We work with six routes. Short professional courses usually go for CPD certification, which gives hours but no framework level. A regulated qualification in the UK goes through the regulator for the nation you sell in: Ofqual for England, Qualifications Wales, CCEA Regulation for Northern Ireland, Qualifications Scotland. If you want a level that EU employers can read, that is MFHEA accreditation in Malta, which maps to the EQF. Where your learners are, and what the course has to prove to them, decides which.
Route finder
Find your route in four questions
Tell us where your learners are and what the course has to prove to them. The finder points you to one of the six routes below, the guide that explains it, and the package we would start with.
The six routes side by side
| Route | Body | Primary jurisdiction | Best suited to | Framework reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPD Certification | Independent CPD certification bodies. We prepare the course and manage the application through our CPD Certification service | UK and international | Short courses and professional learning counted towards CPD hours | CPD hours, points and certification |
| Ofqual-regulated qualifications | Ofqual, through recognised awarding organisations | England | Regulated qualifications delivered or awarded in England | Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) |
| Qualifications Wales approved and designated qualifications | Qualifications Wales, through recognised awarding bodies | Wales | Qualifications approved or designated for public funding in Wales, and providers delivering to Welsh learners | Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) |
| CCEA-regulated qualifications | CCEA Regulation, the regulatory arm of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment | Northern Ireland | Regulated qualifications offered in Northern Ireland, including cross-border provision with England | Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) |
| Accredited qualifications in Scotland | Qualifications Scotland Accreditation, which replaced SQA Accreditation on 1 February 2026 | Scotland | Qualifications other than university degrees accredited for use in Scotland, including SVQs, and programmes needing an SCQF credit rating | Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) |
| MFHEA accreditation | Malta Further and Higher Education Authority | Malta (EU) | Colleges and providers offering accredited, award-bearing programmes in Malta, and UK providers seeking an EU-recognised route after Brexit | Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF), referenced to the EQF |
The UK has four regulators, not one
The United Kingdom has four qualifications regulators, not one. A qualification regulated in England is not automatically regulated in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, and the frameworks differ. We confirm the current standards and criteria with the relevant authority before we start any submission, and we tell you where a single qualification can be recognised in more than one nation and where it cannot. We also work with other national frameworks and awarding bodies on request.
Each route in more detail
England: Ofqual
Ofqual regulates, it does not award. The two routes for a provider, and why England is not the whole UK.
02Wales: Qualifications Wales
Qualifications Wales and the CQFW. The approval and recognition routes, and what a provider needs to get right.
03Northern Ireland: CCEA Regulation
CCEA Regulation and the RQF. Where Northern Ireland overlaps with England, and where it is a decision of its own.
04Scotland: Qualifications Scotland
Qualifications Scotland Accreditation, which replaced SQA on 1 February 2026, and the SCQF. Why Scotland is separate.
05Malta and the EU: MFHEA
Provider licensing and programme accreditation, the MQF referenced to the EQF, the timeline, and why UK providers use it.
06CPD certification
Short courses, webinars and eLearning certified by an independent CPD body. No framework level, but often all a buyer needs.
How to choose a route
Start with two questions. Where are the people who will take the course, and what does it have to prove to them? If they need CPD hours for a professional body, a CPD route is usually enough. If an employer, a funder or a regulator needs a level, you need a regulated route in the nation where they are, or MFHEA if they are in the EU.
Plenty of providers end up with two routes, for example a UK qualification and an MFHEA-accredited version for EU learners. Our article on choosing between Ofqual, CPD and MFHEA walks through the decision, and Qualifications Accreditation covers how we run the submission.
Common questions
If a qualification is regulated in England, is it recognised across the whole UK?
Not automatically. Regulation is national. A qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework covers England and, where the awarding organisation is recognised by CCEA Regulation, Northern Ireland. Wales and Scotland run separate frameworks and separate approval routes.
Who regulates qualifications in Scotland?
Qualifications Scotland Accreditation, which replaced SQA Accreditation on 1 February 2026. It uses the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
Does Apollo Accreditation award qualifications?
No. We are a consultancy, not a regulator or an awarding organisation. We prepare the programme and manage the submission, and the decision rests with the body.
Can one course use more than one route?
Often, yes. A course can be CPD certified now and built so it can become a regulated qualification later, or carry a UK and a Malta route at the same time. Our article on dual UK and Malta accreditation covers when that is worth paying for.
FreeCourse diagnostic
Send us one course. We'll tell you what it needs, free.
Share one course or programme you already run, or the slides and notes behind it. After a short first call, we review it at no charge and send you a written note on what it needs and which package fits, within a few working days.
- One course or programme, reviewed by a named person
- A written note on what it needs
- The package that fits, so you know where to start
- No charge and no obligation
Get in touch
Tell us what you want recognised.
Drop us a few lines: what you want to build or get recognised, who it is for, and when you need it. We will reply with the route, the standards that apply and what the job involves.
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Last reviewed 20 October 2026. Apollo Accreditation is a consultancy. It is not a regulator, an awarding organisation or a CPD certification body, and it does not award qualifications itself.