Practicing ABA Outside the US: Which Continuing Education Actually Counts
Update, November 1, 2026: this page was revised to set out each credentialing body's own rules.
If you practice behavior analysis outside the United States, the single most common mistake is assuming your continuing-education (CE) requirement comes from where you live. It doesn't. It comes from the board that issued your credential. Get that one fact straight and the rest gets simple.
What this page covers
- CE follows your credential, not your countryThere is no single, worldwide "ABA continuing education" standard. Several independent credentialing bodies certify behavior-analytic practitioners, and each one sets its own recertification cycle, required hours, and the kinds of learning it will accept.
- The main credentialing bodies, at a glanceThese are distinct organizations with distinct credentials. They are not interchangeable, and holding one does not give you standing with another.
- If you hold a BACB credential (BCBA, BCaBA or RBT)This is the clearest case, because the BACB maintains a published list of Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Providers, and ACE-Provider CE counts toward BCBA and BCaBA recertification regardless of the country you practice in. RBTs renew under separate professional-development rules: only events that qualify as RBT professional development count, and ordinary analyst CE events do not.
- If you hold an IBAO or QABA credentialQABA and IBAO each set their own continuing-education rules: how many credits your cycle needs and which providers and formats count. Confirm your own cycle with QABA or IBAO before you count any session.
CE follows your credential, not your country
There is no single, worldwide "ABA continuing education" standard. Several independent credentialing bodies certify behavior-analytic practitioners, and each one sets its own recertification cycle, required hours, and the kinds of learning it will accept. A behavior analyst in Ireland, the UAE, or Australia might hold a credential from any of them — and the rules they answer to are the rules of that board.
So before you spend a dollar or an hour on CE, the question isn't "what's accepted internationally?" It's "what does my certifying board require, and what does it accept?"
The main credentialing bodies, at a glance
These are distinct organizations with distinct credentials. They are not interchangeable, and holding one does not give you standing with another.
| Body | Example credentials | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| BACB (Behavior Analyst Certification Board) | BCBA, BCaBA, RBT | The most widely held behavior-analytic certifications globally; US-anchored but issued to practitioners worldwide. |
| IBAO (International Behavior Analysis Organization) | IBT, IBA | An independent international credentialing pathway for technicians and analysts. |
| QABA (Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board) | ABAT, QASP-S, QBA | An independent board credentialing technicians, supervisors, and analysts. |
If you hold a BACB credential (BCBA, BCaBA or RBT)
This is the clearest case, because the BACB maintains a published list of Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Providers, and ACE-Provider CE counts toward BCBA and BCaBA recertification regardless of the country you practice in. Your BACB certification is portable in the sense that the requirement travels with you — wherever you are, you are still bound by the BACB's cycle.
RBTs renew under separate professional-development rules: only events that qualify as RBT professional development count, and ordinary analyst CE events do not. See the BACB's RBT professional development guidance.
Our free CEU Tracker can help you plan your BACB cycle.
One change worth knowing about (BACB holders only)
Effective July 1, 2026, the BACB's standard for ACE Providers adds participation monitoring to self-paced (asynchronous) CE — providers must include knowledge-assessment questions (at least three per CEU, or another form of required active responding) within each event. This is a provider-side requirement: it changes what providers must build, not your required CEU count, your renewal cycle, or your deadline. CE you've already earned is unaffected.
If you hold an IBAO or QABA credential
QABA and IBAO each set their own continuing-education rules: how many credits your cycle needs and which providers and formats count. Confirm your own cycle with QABA or IBAO before you count any session.
Special Learning also offers foundational training, such as Intro to ABA: Level 1, basic ABA methods for everyday practice (US $199, paid once, with a free 7-day trial of the first 2 sessions). It is foundational training with a certificate of completion, not continuing education.
A note on language
Behavior analysis is a global field, and good training shouldn't stop at an English-language wall. Special Learning's content is available in English and Spanish, led by a bilingual BCBA — useful if you or your team practice across Spanish-speaking regions.
Plan your recertification with the free CEU Tracker
If you're a BCBA or BCaBA mid-cycle, enter your recertification date and log the hours you've earned, including ethics and supervision. It's free, and no account is needed. Open the free CEU Tracker →
Not yet credentialed, or working toward a technician credential? Start with our free guide to choosing the right ABA pathway →
Frequently asked questions
- Does ABA continuing education transfer between countries?
- CE doesn't transfer between boards. What matters is which board issued your credential. If you're a BCBA or BCaBA, BACB ACE-Provider CE counts toward your recertification no matter where you live; RBTs renew under separate professional-development rules. If you're credentialed by IBAO or QABA, confirm accepted CE with that board.
- Does CE count for IBAO or QABA recertification?
- QABA and IBAO each set their own continuing-education rules: how many credits your cycle needs and which providers and formats count. Confirm your own cycle with QABA or IBAO before you count any session.
- I'm a BCBA practicing outside the US. Can I use US-based CE?
- Yes. BACB recertification requirements apply to BACB certificants everywhere, and ACE-Provider CE is accepted toward them. Your location doesn't change your BACB cycle.
- Does the July 1, 2026 BACB change affect my deadline?
- No. It's a provider-side standard (adding participation monitoring to self-paced CE). Your required CEU count, renewal cycle, and deadline are unchanged, and CE you've already earned still counts.