Cross Country Level 3 ISIA Qualification

One of the pre-requisites for the XC Level 3 ISIA course is 200 hrs Teaching Experience. These hours must be completed between successful completion of the XC Level 2 Instructor Qualification and commencement of the XC Level 3 ISIA course. It is strongly recommended that the majority of these hours are completed in an outdoor environment and that some or all of these hours relate to the XC discipline.

Please Note: The 200 logged, signed teaching hours (shadowing hours will not be accepted) must be on your Snowsport School headed paper or other official document and signed by the Snowsport School Manager or Director to demonstrate proof that you have completed this requirement. 

If all the signed teaching hours are not recieved at the BASI office TWO weeks prior to commencement of the course, then you will not be eligible to attend the course and there will be no refund.

The online course "BASI Theory and Coaching" is an ISIA requirement which includes:

- BASI History 
- UK Snowsports Industry and Tourism
- Ski Specific Coaching (Alpine Ski Racing)
- Snowboard Specific Coaching (Freestyle)
- General Coaching Theory (All Disciplines)

Click here to access the course

Course Price: £699

This is a 10 day training and assessment course delivered in a mountain environment. 

The following Technical aspects are covered: 

The aims of the courses are to increase the student’s technical competency and understanding of Cross-country skiing through the modules of Skating and Classic training. 

The following Teaching aspects are covered: 

By the end of the course, the student must demonstrate the knowledge, ability and understanding necessary to teach Cross-country skiing through the modules of Skating and Classic training in a variety of situations. 

Technical/Teaching/Re-assessment

Course Price: £499
This is a 5 day course delivered on-snow.

If a candidate is exempt from Teaching or Technical, they can book onto the Level 2/3 re-assessment course to be assessed in Technical or Teaching to complete the Level 3 qualification. 
If a candidate fails the re-assessment course twice, they must complete the whole Level 3 course again.
Re-assessments must be taken within 2 years of the date of the course failed, otherwise the candidate will be required to retake the whole level 3 course. 

When a L2/L3 Combined course is running, members can book the first week for a technical reassessment, and the second week for a teaching reassessment. Please contact the office directly to book this.

The ISIA minimum standards require a second discipline as part of the Level 3 ISIA Qualification. 

Successful completion of the Level 1 Instructor course in any of the BASI Disciplines is the minimum standard for this requirement.

Course Price: £529
This is a 5 day training and assessment course conducted in a mountain environment, with a one day online pre-requisite. 
The objective of the course is to train and assess instructors to lead parties off piste within the ski area boundary - beyond that is the realm of the ISTD or Mountain Guide. Terrain used will be non glaciated with no planned use of the rope, axe or crampons. For full equipment list click here

Practical instruction is given in:

• Equipment selection for off piste use
• Choice of route and leadership techniques
• Use of skins or snowshoes for short uphill sections
• Off piste technique
• Group management and emergency procedures
• Avalanche assessment
• Use of transceivers and navigation

Theory lectures are given on:

• Snow and avalanches
• Navigation
• Mountain weather
• Hypothermia
• Emergencies and responsibilities of a leader

The assessment may be continual through the week however if 2 groups are running together then there may be a swap of trainers for 2 more formal days of assessment at the end of the course. 

The Second Language test is an oral and aural test designed to assess your ability to communicate in any of the following languages; French, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian and Japanese.

The test can be done either over the phone or in person with a member of staff or a trainer. The assessor will be bilingual and/or have a degree in the chosen language to be tested.

If you are on a course and your trainer is one of the nominated language assessors you may do the test if he/she agrees during your course.

The assessment test usually lasts 10 – 15 minutes and there is a charge of £10 per test. Please Note: This amount will be charged regardless of the result.
If phoning the office the payment can be made with credit or debit card just before the arranged time of the test. If face to face with a trainer then you pay him/her direct.

The main topics that will be assessed are based around safety, getting to know your clients and teaching.

Within the safety element of the test (which has the most weighting) you should give as much information as you would expect to give in an emergency situation to the emergency services. 
This should include a minimum of:

• Where you are on the mountain
• How many people are involved
• What you suspect the injuries are and how they were incurred
• Give your understanding on the scale of gravity
• You should also be able to explain how and where you would contact the emergency services in the event that mobile phone networks were not available

The test will progress to your ability to relay information to any next of kin or contact persons within the resort. This leads on to getting to know a client, which is gaining information relating to understanding what sort of learner they are and creating a pleasant learning atmosphere with your client whatever their age. People are always ready to talk about themselves and their interests and hobbies so you should be able to ask about these and understand their use for your teaching.

The last part of the test will involve you giving instructions on how to use the fundamental elements to create the manoeuvres within the Central Theme. It will also require you to demonstrate your vocabulary relating to the equipment.

The above are just examples of the type of questions you might be asked.

BASI has developed a module to help give students an idea of what they can expect to be tested on during their second language test. Please note, this module is a help-guide to get students started with some of the vocabulary they’ll need to know. However, knowing these phrases alone will not be enough in order to gain a pass and they must be able to hold a conversation with the examiner.  To access this module click here  

Students are required to submit a research project, as part of the Ski Level 4 ISTD Qualification or the Snowboard, Telemark, XC and Adaptive Level 3 ISIA Qualification. 

It will be marked on the following areas: 

• Length (3,000 to 4,000 words)
• Bibliography
• Quality of print
• Grammar
• Presentation
• Layout
• Drawings/diagrams
• Research
• Accuracy
• Originality
• Personalisation
• Conclusion 

The subject matter for your project needs to relate to the Snowsport industry, but it also needs to be something that would be useful for your peers to read and should relate in some way to the profession of Snowsport teaching. 
If you are in any doubt about the acceptability of your chosen subject matter, please contact the office and we can advise you. 

Exceptional projects may be published in the BASI News. Please send your research project via email to [email protected] and it will be passed on to the correct department for marking. 

BASI reserves the right to reproduce any submitted projects for the purpose of publication, research, (copyright remains that of the author).

If possible, it is best to try to submit projects in the Summer rather than Winter.

Written projects submitted for the first time will be assessed free of charge.

The marking of re-submitted written projects will be charged as follows:

• Second attempt £30
• Subsequent attempts £30

Click Here for Project Conditions

Click here for the Written Project marking sheet

Written Project to be replaced with the  PDP 

The Written Project will be phased out of the Ski and Snowboard Level 4 and Level 3 (Adaptive, XC and Telemark). The module will be replaced with the Professional Development Portfolio (PDP). The PDP has been in development for several years, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh.  

The PDP is a record of your development as a snowsports teacher. Engaging with the PDP will help you be a more successful teacher. The aim of the PDP is to use your teaching practice to think about your role as a snowsports teacher, to think critically about your teaching practice and to use that thinking to demonstrate your learning and development.

The PDP will be officially launched in August 2022. 

The final date for Written Project submissions is 31st December 2022.  Therefore, any members who have started work on their written project will have until this date to submit to BASI for marking. If you have completed the Written Project, you will not be required to submit the PDP.