Communty Bathmasters Qualification Test / Norway

Date: 2026-09-27, 16:00
Organizer : Lithuanian Bath Academy

Qualification Milestone: First Community Bathmasters Certified in Norway

The Community Bathmaster Qualification Test is the final practical assessment of the International Bath Academy Community Bathmaster learning path. It gives candidates the opportunity to demonstrate safe, coherent and client-centred work in real Lithuanian pirtis (steam bath) conditions.

The final assessment will take place at a private sauna in the Holmestrand. To ensure the highest standards, the examination will be overseen by two senior lecturers from the International Bath Academy (IBA). This qualification will be confirmed using the traditional community sauna examination methodology, which balances practical skill with theoretical knowledge. With this successful event, the International Bath Academy (IBA) is proud to announce the certification of a devoted study group in Norway, marking a new chapter for the Lithuanian sauna tradition in the region.

What happens during the test

After a shared warm-up and briefing, each candidate has 30 minutes for their practical performance. The candidate demonstrates a complete classical whisking procedure of up to 15 minutes, covering both the back and front of the recipient's body, followed by a body scrub using one massage mixture.

Two International Bath Academy assessors and the candidate group observe the performance. Fellow candidates also take turns as procedure recipients and contribute one collective peer assessment. Read the complete qualification test procedure, assessment criteria and scoring rules.

Practical information

• Date and time: Sunday, 27 September 2026, 16:00–21:00. Please arrive by 15:30.
• Venue: Fjordveien 19b, Holmestrand, Norway.
• Language: English.
• Capacity: up to 5 candidates.
• Materials and equipment: provided. Candidates may also bring their own suitable materials or tools.

Fee and registration

Registration through Bath.academy is restricted to eligible International Bath Academy Community Bathmaster candidates. Before registering, please read the cancellations and refunds policy.

The Examination Standard (Methodology)

To maintain transparency and professional excellence, every IBA student undergoes a rigorous practical test:

• Preparation & Performance: Each student is allotted 30 minutes to prepare their workspace and demonstrate mastery in Classic Whisking (Vanojimas) and Body Scrubbing.
• Peer & Expert Review: The performance is evaluated by both lecturers and fellow students using a standardized assessment sheet. This communal evaluation fosters a safe and transparent environment for experience exchange.
• Grading System: Participants are graded on a 6-point scale.
• The Requirement: To pass, a student must achieve an overall average of at least 3.5 points.
• Minimum Threshold: Individual scores for whisking and scrubbing must not fall below 3.0 points.

Objectives of the Qualification

The IBA certification is not just a document; it is a testament to:

• Verified Skillset: Ensuring students possess real-world working skills.
• Safety & Trust: Building a safe and friendly environment for professional practice.
• Individual Excellence: Developing personal skills for working with sauna clients.
• Professional Growth: Elevating the qualification of traditional practitioners to modern professional standards.
• Path to Full Certification (Theory & Practice)

The International Bath Academy Community Bathmaster Qualification Certificate (BMQ) is issued only after the candidate has passed the practical assessment and completed all required theory modules.

We understand the dedication required to master these skills; therefore, students are permitted to take the practical examination even if some theoretical credits are still pending. However, to finalize the certification, all remaining theoretical assignments and questionnaires must be successfully completed within 90 days of passing the practical exam.

Theme covered

• Community bathmaster`s qualification

  After completing the  Course, the student also completes an important phase of the Bathhouse Master's Course and is sufficiently qualified to be the Bathhouse Owner of his/her family. He is entitled to receive the corresponding certificate after a test of his knowledge and practical skills.

  The basic skills of a family sauna bath attendant are body bathing and scrubbing in the sauna. The ability to do this shall be demonstrated and validated in a real hot sauna. The student's ability to perform the sauna procedures correctly is assessed by at least 2 professional IBA sauna practitioners with experience of teaching in the IBA programme. The assessments are made in the traditional sauna 6-point system by averaging the grades of different assessors.

  There is a fee for the assessment. Assessment of the credit - pass or fail.

Birutė Masiliauskienė and Rimas Kavaliauskas