Our framework and our quality assurance service provider (QASP) handbook provides a detailed explanation of the approval process and the evidence that you (and your practice learning partners) will need to provide to demonstrate that you meet our standards.
Submit your proposal
When you think your programme is ready for approval, you should create an account in QA Link and submit an approval request for your desired programme. Before you can submit your request you will need to provide the following details:
- Confirmation that you are the official correspondent for, or hold a position of equivalent responsibility within the education institution you represent that enables you to enter information on their behalf.
- Confirmation that you have at least one of the following awarding powers – Foundation degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or Doctorate.
- Confirmation that you have arrangements in place with practice learning partners to support any programmes you wish to have approved to run, and that these are sufficient for the number of students you indent to induct onto those courses.
Once you have created your account, you will need to start your request where you will answer our initial proposal questions, setting out:
- the rationale for the proposal and intended programme delivery
- confirmation of the appropriate qualification awarding power
- evidence of resources in place to support the proposal
- details of wider support.
The answers to these questions will enable us to decide whether or not you’re ready to commence the gateway process.
You should request approval to run a programme at least 12 months before you expect your first cohort of students.
What happens next
Once we’ve received your request, we’ll carry out some preliminary checks and then share the information with our QASP. This can take up to 20 working days, but we’ll let you know when we’ve done this.
Our QASP will then carry out the next steps of the approval process as set out in the QA handbook, which includes requesting and considering evidence and scheduling an approval visit.
After your approval visit, the QASP will write a report to let us know if they recommend that our standards have been met or not.
We’ll then conduct our internal checks and will inform you of our approval decision outcome in the QA Link within 20 working days of receiving their report.
During the approval process, we may identify conditions that will need to be met before our approval can be given.
Once we’ve approved you to run a programme, you’ll become an approved education institution (AEI).
Find out more about seeking approval for subsequent programmes.
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Modify an existing education programme
ShowAn approved education institution (AEI) might need to request a programme modification for things like the introduction of flexible routes including nursing degree apprenticeships in England.
Modify an existing education programme Major modification approval reports -
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Programme endorsement
ShowThere are two types of programme endorsement which an Approved Education Institution (AEI) can propose.
Programme endorsement -
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How we monitor approved education institutions
ShowWe monitor approved education institutions (AEIs) and their practice learning partners to make sure that they continue to meet our standards.
We take a data-driven approach, which means we focus on aspects of education and training differently in the areas where greater risk lies. We have a process for identifying information about risks that we receive and we work closely with other professional and system regulators to identify risks early, rather than waiting for a serious risk or event to occur.
New programme monitoring Annual self-reporting -
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How we deal with concerns
ShowIf we identify that an AEI isn’t meeting our standards, we will work with them to make the necessary improvements, so the standards are met and students receive appropriate education and training.
How we deal with concerns If you have a concern about an education programme
