Most courses are not turned down for being poor. They are turned down because the evidence is missing: outcomes nobody can check, an assessment that tests something else, hours that were guessed, records that stop after enrolment. This check asks about exactly those things, so you can see where one course stands before you pay anyone, us included.
The check
Ten questions about one course
What the check looks at
The first question only tells us which route you are aiming for. The other nine cover the things CPD bodies, awarding organisations and MFHEA all ask about in one form or another. Each answer scores 0, 1 or 2, and the total is turned into a score out of 100.
| Area | What the check asks | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Learning outcomes | What a learner can do by the end, in words an assessor can check. | Guide |
| Assessment | Whether the assessment tests the outcomes, with marking criteria. | Guide |
| Learning time | Real learning hours, which a CPD body and a regulator both check. | Guide |
| Trainers and assessors | Proof that the people delivering are qualified and current. | Guide |
| Learner records | One record per learner, from enrolment to certificate. | Guide |
| Internal checks | A second person sampling assessment decisions. | Guide |
| Complaints and appeals | A published process learners can use. | Guide |
| Currency | Content reviewed against current rules, with a dated record. | Guide |
The first scored question asks whether the course exists at all. If it does not, there is nothing yet for a body to assess, so the check points you to Course Development whatever else you answer.
How to read your score
Ready to apply
The evidence is mostly there. What is left is the submission and a careful check of the detail before an assessor sees it.
Close the gaps first
A body would find gaps. Fixing them now is cheaper than a refusal and a second application.
Build the evidence first
The course needs work before it goes anywhere near a body. Start with the gaps the check names, or ask us to build that part.
A score is a guide to readiness. It is not a prediction of any decision, and only the body you apply to can approve a course.
What happens after the check
If you want a second opinion, send us the course. The free course diagnostic gives you a short written note on what it needs and which package fits, within a few working days of our first call. If you are still choosing a route, the route finder narrows six routes down to one or two, and the glossary explains the terms you will meet on the way.
Prices for every package are on the packages page, in euro, pounds sterling or US dollars.
Common questions
Is the readiness check free?
Yes. It costs nothing and you do not need to give us your details to see the result. If you want us to look at the course properly, the course diagnostic is free too.
Does a high score mean my course will be approved?
No. The decision belongs to the CPD body, the awarding organisation or MFHEA, never to us, and nobody can promise it. A high score means your course has the evidence those bodies usually look for, so a submission starts from a stronger place.
Do you keep my answers?
No. The check runs in your browser and nothing is sent to us. If you choose to email your result or book a call, we see only what you send.
Which accreditation route will I need?
That depends on where your learners are and what the course has to prove to them. The route finder asks four questions and points you to one of six routes.
Can I check more than one course?
Yes. Run the check once per course. Where you have several, the answers usually differ, and the scoping call is a good place to compare them.
What if my course is not built yet?
Then the check points you to Course Development. We can plan the course with a blueprint first, so it is built to the standard a body expects from the start.
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 about the course you want certified.
Send a short note on what you are trying to get recognised, who it is for and any deadline. We will come back with the route, the standards that apply and what the work involves.
Prefer to write instead?
Send an enquiry
Takes about a minute. It reaches us directly.
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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.