NDB Advanced Beekeeping Course 2025

Applications are now invited from students interested in attending the 2025 Advanced Beekeeping Course.

Please note that submitting an application here is not a guarantee of acceptance onto the course - successful applicants will be notified in due course. The dates of the course may be subject to change. You should not book travel or make any other arrangements until you have been contacted to confirm your place.

The NDB Board holds an annual Advanced Course of a five day duration, recognising that access to appropriately advanced beekeeping tuition presents difficulties for many aspiring National Diploma candidates. The course provides the opportunity to bridge the gap between the national Advanced or Senior awards and the requirements for the National Diploma Examination. The visiting lecturers are all leading figures in their particular aspect of apiculture and associated fields.

The course covers topics such as husbandry, botany, teaching, laboratory techniques, disease recognition and legislation pertaining to beekeeping. The course is a mix of theory and practical classes, both in the laboratory & the apiary.

The Advanced Course has now been organised into a three-year rolling programme. Each year repeats common themes and some specific themes. There is no obligation for students to attend all iterations of the Advanced Course.

2025: Brood disease, Adult Diseases, Dissection, Swarm Control

2026: Botany, Pollen & Nutrition, Honey Sources & Identification

2027: Queen Raising, Colony Handling & Presentation, Reading Bees

The course is held at Pershore Horticultural College, part of the Warwickshire College Group. The 60 Hectare site includes modern laboratories and classrooms, along with on-site apiaries and student accommodation.

Students and tutors are accommodated onsite at Pershore. The course runs from Sunday afternoon through to Friday lunchtime - a full week immersed in advanced beekeeping techniques and in the company of some excellent beekeepers is certain to invigorate your beekeeping and enhance your skills.

Each year, students report how enjoyable, and fun it is to immerse themselves in a learning environment with a similarly minded group of students. Each year camaraderie and friendships are built, in addition to the learning opportunities provided.

For 2025 the course fee will be £950. This includes accommodation, all meals, refreshments, laboratory/apiary consumables, and represents excellent value. The NDB operates a discretionary bursary scheme for those students to whom cost may be a barrier. Please contact the NDB secretary to discuss this in confidence.

No payment should be made until you have been offered a place on the course.

Priority is given to those applicants wishing to undertake the NDB examination, but anyone who is likely to benefit from training at the highest level may be accepted on to the course. Due to the competition for places, applicants are advised that they will be considered upon their beekeeping study and experience; generally it is advisable to have achieved the BBKA General Husbandry and Intermediate Theory Certificates (or other National equivalents) prior to application.

Please note that this course is not suitable for beginners, or for those with limited experience of beekeeping. International students are welcome to apply, providing details of beekeeping experience as part of the application. Attendees are required to bring their own microscopy equipment.

All applications should be made by clicking the 'register' button above and completing the form.

The NDB reserves the right to reschedule or cancel advertised courses. Should this be necessary then you will be given the option of a refund or a transfer to another course/date. We will give as much notice as possible, but regret that we cannot be responsible for any other costs such as those relating to travel or accommodation that might result from this.

Students who have booked on courses may cancel and receive a full refund if notice of cancellation is received at least four weeks before the course start date. If notice of cancellation is received less than four weeks before the course start date, refunds will only be issued if the cancelled place(s) can be re-sold.

A course application indicates an acceptance of this cancellation policy.

The attached images show students at some of the previous courses

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