How to become a dietitian, anywhere in the world

The five steps that are the same everywhere

Every country on our Global Hub builds the dietitian route from the same five parts, even if it names and orders them differently.

1. An accredited degree. A bachelor's or master's programme in nutrition and dietetics that meets the national standard. Accreditation matters: a general nutrition or food science degree usually does not qualify you as a dietitian on its own.
2. Supervised practice. Placements in hospitals, community services and food service, usually 800 to 1,200 hours or more, assessed against competency standards.
3. An exam or competency assessment. A national registration exam in some countries, such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines; programme-based assessment in others, such as the UK and Australia.
4. Registration or licensure. Joining the statutory register or receiving a licence so that you may legally use the protected title.
5. Continuing professional development. Maintaining your registration with documented learning every year or cycle.

Country routes at a glance

United States

Complete an ACEND-accredited programme and supervised practice, hold a graduate degree (required for new candidates for the exam), pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam to earn the RD or RDN credential, and obtain a licence in states that license dietitians. CDR counts 112,446 credentialed RD/RDNs^[1]. Employment is projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035^[2]. See the United States hub.

Canada

Graduate from an accredited program with integrated or post-degree practicum, pass the Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination where required, and register with the provincial college. "Dietitian" is protected in every province. See the Canada hub.

United Kingdom

Complete an HCPC-approved BSc or pre-registration MSc in dietetics with practice placements, then register with the Health and Care Professions Council. Only registrants may call themselves dietitians; 12,467 were on the register in April 2025^[3]. See the UK hub.

Ireland

Graduate from a CORU-approved programme and register with CORU's Dietitians Registration Board. CORU had 1,652 registered dietitians in mid-2025^[4]. See the Ireland hub.

Australia and New Zealand

In Australia, graduate from a Dietitians Australia-accredited program to become eligible for the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) credential. In New Zealand, register with the Dietitians Board under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.

Asia

Japan issues a national licence for registered dietitians (kanri eiyoshi) after a national exam. South Korea licenses dietitians after a national exam, with a separate clinical dietitian certificate. The Philippines licenses Registered Nutritionist-Dietitians through the Professional Regulation Commission. Malaysia registers dietitians under the Allied Health Professions Act 2016. In Singapore, the Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association accredits dietitians. In India, the Indian Dietetic Association's Registered Dietitian exam is the established credential, and the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act 2021 is bringing allied health professions under statutory regulation. In China, the Chinese Nutrition Society runs a registered dietitian scheme.

Middle East and Africa

In the Gulf, health authorities license clinical dietitians: the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties in Saudi Arabia, and the Dubai Health Authority, Department of Health Abu Dhabi and Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE. In South Africa, dietitians register with the Health Professions Council's Professional Board for Dietetics and Nutrition after an accredited degree and a community service year.

Europe

France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Switzerland regulate dietitians as health professionals with a protected title and defined training. In Germany, the state-regulated qualification is Diätassistent, alongside university-trained Oecotrophologen and nutrition scientists.

Latin America

In Brazil, nutricionistas are a regulated profession under Law 8.234/1991 and register with the regional council (CRN). In Mexico, practice requires a university degree in nutrition and a cédula profesional.

Choosing a degree

• Check accreditation first. Confirm the programme is accredited for dietitian registration in the country where you plan to work.
• Look at placements. Ask where students are placed and how much supervised practice is included.
• Think about mobility. Degrees from some countries are easier to have recognised abroad. If you plan to move, ask the destination regulator before you enrol.
• Consider graduate entry. Many countries offer accelerated master's routes for graduates in related sciences.

Moving abroad as a dietitian

International recruitment is common in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Gulf. Prepare for:

• A credential assessment, with transcripts, course descriptions and placement logs.
• Possible extra exams, coursework or supervised practice.
• A language test, such as IELTS or OET for English-speaking countries.
• Registration fees and timelines that can take several months.

Start with the regulator listed on each country page, and read the jobs outlook for where demand is strongest.

Dietitian, nutritionist or health coach?

The routes above lead to the protected title of dietitian. Nutritionists and health coaches follow different, often unregulated, paths. Read dietitian vs nutritionist to understand the difference before you choose a course.

After you qualify

Join your national association for continuing education, mentoring and specialist groups. The associations page lists them all. Create a professional profile so clients and employers can find you, and use the events calendar to plan conferences that count towards your continuing professional development.

What you study

Dietetics degrees are science-heavy and practical. Expect to study:

• Biochemistry, physiology and anatomy, the foundation for understanding how nutrients work and how disease changes requirements.
• Human nutrition across the life course, from pregnancy and infancy to older age.
• Medical nutrition therapy for diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney, liver, gastrointestinal and oncology conditions, malnutrition and nutrition support.
• Food science and food service, including menu planning, food safety and large-scale catering.
• Public health nutrition, policy and health promotion.
• Communication and behaviour change, including counselling skills and motivational interviewing.
• Research methods and evidence appraisal, so you can read and judge studies.
• Professional practice, ethics and law in your country.

Supervised practice: what to expect

Placements are where students become practitioners. A typical sequence starts in food service or community settings, moves to hospital wards and outpatient clinics, and ends with a period in which you manage a caseload under supervision. You will assess patients, calculate requirements, plan and adjust nutrition care, write in medical records, educate patients and families, and present cases to your team. Each placement is assessed against national competency standards. Many students say placements are the hardest and most rewarding part of training; arrive prepared, ask for feedback early and keep a reflective log.

Costs and funding

Costs vary enormously by country. In some countries dietetics is offered at public universities with low or no tuition; in others, degrees and graduate programmes are expensive, and supervised practice can be unpaid. Look for government health-workforce bursaries, university scholarships, employer sponsorship for hospital staff, and association grants. In the United States, the shift to a required graduate degree has made funding an important part of planning. Always compare the total cost, including placements, exam fees and registration fees, with likely starting pay in the jobs outlook.

Skills that make a strong dietitian

• Clinical reasoning: turning assessment data into a clear nutrition diagnosis and plan.
• Communication: explaining complex science in simple, respectful language.
• Cultural competence: understanding food traditions, religious practices and economic constraints.
• Teamwork: working with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists and caterers.
• Digital skills: telehealth, electronic records and data.
• Evidence appraisal: telling good studies from weak ones, which matters more than ever with supplements and new diets.

Specialising after registration

Most dietitians spend their first years in general clinical or community roles, then specialise. Common routes include diabetes, renal, oncology, paediatrics, critical care, gastroenterology, eating disorders, sports, obesity and weight management, public health and industry. Many countries offer advanced practice or specialist credentials, for example board certification in the United States or advanced practice frameworks in the UK and Australia. Conferences on our events calendar and specialist groups of your national association are the fastest way to build a specialism.

A plan for your first year as a dietitian

1. Join your national association and a specialist group that interests you.
2. Find a mentor outside your direct line manager.
3. Build a continuing professional development plan and log every activity.
4. Present at least one case or audit to your team.
5. Attend one national or international conference.
6. Create a professional profile so employers and clients can find you; see membership levels.