RHS COURSE CHANGES NOTICE for 2022
Exams for February 2022 can now be booked; please note the RHS now raises its fees every year in September, so there is a new rate for 2022 exam fees.
As the COVID situation continues to affect everyone, the RHS have decided that it would be sensible to adopt the same timetable changes in February which they put in place in September, to allow time for cleaning between exam sessions. Please be aware of these timetable changes which you should be able to download from your chosen Exam Centre page.
Level 2 Principles of Garden Planning Establishment and Maintenance
IMPORTANT NOTE:Â the RHS suite of level 2 and 3 qualifications is changing from September 2022. RHS course providers will be expected to offer these new format qualifications.
ADL Students who have completed one part of the current Diploma by September 2022 will be able to continue to complete the second part using the new Certificate in Horticultural Principles. This will be the newly titled Certificate in Horticultural Practice or continue with the existing Certificate in Garden Planning.
We intend to continue to offer the current Principles of Garden Planning Certificate online for study in 2022-23; but information from the RHS indicates that they will not accept new registrations from students not already studying a qualification after August 2022 and exams for these only until February /June 2023 AND February 2024. At the moment this appears to be the final date for all current format RHS qualifications.
Level 2 qualifications from the RHS will be the first step as an accepted route into the horticultural profession for National Trust and many other employers or changing to a career in horticulture.
There is no equivalent Level 2 qualification for the RHS Principles in Garden Planning Certificate in the new courses.
Level 2 Principles in Plant Growth, Propagation and Development
This qualification is being replaced in September 2022 by a new RHS Theory Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture. The new qualification will be part of a new Level 2 Certificate in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture but there will not be another theory certificate to make up a Diploma.
If you are looking to achieve the current RHS Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture then exams for RHS Certificate in Plant Growth will continue in February and June 2022 and again in 2023, BUT you will need to begin your exams in February 2022 for the RHS to accept your registration.
Realistically ADL will not be able to offer this Certificate to new students from January 2022
If you have already begun some of the units for this Certificate, you can continue to study these to complete your course but please do apply to sit Exams in February 2022.
RHS LEVEL 3
The RHS are in the process of introducing new qualifications at level 2 and 3, for first teaching in September 2022.
We do not have details for the new level 3 qualifications as yet. We do know that the new format for Level 3 will include One Theory Certificate (from a choice of two paths, relating to garden design or heritage gardening) and a practical Certificate, which together will form an Advanced Certificate. There is currently no proposed Certificate in Plant Science.
A research project can be added to achieve a Level 3 Diploma.
Going forward into 2022 it will be necessary to complete Both Level 2 Certificates before starting Level 3. ADL will implement this from January 2021 to all newcomers.
Details of the New Level 3 and the transition for students on the current Diploma are due to be released to course providers sometime before Christmas.  Enrolling onto one of the current Certificates now may allow you to continue to complete the Diploma in its present format, but as each Certificate is at least 150 hours of study, we would advise prospective students to consider whether they can devote enough time to study to be ready to take examinations in February or June 2022.
