The build itself takes weeks to a few months, depending on scope, and accreditation adds its own timeline on top. In Malta an MFHEA provider licence typically takes about six to twelve months, so run the build and the accreditation in parallel wherever you can rather than one after the other. A short CPD course can be ready far sooner, because it does not go through a regulator at all.
How long does it take, in one answer
Plan on weeks to a few months for the build, plus a separate accreditation timeline that depends on the route. These are different clocks: the build is work you control, and accreditation runs on a schedule you do not.
In Malta, an MFHEA provider licence typically takes about six to twelve months depending on submission quality and complexity, so a new entity should start that clock early and build alongside it. In England, becoming an Ofqual recognised awarding organisation is its own process. CPD certification is the quickest route because it is voluntary recognition, not a regulated qualification.
Stage one, scoping and outcomes
Scoping and writing the learning outcomes usually takes one to a few weeks, and it decides how smoothly everything after it runs. This is where you fix the level, the outcomes, the assessment approach and the recognition route, before anyone writes content.
For an accredited course the outcomes have to be written so an assessor can test them and a regulator can read the level. Decide the recognition route here too, because a regulated qualification and a CPD course are designed differently. Our course development service starts here.
Stage two, content and assessment build
The content and assessment build is the longest stage, usually several weeks to a couple of months for a full course. This is writing the materials, building the assessments and marking criteria together, and producing the learner and assessor documentation.
Build the assessment at the same time as the content, not after it, because a course where the assessment is bolted on at the end almost always needs reworking to test the outcomes.
Stage three, internal quality checks
Internal quality checks add a week or two, and skipping them is a false economy. This is where you verify that the outcomes, the assessment and the records line up before the course goes near a regulator or a first cohort.
If you are heading for MFHEA, the internal quality assurance policy has to cover the eleven national standards, so check your course sits inside that system.
Stage four, accreditation submission
The accreditation submission is where the external clock takes over, and it varies by route. In Malta a new entity applies for provider accreditation and programme accreditation at the same time, and the provider licence typically takes about six to twelve months. In England, Ofqual recognition is a separate track, and a Malta-accredited qualification carries an MQF level referenced to the EQF across the EU.
CPD certification is faster because it is voluntary, non-regulated recognition of structured, current training with a stated number of CPD hours, provided by a certification service rather than a regulator. Our accreditation services page sets out the routes.
What makes it faster or slower
Submission quality is the biggest lever on the accreditation timeline. A clean, complete, internally checked submission moves faster than one a regulator has to keep querying, so the work in the earlier stages directly shortens this one.
One Malta detail worth planning around: an MFHEA application becomes void if you do not respond within three months of a query, so named ownership of the application is a scheduling issue as much as a quality one.
A realistic planning view
Here is a realistic view of the stages against typical spans, with the build as work you control and the accreditation span as the external route on top.
| Stage | Typical span |
|---|---|
| Scoping and outcomes | About one to a few weeks |
| Content and assessment build | Several weeks to about two months |
| Internal quality checks | About one to two weeks |
| MFHEA provider licence (Malta, new entity) | About six to twelve months |
| CPD certification | The quickest route, no regulator involved |
The build is measured in weeks to months and the Malta provider route in months, so start the accreditation clock early and build alongside it.
Common questions
How long does course development take?
The build itself takes weeks to a few months, depending on the size of the course and how much assessment it carries. Scoping and outcomes take a week or two, the content and assessment build is the longest stage, and internal quality checks add a little more.
How long does MFHEA provider licensing take?
An MFHEA provider licence in Malta typically takes about six to twelve months, depending on submission quality and complexity. A new entity applying for programme accreditation must also apply for provider accreditation at the same time. The application becomes void if you do not respond within three months of a query.
Is CPD faster than a regulated qualification?
Yes. CPD certification is voluntary, non-regulated recognition that training is structured and current and delivers a stated number of CPD hours, so it does not go through a regulator, which makes it the quickest route to market. It does not carry an RQF, SCQF or MQF level by itself, so it is not a substitute for a regulated qualification.
Can the build and accreditation run in parallel?
Often yes, and it usually should. The build is work you control and accreditation runs on an external schedule, so starting the route early and building alongside it is faster than doing one then the other. In Malta a new entity applies for provider and programme accreditation together, which fits this approach.
What delays accreditation most?
Submission quality delays accreditation most. A submission a regulator has to keep querying moves slower than a clean, complete one, so the internal quality work directly shortens the timeline. In Malta, missing the three-month window to respond to a query is a specific risk, because the application becomes void.
Planning a programme, an accreditation route or a quality system?
Book a 30 minute scoping call. We will map the route, the standards that apply and a realistic timeline. No preparation needed.
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