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Country guide: South Korea

ABA training courses and certification in South Korea

Can I apply for BACB certification while living in South Korea?
Not now. If you live in South Korea, you can't apply for a new BACB certification (RBT, BCaBA or BCBA) now: the BACB accepts certification and retake applications only from residents of the United States, Canada and Australia. BACB
Which credentials can I earn in Korea?
One domestic credential is the Behavior Analyst (KBA), run by the Korean Association for Behavior Analysis and created in 2015. KBA (in Korean) Another domestic credential is the Applied Behavior Analysis Specialist (ABAS) of the Korean Association for Certified Behavior Analysts (KACBA), with Level 1 (master's level) and Level 2 (bachelor's level). ABAS (in Korean)
Which international credentials are open?
International options include QABA's ABAT, QASP-S and QBA, and QABA's list of coursework providers includes providers in the Republic of Korea. QABA providers IBAO runs the International Behavior Analyst (IBA) and International Behavior Therapist (IBT) certifications. IBAO
I already hold a BACB certification. Is it still valid?
If you already hold a BACB certification and live in South Korea, the BACB says it is currently still valid and you may keep using it as before. BACB FAQ

Checked against each source on November 14, 2026.

A therapist in a sage-green cardigan sits cross-legged on a grey mat beside a boy of about six in a striped T-shirt, who smiles as he fits a wooden circle into a shape board; she rests a clipboard on her knee and watches his hands.

Two domestic routes

How to become an ABA therapist in South Korea

A young woman in a mustard sweater holds up a tablet with a rising line graph and explains it, while an older colleague in a pale blue shirt points to it with a pen; two paper cups of tea sit on the table.

For ABAS option 1, you need a degree, related coursework and clinical practice, then must pass the exam; the degree is a master's or bachelor's depending on level, in any field. ABAS (in Korean) Clinical practice is at least 1,500 hours for Level 1 and 1,000 hours for Level 2, under a supervisor who holds ABAS Level 1. ABAS (in Korean) At least 5% of those hours must be face-to-face supervision. ABAS Level 1 (in Korean)

Type 1 requires a master's degree or higher in any field and at least 18 credits of the association's required courses (Rule 16). KBA eligibility (in Korean) Type 1 clinical practice has been 1,500 hours since July 1, 2025, with at least 5% (75 hours or more) supervised by a supervisor (previously 1,000 hours including 50 or more). KBA eligibility (in Korean)

KBA Type 1 and ABAS option 1, step by step
KBA Type 1 and ABAS option 1, step by step. KBA Type 1: master's degree in any field, 18 credits of required courses, 1,500 hours of clinical practice, six written subjects and an interview. ABAS Level 1 option 1: master's degree, ABAS or ABAI VCS coursework, 1,500 hours, exam. ABAS Level 2 option 1: bachelor's degree, coursework, 1,000 hours, exam.KBA Type 11Master's, any field218 credits of required courses31,500 h clinical practice46 written subjects and interviewABAS Level 1, option 11Master's, any field2ABAS or ABAI VCS courses31,500 h clinical practice4ExamABAS Level 2, option 11Bachelor's, any field2ABAS or ABAI VCS courses31,000 h clinical practice4Exam

KBA eligibility (in Korean) ABAS (in Korean)

Clinical practice hours, drawn to scale
Clinical practice hours before each credential, drawn to scale: KBA 1,500; ABAS Level 1 1,500; ABAS Level 2 1,000; IBAO IBT 300KBA (Type 1)1,500 hoursABAS Level 11,500 hoursABAS Level 21,000 hoursIBAO IBT300 hours

KBA eligibility (in Korean) ABAS (in Korean) IBAO IBT

Korean Association for Behavior Analysis

The KBA: one credential at master's level or above

A woman in glasses and a navy cardigan reads a printed handbook at a wooden desk, pen in hand, with a bookshelf and a plant behind her.

The Korean Association for Behavior Analysis was founded in 2013, and the KBA credential was created in 2015. KBA (in Korean) The KBA is currently a single-level credential at master's level or above. KBA (in Korean) The association says KBA holders must be able to assess the function of problem behavior, develop function-based interventions, carry out behavior support plans and programs, evaluate intervention effectiveness, train and supervise staff, and provide parent education. KBA (in Korean)

Who may sit the exam

  • To sit the KBA you must qualify as a full member of the association; there are two eligibility types. KBA eligibility (in Korean)
  • Type 1 candidates take six written subjects (ethics, ABA I and II, measurement and behavior change, functional assessment and PBS, single-subject research) and an interview. KBA eligibility (in Korean)
  • Type 2 requires a doctorate related to behavior analysis, at least 5 years teaching an ABA or PBS course at a four-year university, and the association's publication record; candidates take three written subjects and an interview. KBA eligibility (in Korean)
  • Recognised supervisors must be full members and hold BCBA supervision qualification, or be a KBA-holding professor in a related department, or one of the association's grandfathered members. The association does not match trainees with supervisors. KBA eligibility (in Korean)

Exam, fee and renewal

The exam is held at least once a year (currently in October, with a first-half sitting planned), and the credential is granted after final pass and committee approval. KBA eligibility (in Korean) The exam fee is 250,000 won; after document screening, the written and interview exams are held on set dates. KBA exam steps (in Korean) The KBA is renewed every 3 years with at least 36 hours (50-minute units) of continuing education recognised by the association, or by passing the exam again, plus annual membership dues. KBA renewal (in Korean)

Korean Association for Certified Behavior Analysts

The ABAS: Level 1 at master's level, Level 2 at bachelor's level

In the evening, a young man with earphones writes in a notebook at his desk beside an open laptop, a desk lamp on and apartment towers lit up outside the window.

Coursework is an ABAS course sequence or ABAI VCS coursework; if you already hold the BCBA or BCaBA, the coursework from that certification can count. ABAS (in Korean)

Where the coursework is taught

  • Level 1 (master's) ABAS coursework is offered in graduate programs at Dankook, Kongju National, Daegu Haany, Woosuk, Changwon National and Korea National University of Transportation, and in non-degree courses at KACBA, Daegu Haany's lifelong education center and Yonsei's Future Education Center. ABAS (in Korean)
  • Level 2 (bachelor's) coursework is offered in degree programs including Daegu Cyber University's Department of Behavior Therapy and Konyang Cyber University's Department of Behavior Development Therapy. ABAS (in Korean)

Exam and fees

The exam is held twice a year, in mid-February and mid-August; online applications open January 1 to 31 and July 1 to 31, and results are emailed within 14 days of the exam. ABAS exam steps (in Korean) Application fees are 200,000 won (Level 1, option 1), 250,000 won (Level 1, option 2), 150,000 won (Level 2, option 1) and 200,000 won (Level 2, option 2); option 1 also pays a 30,000 won test-site fee. ABAS exam steps (in Korean)

The KBA and the ABAS compared, from each body's own pages, checked November 14, 2026
RequirementKBA Korean Association for Behavior AnalysisABAS KACBA
Degree Master's or higherAny field (Type 1). KBA eligibility (in Korean) Master's or bachelor'sLevel 1 master's, Level 2 bachelor's, any field. ABAS (in Korean)
Coursework 18 creditsThe association's required courses (Rule 16). KBA eligibility (in Korean) ABAS or ABAI VCSBCBA or BCaBA coursework can count. ABAS (in Korean)
Clinical practice 1,500 hoursAt least 5% (75 hours or more) supervised. KBA eligibility (in Korean) 1,500 or 1,000 hoursLevel 1 or Level 2, at least 5% face-to-face supervision. ABAS (in Korean) ABAS Level 1 (in Korean)
Exam Once a year or moreCurrently October; six written subjects and an interview (Type 1). KBA eligibility (in Korean) Twice a yearMid-February and mid-August. ABAS exam steps (in Korean)
Fee ₩250,000Exam fee. KBA exam steps (in Korean) ₩150,000 to ₩250,000By level and option; option 1 adds a ₩30,000 test-site fee. ABAS exam steps (in Korean)
The exam year
The exam year: ABAS applications January 1 to 31, ABAS exam mid-February; ABAS applications July 1 to 31, ABAS exam mid-August; KBA exam currently in OctoberJanuary 1 to 31ABAS: apply onlineMid-FebruaryABAS examJuly 1 to 31ABAS: apply onlineMid-AugustABAS examOctoberKBA exam (a first-half sitting is planned)

ABAS exam steps (in Korean) KBA eligibility (in Korean)

Fees in Korean won, drawn to scale
Exam and application fees in Korean won, drawn to scale: KBA 250,000; ABAS Level 1 option 1 200,000 plus 30,000 test-site fee; ABAS Level 1 option 2 250,000; ABAS Level 2 option 1 150,000 plus 30,000; ABAS Level 2 option 2 200,000KBA exam₩250,000ABAS Level 1, option 1₩200,000 + ₩30,000 siteABAS Level 1, option 2₩250,000ABAS Level 2, option 1₩150,000 + ₩30,000 siteABAS Level 2, option 2₩200,000

KBA exam steps (in Korean) ABAS exam steps (in Korean)

Option 2 for BCBA and BCaBA holders

Level 1 option 2, for BCBA holders: with a BCBA active at the time of application and at least one year of practice since certification, you apply with documents; there is no exam, and the committee decides after reviewing them. ABAS Level 1 (in Korean) Level 2 has a matching option 2 for holders of a BCaBA active at application with at least one year of practice since certification. ABAS Level 2 (in Korean)

Keeping the credential

The ABAS is renewed every 2 years with 32 hours of continuing education for Level 1 and 20 for Level 2, including 4 hours of ethics, plus 3 hours on supervision for Level 1. ABAS renewal (in Korean) Certificates from CE run by a BACB ACE Provider also count as continuing education hours. ABAS renewal (in Korean) Level 1 is issued only after KACBA's supervisor training; an 8-hour supervision training certificate from a BACB ACE Provider counts instead. ABAS renewal (in Korean)

Renewal, side by side
Keeping each credential: KBA renews every 3 years with 36 hours of continuing education or a new exam pass, plus annual dues; ABAS renews every 2 years with 32 hours for Level 1 or 20 hours for Level 2, including 4 hours of ethics, plus 3 hours on supervision for Level 1KBAABASRenews every3 years2 yearsContinuingeducation36 hours (50-minuteunits), or pass theexam again32 hours (Level 1), 20hours (Level 2)AlsoAnnual membershipdues4 hours of ethics; 3hours on supervisionfor Level 1

KBA renewal (in Korean) ABAS renewal (in Korean)

International credentials

QABA and IBAO accept candidates in Korea

QABA

IBAO

If you hold a BACB certification

The BACB takes no new applicants from Korea; certifications already held are currently valid

In an apartment living room, a girl in a teal dress holds up two picture cards, an apple and a banana, and smiles; her mother sits beside her, a therapist with a lanyard smiles back across a low table, and her grandmother watches from the kitchen.

Asked whether a certificant who doesn't live in an authorized country is still certified, the BACB answers: "Currently, yes." BACB FAQ This policy took effect on January 1, 2023. The BACB also stops offering new certifications in Australia on January 1, 2027, and UK residents have not been able to apply since January 1, 2026. BACB

  • If your BACB certification lapses while you live in South Korea, a new certification requires living in an authorized country. BACB FAQ
  • Active BCBAs and BCaBAs may continue consulting in another country. BACB FAQ
  • Remote supervision of RBTs or BCaBAs in another country is allowed, whether or not that country is authorized. BACB FAQ
  • Employers and families can check certification status and reportable disciplinary actions in the BACB Certificant Registry. BACB registry
The BACB's international rule, by date
The BACB's international rule by date: January 1, 2023 policy takes effect; January 1, 2026 UK residents can no longer apply; as checked on November 14, 2026, only US, Canada and Australia residents may apply; January 1, 2027 no new certifications in Australia; January 1, 2029 BCBA Pathway 1 needs a master's equivalent to a US master'sJanuary 1, 2023The BACB's international policy takes effectJanuary 1, 2026UK residents can no longer applyNovember 14, 2026 · as checkedOnly residents of the US, Canada and Australiamay applyJanuary 1, 2027No new BACB certifications in AustraliaJanuary 1, 2029BCBA Pathway 1: a master's equivalent to a USmaster's

BACB

Questions

Seven questions people in Korea ask us

Can I apply for a new BCBA or RBT from Korea now?

No. The BACB accepts applications only from residents of the US, Canada and Australia, and Australia closes to new certifications on January 1, 2027. BACB To count as a resident you must physically live in an authorized country; a false or temporary address can invalidate your eligibility or certification. BACB FAQ

When is the KBA exam, and what do I bring?

The KBA exam is held at least once a year, currently in October, with a first-half sitting planned. KBA eligibility (in Korean) On exam day, bring a resident registration card, driver's license or valid passport. KBA exam steps (in Korean)

When is the ABAS exam?

The ABAS exam is held twice a year, in February and August. ABAS (in Korean)

Can a BCBA holder get the ABAS without an exam?

Yes. With an active BCBA and at least a year of practice since certification, you can apply for ABAS Level 1 under option 2, by document review only. ABAS Level 1 (in Korean)

How do I find a supervisor?

KBA: the association doesn't match supervisors; check the supervisor information on its site or email the committee (kabac@kaba.or.kr). KBA eligibility (in Korean) ABAS: supervisors must hold ABAS Level 1 and are listed under the certification center's credential-holder search. ABAS (in Korean)

Will coursework I complete in Korea count toward the BCBA later?

The BACB says coursework and fieldwork should qualify, wherever completed, if they meet the requirements in effect when you apply. BACB FAQ From January 1, 2029, BCBA Pathway 1 applicants must hold a master's degree equivalent to a US master's degree. BACB

Is an IBAO credential a BACB credential?

IBAO states that it is not affiliated with, authorized by or endorsed by the BACB. IBAO

Training from Special Learning

Intro to ABA: Level 1

Intro to ABA: Level 1 is a course on the methods and techniques of ABA, built for the people who work with the child every day: parents and caregivers, teachers, paraprofessionals and behavior technicians.

It is basic training in ABA methods for daily practice, not a credential.

  • Nine online sessions you watch on a phone or a computer: what autism is, an ABA overview, teaching methods, pairing, errorless teaching and active student responding
  • A certificate of completion when you pass the 40-question final exam at 80%
  • Paid once, with 11 weeks to complete the course after you activate it
See Intro to ABA: Level 1
A woman in a sage-green cardigan rests her chin on her hand and holds a mug of tea as she watches a lesson on her laptop at a wooden table, a notebook beside her.

Sources

  1. Before you apply (in Korean). KACBA ABAS Certification Center. Read November 14, 2026.
  2. Applied Behavior Analysis Specialist, Level 1 (in Korean). KACBA ABAS Certification Center. Read November 14, 2026.
  3. Before you apply: eligibility (in Korean). Korean Association for Behavior Analysis, Certification Committee. Read November 14, 2026.
  4. International Behavior Therapist. IBAO. Read November 14, 2026.
  5. What is the KBA? (in Korean). Korean Association for Behavior Analysis, Certification Committee. Read November 14, 2026.
  6. How to apply for the exam (in Korean). Korean Association for Behavior Analysis, Certification Committee. Read November 14, 2026.
  7. Keeping the credential (in Korean). Korean Association for Behavior Analysis, Certification Committee. Read November 14, 2026.
  8. How to sit the exam (in Korean). KACBA ABAS Certification Center. Read November 14, 2026.
  9. Applied Behavior Analysis Specialist, Level 2 (in Korean). KACBA ABAS Certification Center. Read November 14, 2026.
  10. Keeping the credential (in Korean). KACBA ABAS Certification Center. Read November 14, 2026.
  11. Home page. QABA. Read November 14, 2026.
  12. Provider entry: Korea Nazarene University Graduate School. QABA. Read November 14, 2026.
  13. Current Coursework Providers. QABA. Read November 14, 2026.
  14. International Behavior Therapist Requirements (2021 v100). IBAO. Read November 14, 2026.
  15. International Behavior Analyst. IBAO. Read November 14, 2026.
  16. Home page. IBAO. Read November 14, 2026.
  17. FAQs About the 2023 International Changes. BACB. Read November 14, 2026.
  18. International Development & Support. BACB. Read November 14, 2026.
  19. Verify BACB Certification. BACB. Read November 14, 2026.

Other countries we cover

ABA certification in 15 guides

ABA certification by country: every guide in one place → ABA around the world →
Intro to ABA: Level 1, ABA methods for daily practice See the course