International Credential Navigator
Explore credential information for your country and role. Applying for a new credential, maintaining one you hold, and permission to practice are different questions. Check the linked sources before making a plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential from the BACB is the most widely held ABA credential (88,013 BCBAs as of 1 October 2026, per the BACB own certificant data). The International Behavior Analysis Organization (IBAO) offers an independent international credential. The Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board (QABA) is an internationally accredited credentialing board (accredited through ANSI) offering the ABAT, QASP-S and QBA credentials.
UK residents may no longer apply for a new BACB certification from January 1, 2026. People certified before that date may continue to recertify while meeting BACB requirements. Existing holders do not need to claim a non-UK address to maintain their credential. Check local practice and registration requirements separately.
New BACB certifications in Australia end January 1, 2027. Australian residents seeking certification must submit an approvable application by December 1, 2026 and pass the examination by December 31, 2026. Existing Australian certificants may continue to recertify. Local practice and registration requirements are separate from BACB certification.
IBAO is a separate credentialing organization offering International Behavior Analyst (IBA) and International Behavior Therapist (IBT) certifications. Check IBAO eligibility and renewal rules directly. A credential does not by itself establish legal permission to practice in a country.
BACB offers the RBT credential, QABA offers ABAT, and IBAO offers IBT. Each has its own eligibility, assessment and supervision requirements. BACB application residency restrictions apply to new RBT applicants; check the current handbook before starting training.
Check BACB application residency first, then the degree, coursework, fieldwork and examination requirements for the pathway and application date that apply to you. In 2027 there are two BCBA pathways. Supervised fieldwork remains 2,000 hours or 1,500 concentrated hours, but monthly supervision requirements differ by fieldwork type and change in 2027. Use the linked current handbook and transition guidance rather than assuming one coursework route fits every applicant.
These are the requirements in force today. The BACB changes them on 1 January 2027: from that date there are two BCBA pathways instead of four. The two that remain are an accredited or recognized behavior-analysis degree program, and a master’s degree plus behavior-analytic coursework — so if you are on the coursework route, that route continues. If you want to be assessed under today’s rules you must apply — and meet all of the requirements — before 1 January 2027, so the last day to do both is 31 December 2026. The board’s own rule is that you must meet the requirements in place at the time you apply, so anyone who cannot complete every requirement and apply by that date will be assessed under the new ones. The board publishes its own Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition, and that is the thing to read before you plan around any of this. Requirements read at source from the BACB’s BCBA Handbook stamped Updated 06/2026 on 3 September 2026; the board republishes the handbooks quarterly as needed, so check the stamp on any page that tells you otherwise.
An existing BACB credential can generally be maintained outside the countries where new applications are accepted, subject to current BACB rules and local practice requirements. Check the event designation and certificate. Other boards decide which credits they accept.
Yes. The International Credential Navigator is completely free. Complete the form to open the navigator. No account is required; marketing emails are optional. It is provided by Special Learning as a service to the global ABA community. Special Learning has served 32,000+ customers in 140+ countries since 2010.
Build Your Everyday ABA Skills
Intro to ABA: Level 1 teaches basic ABA methods for people who work with a child every day, including behavior technicians. It is foundational training, not a professional credential or continuing-education course.
The course costs US $199, paid once. Its free 7-day trial covers the first 2 sessions and requires no payment card. Check the course page for what is included and its access terms.