Course accreditation: what does it all cost?
The overall costs of course accreditation are split into two parts, initial accreditation fees and post accreditation fees.
1. Institutional Membership
Applying for Institutional Membership is the first step towards course accreditation. Institutional membership costs depend on the size of your organisation and the membership base.
These fees are annual (paid every year). The rate depends on the size and nature of the organisation as detailed below.
The rate depends on the size and nature of the organisation and if the organisation is a Membership Organisations or a Non-Membership organisation. Apply for Institutional Membership.
Membership organisations | ||
Organisation size | Number of members | Cost |
Small | 0 - 499 | £92 |
Medium | 500 – 1999 | £184 |
Large | > 2000 | £368 |
Non - Membership organisations (do not offer membership services) | ||
Organisation size | Number of members | Cost |
Small | 0 - 3 | £54 |
Medium | 4 - 20 | £92 |
Large | > 20 | £184 |
2. Course accreditation fees
Submitting your course to the Awards Officer complete with the Course Accreditation Application Form and the additional relevant documents for assessment is the next step to course accreditation.
Course accreditation fees are due every three years and allow a Centre to submit any amount of courses during those three years at no extra charge. It is important to note that this is currently under review.
The costs of accreditation fees vary depend on where the institutions are based and are divided between the United Kingdom and overseas based and also the level of the course.
If you submit a course at COES or DOES level without applying for the allocation of HE credit the rates for the UK is £361 and the Non-UK rate £420.
The rates for all other courses including the allocation of HE Credit for the UK is £479 and the Non-UK rate £540. This includes Advanced Certificate, Associateship, Advanced Diploma and Fellowship.
Course Type | UK | Non-UK |
COES | £361 | £420 |
DOES | £361 | £420 |
ACOES | £479 | £540 |
ACOT | £479 | £540 |
ADOES | £479 | £540 |
FCOT | £479 | £540 |
3. Individual membership fees
Members of staff, employees and consultants working for an organisation which is an Institutional Member of The College are expected to become individual members at a reduced rate.
Individual membership | Cheque | Direct Debit |
UK | £27 | £23 |
Non-UK | £32 | £28 |
Initially senior tutors must become individual members as part of the accreditation process and it is hoped that other members of staff will elect to become members in due course.
Apply for Individual Membership.
4. Candidate assessment and certification costs
Once your course is accredited and your candidates start enrolling, each candidate is expected to pay a fee for each course they take. Centres are expected to register the candidates and pay 50% of the assessment and certification cost known as the registration fee. The remainder of this fee is payable when the candidates completes the course known as the completion fee.
For each course a candidate enrols on there is an assessment and certification fee. This depends on the level of each course, if the course is TESOL or Generic and if the institution is UK or non-UK based. These fees are per candidate per course.
TESOL Courses | UK | Non-UK |
COES | £48.00 | £53.00 |
ACOES/ACOT | £98.00 | £102.50 |
ADOES | £104.00 | £108.00 |
FCOT | £225.00 | £230.00 |
Generic Courses | UK | Non-UK |
COES | £48.00 | £53.00 |
Subsequent COES | £40.00 | £45.00 |
DOES | £70.00 | £83.00 |
ACOES/ACOT | £98.00 | £102.50 |
ADOES | £104.00 | £108.00 |
5. Student membership fees
Any candidate registering on a course who is not already a Full or Associate Member of The College will be charged a fee of £5, granting Student Membership for up to a year after completion of the course, subject to an overall maximum of four years. This fee is in addition to all other fees.
Student Members will have access to online materials including the newsletter and journal as well as the opportunity to attend events held by The College. Participation in the student members’ forum on The College website will also offer them the opportunity to become more involved with education internationally by sharing their experiences.
Please note the fees listed are from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010. On average fees increase 2.5% however fees are expected to double by 2012 in some areas putting the fees in line with other HEI's.
