Frequently Asked Questions
All you need to know about Academy of Cheese.
Absolutely not! There is no initial cost for signing up and taking the first few steps in your cheese education journey. Then, after the initial taster, you can choose to purchase a course or stay subscribed to receive our monthly newsletters.
The Academy is open to everyone! If you aspire to become more knowledgeable and develop a greater understanding about all aspects of cheese, then welcome aboard.
Yes, the Academy of Cheese website can be accessed anywhere in the world. If you wish to progress to studying with us, we have a global network of Training Partners offering in-person and virtual classes. Alternatively, you could choose the self guided eLearning platform, allowing you to study in your own time, from wherever you are. What’s more, the exam is available in five languages (English, Spanish, French, Chinese & Russian), making it even easier to become certified.
There are a few quick things to check. Are you using the same email address with which you registered for the course? Has it been over 12 months since you signed up for the course? You can extend your access to the Learning Road exam for another 12 months for a fee £50.
General Certification Questions
No, anyone can take our courses. Whether you make cheese, sell cheese or simply love to eat it.
The Level One course is the place to start your cheese education, whether you work in the industry or simply love cheese. We start with the basics and expand your knowledge, giving you a new appreciation for cheese and its industry.
Level One is open to all and it’s the place to start your cheese education. You need to complete each level and pass the exam before progressing to the next.
Absolutely! You can study online with our self-guided eLearning platform, allowing you to study in your own time, from wherever you are. We also have a global network of Training Partners offering in-person and virtual classes. What’s more, the exam is available in five languages (English, Spanish, French, Chinese & Russian), making it even easier to become certified.
For Self-Study students, we are unable to refund any monies once the online Learning Road has been accessed. In certain circumstances, we may be able to transfer the course to another delegate. If you have paid for a course run by an external company, please refer to their individual cancellation policies.
If you are studying in a classroom, yes it will include a cheese tasting. If you are studying in a virtual classroom, you can choose to either have a cheese delivery or shop for your own – speak to your Training Partner for the best option. If you have chosen self-study via the eLearning platform then you will need to source your own cheese, the perfect excuse for a trip to the cheesemonger! If you are in the UK, you can order the Level One Cheese Selection pack here.
Training Partners are not able to ship cheese internationally as part of the virtual classroom course. However we can provide you with a list of the cheeses you still study so that you can source the cheese yourself.
To achieve Level One, Level Two and Level Three certifications, all the exams are online, there are no practical assessments involved until Master of Cheese.
Once you sign up to a course, you have 12 months access to the Online Learning Road, Cheese Library and Exam. If you don’t get around to completing the course in this time, you can purchase another 12 months access for a fee of £50.
Yes you can, but for the best user experience we recommend studying on a desktop or laptop.
The virtual classroom courses are taught live by a Training Partner across Zoom (or similar platform). You will still receive access to the online Learning Road (think of this as your digital course book) to deepen your theoretical knowledge and take the exam.
The self-study eLearning option uses only the online Learning Road to take you through the course materials, supported with a series of optional, online guided sessions – live group sessions to assist you with your study.
Regardless of which teaching method you choose, you are studying the same certification and will take the same online exam.
If you are in the UK, you can order the Level One Cheese Selection pack here. For international delegates, please speak to your Training Partner or local cheesemonger for options.
Exam Questions
Absolutely. There is a re-take fee of £15 for the Level One exam and £50 for Level Two.
Following standard education industry practice, unfortunately we don’t share copies of the exam questions or answers.
Once you begin you have 30 minutes to complete the Level One exam, 40 minutes to complete the Level Two exam and 30 minutes for each Level Three module (except Cheese Library, which is 75 minutes). You cannot pause part way through the exam and return to it later.
Upon completing the exam you should have received a confirmation email containing your score. If you haven’t receive this please contact members@academyofcheese.org
Congratulations! You can download a digital version of your Certificate and Email Signature Badge immediately via your online portal. For your printed Certificate and Pin Badge, please allow three weeks before contacting us. Delays may occur due to local postal services and factors out of our control.
Becoming a Training Partner
We boast a highly skilled group of cheesemakers, cheesemongers, cheese writers, wholesalers and restaurateurs as Training Partners. If you are passionate about cheese and professional training we’re keen to hear from you.
Yes, we require all Training Partners study the course they plan to teach and the level above.
Anyone interested in cheese! Our courses are suitable for those working in the cheese, food or hospitality sector, anyone wanting to start a career in cheese or for cheese loving consumers.
Absolutely! We currently have 17 Training Partners based outside of the UK and with the launch of virtual classes you can teach delegates from anywhere in the world.
Training Partner Application Process
Head to the Become a Training Partner page and click the Get Started link to begin the process.
We’ve worked hard to ensure Training Partner fees don’t become a barrier to joining us, as such we’ve created two categories of fees based on how many delegates you plan to teach in a year. Inquire for more details on how this works.
Once you inquire about becoming a Training Partner, we’ll arrange an initial call to get to know more about you and your relationship with cheese. There is then an application form to complete and a link agreement to sign. These will need to be approved by an Academy director before you can become a certified Training Partner. We will also need to see proof of your Public Liability Insurance.
We provide course fee guidelines which we advise you aim for you ensure you’re rates are competitive but you are free to charge fees appropriate for your target market.
Training Partners pay an annual fee, which licenses you to officially teach Academy of Cheese courses. This fee is based on whether you apply to become a Small or Standard Training Partner and this is determined by how many delegates you plan to teach per year.
Training Partner Portal & Resources
For Training Partners teaching Level One, the Academy provide training resources including a cheesemaking video. You are free to adapt these to suit your lesson plan or target market but any amends you make will need to signed off by the Academy.
When you complete the application process and you are approved as an Academy Training Partner we will create your very own profile page on the Academy of Cheese website. This is your opportunity to sell yourself and your course to potential delegates.
The Training Partner portal is used to purchase your delegate exam credits, register the delegates studying with you, check their results and access digital copies of the learning resources.
Training Partners can choose to sell places on their course via the Academy of Cheese website, via their own website, in person, or through a combination of methods. If you choose not to sell your course through Academy of Cheese website, your course can still be listed on site and we simply direct traffic elsewhere for bookings and payments.
