Before you apply
Two things are worth settling before you start, because they shape everything else.
What exactly is being accredited. Accreditation attaches to a specific activity. If you run a programme made up of separable sessions, decide whether you are applying for the programme as a whole or for individual sessions, because the assessment and the certificate wording differ.
How you evidence learning. Domain 3 of the Standards asks how you know a learner achieved each stated outcome. Attendance records alone do not answer that. Most applications that need rework need it here.
The application route
Eligibility check
You describe the activity and we confirm whether it is in scope and which route applies. This happens before any fee is payable, so an activity that cannot be accredited does not cost you anything.
Submission
You supply the activity documentation and the evidence listed below. Submissions are made through the provider portal so that everything sits in one place and you can see what is outstanding.
Assessment
An assessor reviews the submission against each domain of the Standards. Where something is unclear, they raise a written query rather than refusing the application, and you have the chance to answer it.
Decision
The assessor recommends accreditation, accreditation with conditions, or refusal. Recommendations are reviewed by a second assessor before the decision is issued.
Publication
An accreditation is published on the register with its reference and accreditation period, and the mark licence is issued.
Evidence checklist
| Evidence | Why it is asked for |
|---|---|
| Learning outcomes | Assessed against outcome 1.1. Written so a learner can tell whether they met them. |
| Programme or module outline | Shows the sequence, the time allocated, and where outcomes are addressed. |
| Deliverer competence | Evidence for outcome 2.1. Biographies alone are not usually sufficient. |
| Outcome to assessment mapping | Evidence for outcome 3.1. A simple table is enough. |
| Sample certificate | Checked against outcomes 3.2 and 4.3, including the wording and mark placement. |
| Learner information | The pre booking information required by outcomes 2.3 and 2.4. |
| Complaints route | Evidence for outcome 4.4. |
Decisions
There are three possible decisions.
- Accredited. The activity met every outcome. The accreditation period runs from the decision date.
- Accredited with conditions. The activity met the outcomes but something has to be corrected within a stated period, most often certificate wording or the outcome to assessment mapping. The register entry shows that conditions apply.
- Refused. One or more outcomes were not met and could not be met by clarification. The report states which outcomes and why, and you can reapply once the activity has changed.
Any decision can be appealed. See governance and appeals.
Start an application
The eligibility check is free and does not commit you to anything. See fees and timelines for what the later stages cost.