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UK Institutional Accreditation
Private institutions in the UK offering year-round programmes at the level of further and higher education should apply for our standard institutional accreditation. Accreditation is granted for a period of four years after a successful inspection and decision by the Accreditation Committee. The college will for this time enjoy promotion via the Education UK brand, be eligible for membership of the Education UK Partnerships, and be authorised by the Home Office to recruit international students onto their courses.
New applicants for accreditation will follow a three-stage process, which allows both for a thorough assessment of applicant colleges prior to full accreditation and for an initial period in which new colleges may address any outstanding requirements by BAC while proceeding with the international recruitment needed to grow their business.
Click here for details of the three-stage process.
Gaining accreditation is not the end of the process. BAC is required to monitor that the standards observed during the inspection are at least maintained. There are several ways in which this is done on a regular basis, including the submission of an annual return, an interim visit by senior BAC staff, and the judicious use of unannounced spotcheck visits to the institution. Furthermore, any complaints made by students of the college are investigated rigorously, primarily with a view to mediating between the parties, although fair treatment of student complaints is an important condition of accreditation.
Colleges who wish to remain in accreditation are required to undergo reinspection before the end of the period of accreditation. If the Accreditation Committee agrees that the standards of provision are being upheld, continuing accreditation will be awarded for a further four years.
Click here for details on maintaining accreditation.
UK colleges may also wish to be considered for one of the following specialised accreditations:
- Non-collegiate accreditation
for specific courses without year-round students
(n.b. non-collegiate accreditation is not suitable for enrolling international students)
- Higher Education accreditation
accreditation as an independent Higher Education Institution, determined by a distinct set of criteria
