your information changes, you will find the form to submit updates here: http://www.ptcny.net/clients/ARC/RA/Member/DisplayRA.aspx
As I mentioned above, one perk of passing the Examination and becoming an RA is that ARC will verify your registration status at the request of employers, government agencies, the public, or anyone with whom you wish to share your new credential.
ARC will only release your RA status, the date your Registration was awarded, and any disciplinary actions taken by ARC.
Now that you are a Registered Aromatherapist (RA), you can put your new credential into action.
As an RA, you can:
But remember, unless you have previous qualifications and training, as a Registered Aromatherapist (RA) you are not a licensed physician. You must be vigilant and aware of the current legislation in your state on the practice of aromatherapy.
Here are a few basic things that an RA cannot do:
Now that you have your RA credential, it’s important to meet the continuing education requirements. Here are a few things to remember to maintain eligibility as a Registered Aromatherapist (RA):
Before your registration expires, review your options. There are two ways to reregister:
1) Meet the continuing education requirements (see the information below).
2) Reregister by taking and passing the then-current Registration Examination (the fee for this option is $370. This option is designed for any RA that has not accrued 100 hours of continuing education hours in five years. Make sure you have adequate time to schedule the exam.
What you need to know to Reregister using Continuing Education
To reregister with continuing education requirements, remember that:
Here are some options for completing your continuing education requirements. All events must be related to aromatherapy:
Aromatherapists have taken the Registration Examination since its inception, and the number of Registered Aromatherapists (RA) continues to grow, even spreading across the globe. There are RAs in China, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Korea, and the United States.
There are tremendous benefits to becoming a Registered Aromatherapist (RA). This credential helps reinforce a standard of excellence in the profession of aromatherapy, and I am encouraged that more and more aromatherapists join the registry each year.
Do you have questions about ARC or the Exam? Ask me in the comments!
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. The FDA has not reviewed this article. Always consult your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making significant changes to your health and wellness routine.