Accreditation cost depends on three things: the route you choose, how many programmes you accredit, and how much readiness work your provision needs before it can be assessed. The regulator's own fee is often the smaller part; the larger cost is usually the readiness work, getting outcomes, assessment, quality assurance and records into a state that will pass. Fees vary and change, so check the regulator's or registry's current schedule rather than a figure you read once.
The route decides the baseline
The route you choose sets the baseline cost. CPD certification is the lightest, because it recognises structured, current professional development without a framework level. A regulated qualification is the heaviest, because it means meeting a regulator's full requirements and, in some cases, becoming or partnering with an awarding organisation.
A Malta programme accreditation with the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) sits in between, and has two parts that meet: a provider licence to operate, and programme accreditation that pegs a programme to an MQF level. A new entity has to apply for both at once, so budget for the two together.
Readiness is usually the real cost
For most providers the real cost is readiness, not the regulator's fee. Readiness means getting your learning outcomes, assessment, quality assurance and records into a state that will pass, and if that work is not already done it is where the time and money go.
A provider with clean systems pays far less than one starting from scattered documents, even on the same route for the same number of programmes. A price list cannot show this, because it depends entirely on where your provision starts.
Malta-specific setup costs
If you accredit through Malta, there are setup costs before accreditation even starts, because you usually need a Malta company first. These are company-setup costs, not accreditation fees, and sit on top of anything MFHEA charges.
- A Malta private limited company: the Malta Business Registry sets a minimum authorised share capital of 1,165 euro (a company-setup cost, not an accreditation fee)
- A registered office in Malta and a company secretary
- MFHEA provider accreditation and programme accreditation, whose fees vary; check the current MFHEA schedule
For the fixed figures, use the Malta Business Registry and MFHEA pages directly, because published fees change and we will not quote a number that may be out of date by the time you read it.
Ongoing costs after you are accredited
Accreditation is not a one-off cost, because keeping it means maintenance, review and audit. You carry the ongoing work of running your quality assurance, reviewing programmes on a cadence, and meeting the external checks your regulator or awarding organisation makes.
Budget for the year after accreditation, not just the day you achieve it. Providers who plan only for the application often feel the ongoing cost as a surprise.
How to budget realistically
Budget realistically by separating the fixed fees from the readiness work, and be honest about how much readiness work you actually need. Get the regulator's or registry's current fee schedule for the fixed part, then scope the readiness part against the real state of your outcomes, assessment and records.
The gap between a tidy provider and a messy one is almost entirely in that second part. Our accreditation services page explains the routes so you can see which fixed costs apply to you before scoping the rest.
Why one figure never fits every provider
There is no single accreditation cost because no two providers arrive in the same state. Two providers on the same route, accrediting the same number of programmes, can pay very different totals depending on how much readiness work each needs.
That is why a credible answer starts with a look at your provision, not a price list. When someone quotes a flat accreditation price sight unseen, they are guessing at the part that moves the total.
Common questions
How much does Ofqual recognition cost?
Ofqual recognition fees are set by the regulator and can change, so check the current schedule on GOV.UK rather than a figure quoted second hand. For most providers the fee is not the largest cost anyway; the readiness work of meeting Ofqual's requirements usually is. We scope that readiness work against your actual provision before giving any total.
How much is MFHEA accreditation?
MFHEA fees vary and change, so the reliable source is the MFHEA site itself. Remember the Malta route has two parts, a provider side and a programme side, and a new entity applies for both, so budget for the pair. On top of the MFHEA fees sit the separate costs of running a Malta company.
Is CPD cheaper than a regulated qualification?
Generally yes. CPD certification is the lightest route because it recognises structured professional development without a framework level, so it carries less build and maintenance work than a regulated qualification. That makes it cheaper to reach and to hold, but it also carries a smaller claim, so choose it because it fits what you need to prove, not only because it costs less.
What is the minimum share capital for a Malta company?
The Malta Business Registry sets a minimum authorised share capital of 1,165 euro for a private limited liability company. That is a company-setup cost, not an accreditation fee, and it sits alongside the need for a registered office in Malta and a company secretary. A proportion of the capital is paid up on incorporation, and a corporate service provider will confirm the current percentage.
Can Apollo give us a fixed quote?
We can give you a firm scope once we have seen your provision, because the readiness work moves the total and depends on where you start. We use the regulator's and registry's current fee schedules for the fixed part and quote the readiness part against your actual outcomes, assessment and records. Book a scoping call and we will map both to your case.
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.
Book a 30 minute scoping callPrefer to write first? Contact us.