We do not list all accreditation claims made by course providers.
We only list accreditation in the areas of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL, TEFL or TESL); teacher training; online education, or a closely related field.
We only list the claims that we can verify through a government agency.
Accreditation agencies we list:
- Professional bodies operating as private organizations which, at minimum:
- are listed in a government directory of registered businesses or charities, and
- provide a list of the courses or course providers that they have accredited on a publicly accessible page on their website.
- Government bodies which oversee accreditation.
- Accreditors which are recognized by government bodies such as by Ofqual in the UK or the US Department of Education.
- Accreditors which are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a non-governmental national body in the US.
Legitimate claims that we cannot verify (and therefore do not list) include, for example, a licence granted by the Ministry of Education in a country whose language we don’t speak.
You can read more about accreditation in the TCR Blog.
Accrediting Organizations
Accreditor | Full Name | Country | Accreditor's Membership Directory | Regulation | Government Directory |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACCET | Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training | USA | ACCET Member Institution Directory | ACCET is recognized by the US Department of Education. | USDE List of Institutional Accrediting Agencies |
ACTDEC | Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses | UK | ACTDEC Members | ACTDEC is a UK registered private limited company. | UK Companies House Register |
BAC | British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education | UK | BAC Directory | BAC is a UK registered charity. | UK Charity Commission Register |
British Council | UK | British Council Accredited Centres | The British Council is a UK registered charity and non-departmental public body. | UK Charity Commission Register | |
Cambridge Assessment English | A division of Cambridge Assessment / University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). | UK | Cambridge Teaching Centres | Cambridge Assessment is a UK awarding organisation recognized by Ofqual. | Ofqual Register |
DEAC | Distance Education Accrediting Commission | USA | DEAC Approved Providers | DEAC is an American national career-related accrediting organization recognized by CHEA and by the US Department of Education. | USDE List of Institutional Accrediting Agencies CHEA Directory of Accreditors |
IATQuO | International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying Organisations | UK | IATQUO Accredited Centres | IATQuO is a UK registered private limited company. | UK Companies House Register |
ODLQC | Open & Distance Learning Quality Council | UK | ODLQC Accredited Providers | ODLQC is a UK registered charity. | UK Charity Commission Register |
Qualifi | Qualifi Ltd | UK | Qualifi Qualifications | Qualifi is a UK awarding organisation recognized by Ofqual. | Ofqual Register |
SQA | Scottish Qualifications Authority | UK | SQA's TESOL page does not list accredited centres. Contact SQA directly. | SQA is sponsored by the Scottish Government’s Learning Directorate and recognized by Ofqual. | Ofqual Register |
TESL Canada | TESL Canadian Educational Foundation | Canada | TESL Canada Recognized Programs | The TESL Canadian Educational Foundation is a charity registered in Canada. | Canada Revenue Agency's List of Charities |
TQUK | Training Qualifications UK Ltd | UK | TQUK Approved Training Centres | TQUK is a UK awarding organisation recognized by Ofqual. | Ofqual Register |
Trinity College London | UK | Trinity-Validated Course Providers | Trinity College London is a UK awarding organisation recognized by Ofqual. | Ofqual Register |