In the field of nutritional advice, there are various opportunities to gain in-depth training and further education. For example, you can attend courses that train you as a nutrition coach or give you an insight into the basics of healthy eating. For people who are looking for training that is recognized by health insurance companies and enables them to bill their services to the insurance companies, a diploma course to become a nutritionist is recommended. For registration with the Swiss Foundation for Complementary Medicine (ASCA) in nutritional counseling (WAM - Western Alternative Medicine) for the area of prescribed methods (Method 229), three levels of training must be completed. However, not every school offers Level 2 or even Level 3 in addition to Level 1, the conventional medical basics with a degree in Nutrition Coach Practitioner. Level 2 enables graduates to combine nutritional advice with therapeutic applications, which is mainly implemented in medical practices and nursing or retirement homes. Level 3 is an in-depth study of the fundamentals of conventional medicine and completing this is a prerequisite for registering as a therapist with ASCA.
Another option for comprehensive training in nutritional counseling is a university degree. This can be a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, which can be followed by a Master's degree. Further education in the form of a CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies), for example in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Health (FIT), is also possible.

The only federally recognized nutritionist training is a Bachelor's degree from a University of Applied Sciences. However, there are also certificate courses in the field of nutritional counseling, some of which are also recognized by supplementary insurance companies. You can obtain more detailed information directly from the schools.

You can only obtain federal recognition as a nutritionist with a Bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics and a subsequent Master's degree, for example in "Master of Science (MSc) Life Sciences - Food, Nutrition and Health", as well as a Master of Advanced Studies MAS degree, for example the "MAS Excellence in Food". Certificate courses or diploma courses award internal qualifications that are not subject to any standardized regulations, but can of course still provide you with competent training. If you wish to bill your services to health insurance companies in the future, please ensure that the nutrition coach / nutrition therapist / nutrition consultant course meets the guidelines for recognition by health insurance companies when choosing your training in nutritional counseling. You can obtain more detailed information on this directly from the respective schools via our contact form.

To work as a nutritionist, you can either study for a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics or continue your education with various specialist training courses in this field. Nutritional counseling training can be, for example, a course to become a nutritional therapist, nutrition coach or nutrition consultant, all of which differ in their scope, focus, duration and recognition and should be chosen according to your career aspirations. If you do not yet have any training in healthcare or alternative/complementary medicine and would like to work as a full-time or part-time nutritionist, you should make sure that the training you are looking for meets the guidelines for health insurance recognition.

As there is not just one single training or continuing education, further training in nutritional counseling, but rather a wide range of courses and degree programs to choose from, the target groups also vary slightly. It goes without saying that all those interested in further training in the field of nutritional counseling must have a keen interest in nutrition, counseling, dietetics, cooking, health promotion and prevention. Aspiring nutritionists are in close contact with their patients, so that a communicative and empathetic nature, understanding and impartiality, motivation, the ability to work in a team, as well as the willingness to work with difficult and sick people and to undergo regular further training are required. Training to become a qualified nutritionist at recognized training institutes is very suitable at level 1 for people who work in an advisory or therapeutic profession and would like to expand their skills to include nutritional science. Level 2 training is of interest to people who work in their own practice or as an employee in a practice or a nursing or retirement home and would also like to carry out therapies there.Training at a University of Applied Sciences is particularly suitable for people who are aiming for a bachelor's degree in nutritional counseling and may wish to do a master's degree afterwards. However, this requires a high school education.

Certificate courses and diploma courses in nutritional therapy are not federally recognized. The situation is different for the Bachelor's degree course in Nutritionist BSc, the subsequent Master's degree course "Master of Science in Life Sciences with specialization in Food, Nutrition and Health" and MAS (Master of Advanced Studies) continuing education courses. It is also possible to take the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) in Psychosocial Counseling with a federal diploma following the Nutritional-Psychological Counseling course.

You can obtain a federally recognized qualification for your training or continuing education, further training in nutrition with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. Seminars or courses such as nutrition coach, nutrition therapist, nutrition trainer or similar are not federally recognized, but often meet the requirements of the EMR or ASCA, so that the services can be billed via the supplementary insurance of the health insurance companies.

There is no professional apprenticeship with a federal certificate of competence (EFZ) in the field of nutrition that trains you to become a nutritionist, but only a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nutrition and Dietetics at a university of applied sciences level, which enjoys national and international recognition, as well as the Master's degree that builds on it.

Certificate and diploma courses in the field of nutritional counselling are not federally recognized.

However, depending on the scope of training, focus and if they meet the criteria of the recognition institutions such as the EMR, they can lead to health insurance recognition. Please discuss this point with the relevant schools in advance.

As the job titles nutrition coach, nutrition consultant and nutrition therapist are not protected terms, they can be used for a wide variety of training courses and continuing education, further training in nutritional counseling. All three terms can describe the same professional activity, so it is important for you as a prospective student to obtain comprehensive information about the individual courses directly from the respective schools for all three training qualifications. The easiest and quickest way to do this is to use our non-binding contact form.

Certificate courses to become a nutritionist, nutrition coach, nutrition therapist or nutrition trainer can often be started as continuing education, further training in nutrition even without any previous knowledge in this area. However, some schools expect course participants to have a certain level of prior education, such as a degree at upper-secondary level or training in the healthcare sector, although this is rarely the case.