Apply to become an accredited centre

You can self-evaluate your organisation against the inspection criteria. Use this template to see whether your centre meets the requirements and refer to the self-evaluation examples

Self evaluation template 2024-27 (Word 103KB)

Self evaluation examples (PDF 605KB)

Download and complete the forms and submit your application and supporting documents via email to accreditation.unit@britishcouncil.org. See Inspection documentation and guidance (PDF 765MB)

1. Relevant application form - private sector (Word 269KB), state sector (Word 240KB) or home tuition providers (Word 175KB)

2. First application checklist (Word 84KB).

3. People to be seen form (Word 73KB)

The table below shows the application deadlines for certain inspection months.

Until further notice, any applications for inspection and supporting documentation should be submitted by email to accreditation.unit@britishcouncil.org

Please keep a copy of your application as a reference and backup.

If you have already had a first inspection and have been advised to apply for a supplementary inspection, you will need a Supplementary inspection application form(Word 81KB).

Where centres have 'Points to be addressed' on an inspection report, an appropriate Action plan (Word 56KB), will be submitted in preparation for the next inspection. This plan will include a timeframe and will form part of the next inspection. 

We will inform you when your application has been checked and is in order. We will then pass it on to the Inspections Coordinator to arrange your inspection. You must then send further documentation, view Inspection documentation and guidance (PDF 765KB)

Template forms are provided for some of these items:

• Academic staff profile spreadsheet (Excel 123KB)

• List of staff template (Excel 51KB)

• Organisation profile (Word 39KB)

• Organisation profile for multi centre (Word 117KB)

• Organisation plan template (Word 19KB)

For inspection, language centres need to document how their recruitment and support policy provides an academic staff team appropriate to the centre’s courses and students (see criterion T1).

A Recruitment and support policy template (Word 42KB) 

If you need to check the qualifications of academic staff you can use the guidance and form below

Academic staff qualifications (PDF 498KB)

Qualifications evaluation form (Word 42KB)

A Rationale for academic management template (Word 55KB) should be used to document the academic management arrangements in the rare event that no academic managers fully meet scheme requirements.