Online Distance Learning (ODL)

All distance learning students must complete some practical tuition as part of their course, this ensures you can use the equipment correctly and safely, as well as giving you the opportunity to see a much wider range of gem materials outside of those supplied with your course materials. 

If you choose to book onto a lab class at Gem-A London, or a lab class in the US, then you will pay for this as part of your course fee. If you will be attending your practical tuition with one of our GAPP centres, then you will make the arrangements and pay them their fee directly. 

You can contact education@gem-a.com for guidance on available examination centres. Please note that not all examination centres are guaranteed to be available for every exam session.

Examinations may be possible in the following locations, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America.

Please note that Diamond Practical examinations are limited to a smaller selection of locations. 

Communication on the online distance learning courses with your tutor and fellow students is through forums, and engaging in discussions and posting questions is part of the experience. Where possible you should post your questions within the course as they may also benefit other students and encourage group talking points. However, should you need to message your tutor privately, you can do this through the online campus that you will have access to for the duration of your course. 

For each course, the recommended self-study hours per week, including time for the reading of the course notes, completing any homework (onsite studies only), and end-of-block reviews and online assessments, are:

Gemmology Foundation

• Evening: 6 to 8 hours
• Daytime: 4 to 6 hours
• ODL: 6 to 8 hours
• ODL Fast track: 10 to 12 hours

Gemmology Diploma

• Evening: 8 to 10 hours
• Daytime: 6 to 8 hours
• ODL: 10 to 12 hours

Diamond Diploma

• Evening: 10 to 12 hours
• Daytime: 8 to 10 hours
• ODL: 8 to 10 hours

The Gem-A online distance learning courses work asynchronously, meaning that students can log on at any time to complete coursework, giving students the chance to have their courses work around their busy schedules. There is no face-to-face tuition or live interactions on the online course, but you are assigned a tutor who you will communicate with through online forums when you have questions during your studies. The course schedule is available to download at the start of the course, which provides an outline of when you should be completing each of the online lessons and includes the dates of the block review and online assessment deadlines. Gem-A requires students to complete at least 80% of the online course lessons to go forward to the final examination.

Course duration depends on the course, method of study, and location. Most on-site courses at Gem-A London are approximately 4 months. The standard-length distance learning courses are 9 months, although there is a 6-month fast-track option only for the online Foundation course for students with prior relevant experience. Contact the education team for more information, or contact your chosen teaching center directly for their schedules.

The possession of FGA membership has been recognized in the trade for many decades. The Gemmology Diploma was requested by the trade in 1908 to meet its ever more complex needs at a time when synthetic gems were becoming a greater commercial problem. Now this prestigious qualification, as well as DGA membership, is recognized worldwide as the world gem education benchmark: the necessary practical standard entry into high-level career paths and a higher education.

Gem-A courses and qualifications are both high-level and officially accredited in the UK – Gem-A is an awarding body. This is one reason our qualifications are so highly regarded worldwide. All our courses emphasise the significant importance of rapid, self-reliant observational and practical ability, using a thorough knowledge and understanding of gemmological principles. Gem-A courses also foster the ability to choose appropriate testing methods based on intelligent observation for practical decision-making. The theory part of diploma courses helps you gain a deeper understanding of your decision-making processes in practical gemmology.

There are no internationally recognised gemmological laboratory qualifications. Most professional gem laboratories around the world employ Gem-A graduates, but our qualifications are only part of the requirements. Professional testing and grading require considerable experience plus an understanding of some advanced laboratory techniques that are not dealt with in our diploma courses.

Gem-A’s diploma-level courses are internationally recognised as the highest-status gemmology qualifications and can help your career in the jewellery or gem industries, and related professions such as auctioneering, valuations, appraisals, and laboratory work.