Accepted Qualifications
Coach types, DBS requirements and the full list of accepted cheer and dance coaching qualifications for Future Cheer events.
Other qualifications & DBS
If you hold a qualification other than the ones listed below, or are based outside the UK and hold a cheerleading qualification local to your region, please contact us (select Coaches Info) for more information.
We request an upload of your certificate as well as a DBS number. All coaches aged 18 and older must hold a clear Enhanced DBS check — this includes coaches of University or Adult-only teams. Best practice is to redo your Enhanced DBS every three years. To issue a coaches pass, we need a DBS number for an Enhanced DBS check taken within 3 years of the event date.
Coach types
1. Team Lead coach
The main coach responsible for the team and for all other coaches present with the team. For CHEER: Team Lead must have a level-appropriate qualification (Level 4 team → Level 4 qualification). For DANCE: Team Lead must hold an accepted dance qualification.
Team Lead coaches will be asked during registration to provide a valid DBS check.
2. Assistant coach
Any adult coach under the supervision of the Team Lead — cheer coaches, tumble coaches and dance coaches. Assistants must hold an appropriate qualification for their role but are not required to be at the level of the team (e.g. a cheer assistant coach can hold a Level 3 qualification for a Level 4 team, a tumble coach can hold a British Gymnastics qualification). This role allows coaches-in-training to gain experience with higher-level teams and lets specialists come in to support teams.
Assistant coaches will be asked during registration to provide a valid DBS check.
3. Junior coach
Any coach aged 12–16 assisting under the supervision of the Team Lead. Must hold a Junior coaching qualification: BGU, BCQ, UCC or Dance Leaders (dance only). Junior coaches are only permitted to accompany teams up to Level 2 — a junior coach may not assist a Level 3 or above team into warm-up, even under supervision.
Accepted cheer qualifications
Cheer Level 1
- BGU Level 1 & 2
- BCQ Level 1–3
- United Cheer Credentials Level 1 & 2
- UKCA Foundations Tumbling Skills + UKCA Foundations Stunt Skills (must have both)
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Novice + previous qualification*
Cheer Level 2
- BGU Level 1 & 2
- BCQ Level 1–3
- United Cheer Credentials Level 1 & 2
- UKCA Foundations Tumbling Skills + UKCA Foundations Stunt Skills (must have both)
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Novice + previous qualification*
Cheer Level 3
- BGU Level 3
- BCQ Level 1–3
- United Cheer Credentials Level 3–5
- UKCA Advanced Cheerleading Skills + UKCA Intermediate Stunt Skills (must have both)
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Median + previous qualification*
Cheer Level 4
- BGU Level 4-5-6
- United Cheer Credentials Level 3–5
- UKCA Advanced Cheerleading Skills + UKCA Intermediate Stunt Skills (must have both)
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Advanced + previous qualification*
Cheer Level 5
- BGU Level 4-5-6
- United Cheer Credentials Level 3–5
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Elite + previous qualification*
Cheer Level 6
- BGU Level 4-5-6
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Elite + previous qualification*
Cheer Level 7
- BGU Level 7
- ICU Black (Coaching Skill Credentials) for minimum Premier + previous qualification*
Tiny Novice divisions
- Any accepted qualification for Level 1
- BGU Foundations
* ICU qualifications are ONLY accepted as a renewal on a previous non-ICU coaching qualification from this list.
Accepted dance qualifications
- BGU Pom & Jazz
- BGU Hip Hop
- ICU Black Pom + previous qualification**
- ICU Black Hip Hop + previous qualification**
- ICU Black Jazz + previous qualification**
- ICU Black High Kick + previous qualification**
- IDTA Diploma
** ICU qualifications are ONLY accepted as a renewal on a previous non-ICU coaching qualification.
Junior & Assistant coaches
Junior coaches
- BGU 12-16
- BGU 12-16 Hip Hop
- BGU 12-16 Pom & Jazz
- BGU Foundations
- BCQ 12–15
- United Cheer Credentials Assistant Coaches Course for Junior Coaches
- Sports Leaders Dance Leadership Qualification
Assistant coaches
If a team registers for an event with cheer teams / stunt groups and has at least one coach with an accepted cheer qualification, we also allow additional coaches to have a warm-up pass if they hold a British Gymnastics qualification in one of the following disciplines:
- Men's / Women's Artistic Gymnastics
- Acrobatic Gymnastics
- Tumbling
- TeamGym
Rhythmic Gymnastics and Trampolining qualifications will not be accepted.
Renewals and unaccepted qualifications
Renewals
The following certifications will be accepted as a valid renewal on an existing accepted qualification. Proof of the existing (expired) qualification must be provided alongside the renewal, and the renewal must be completed within 3 months of the existing qualification's expiration date.
- BCA CheerCRED all levels
- BGU Renewal
- United Cheer Credentials
Not accepted
The following certifications are not accepted as valid qualifications or renewals:
- Legacy TCI CheerLEAD Level 1 & 2
If your qualification was completed at Level 5 before the Level 5–6 split, please contact your qualification provider to check whether it can be updated to reflect these changes.
If the qualification you hold does not have an expiry date and it was taken over 3 years ago, we strongly recommend renewing it. If your qualification does not have an expiry date and is more than 6 years old, we require you to renew it with one of the providers listed above. This is in recognition of the changing nature of the sport and to ensure safe coaching and continued professional development.