ESA Diploma

The ESA Diploma is the world’s leading qualification in sponsorship and sports marketing. This part-time, web-based course is designed for professionals looking to enhance their expertise and advance their careers in the sports, arts, and entertainment industries. Running annually from January to September, the Diploma offers a flexible learning experience with real-world case studies and industry insights.

Next course starts January 2026

A part-time, web-based training course

Grow your sponsorship knowledge and fast-track your career.

The ESA Diploma is widely regarded as the world’s leading and most essential training qualification for anyone wishing to progress to senior roles in the sponsorship industry or any facet of sports, arts, or entertainment marketing. Designed for practitioners of all levels, a flexible digital platform enables students to study on a part-time basis throughout the course.

The Diploma runs annually from January until September and, since its inception in 2012, has qualified almost 800 candidates who have successfully achieved the nomenclature of Dip ESA. The 2025 ESA Diploma enrolment window has now closed, and the 2026 course will launch this Summer.

For a broader view of what the ESA Diploma entails, watch the introductory video above, in which Course Director Peter Raymond explains the benefits of the Diploma, how it is structured, and what it takes to be successful.

The ESA Diploma is refined and updated annually, taking into account feedback received from students of the previous course. It genuinely provides a 360-degree view of the industry in action, outlining numerous best-practice guidelines and highlighting many case studies featuring highly effective marketplace partnerships as examples.

ESA Diploma Scholarship

To reinforce ESA’s commitment to a diverse and progressive workforce in our industry, the ESA Diploma Scholarship offers free tuition to successful candidates who meet the criteria. ESA is committed to creating an inclusive sponsorship community and welcomes applications for the ESA Diploma Scholarship.

The 2025 ESA Diploma Scholarship window has now closed, and applications for 2026 will open in Summer.

Click Learn more to find out more about the course and how to apply on the European Sponsorship Association website.