How ICEQC Certification Works

Certification against published requirements

ICEQC Certification is independent third-party certification of conformity with published ICEQC Education Quality Standards. It determines conformity within a confirmed certification scope; it is not a comparative rating, a general finding of excellence or an expert endorsement.

The standards, applicability rules, conformity criteria, evidence requirements, verification methods, remediation requirements and certification decision rules are published before an application is submitted. An applicant can identify which requirements apply, what evidence is required, how conformity is established and what must be completed when a nonconformity is recorded.

Method at a glance

Published certification basis

The certification basis is the complete set of published documents and public controls that applies to the confirmed certification object and scope. An unpublished checklist, private interpretation, automated output or individual opinion cannot amend that basis.

• ICEQC-CER-001:2026 establishes the common certification rules, scope controls, assessment stages, decisions, certificates and certification cycle.
• ICEQC-CER-002:2026 establishes the evidence attributes, verification methods, traceability controls and treatment of evidence limitations.
• ICEQC-CER-003:2026 establishes nonconformity, remediation, independent decision, appeal, surveillance and certification-status controls.

What ICEQC certifies

Every application concerns one defined certification object. Certification of one object does not certify another object owned, supplied, used or associated with the same legal entity.

Certification objects states the eligible scope, exclusions, governing standard, Foundation requirements, application materials and certificate title for each object.

Certification object and confirmed scope

ICEQC first identifies the applicant's legal entity and the object presented for certification. It then confirms the boundary within which conformity will be determined. Evidence outside that boundary does not extend the certification scope.

The confirmed scope identifies, as applicable, the included sites, education activities, services, platforms, products, models, versions, learner or user groups, delivery modes, jurisdictions, material third-party arrangements and exclusions.

• The holder named on the certificate is the legal entity accountable for the certified object and scope.
• A brand, group, partner, customer, affiliate or trading name is not certified unless it is expressly included in the public record under the accountable control of the certificate holder.
• A later site, service, product version, integration, delivery mode or jurisdiction is not covered solely because it resembles an item in the certified scope.
• An exclusion cannot remove an applicable requirement while leaving the corresponding activity inside the scope.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 25–31 and the public certification-object rules.

Applicability of published requirements

ICEQC determines applicability after the certification object and proposed scope have been identified. Every Foundation Conformity Requirement in the baseline for the selected certification object is accounted for in the certification record.

N/A is not a waiver, exemption, score adjustment or substitute for missing evidence. Its factual basis is recorded and is subject to independent review. Where any part of a requirement remains relevant, the complete requirement cannot be removed from consideration solely because another condition is absent.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 27–29, ICEQC-CER-003 clause 6 and ICEQC-CER-003 clause 20.

Evidence and requirement traceability

ICEQC verifies conformity using current documents and corresponding implementation records. A policy or procedure shows the approved arrangement; corresponding records, data, completed cases, decisions or observed activities show whether that arrangement is in use.

• Each evidence package identifies when it is required and which Foundation Conformity Requirements it may support.
• Each submitted file identifies its title, date, version, owner, scope, language and related requirement or evidence-package identifiers.
• The same Foundation Requirement ID is used in the application, evidence index, verification record and remediation record.
• Evidence is considered for relevance, authenticity, integrity, currency, completeness, coverage and consistency with other available information.
• Where a material condition cannot be verified, ICEQC records an evidence limitation, requests further evidence, limits the proposed scope or records a nonconformity, as applicable.

A blank template, draft plan, unsigned document, unsupported statement, isolated screenshot or record that does not cover the proposed scope does not by itself establish conformity.

See Evidence and conformity verification, ICEQC-CER-002 clauses 19–32 and the Certification Application Materials Guide.

Verification methods

ICEQC selects the least burdensome combination of methods capable of producing sufficient, reliable and traceable evidence for the applicable requirement and confirmed scope.

• review of controlled documents and corresponding implementation records;
• checks across source records, data, public information and external registers;
• interviews with responsible personnel and other relevant persons;
• live demonstration of systems, services, controls or products;
• remote observation or a guided remote view of a location, product or activity;
• sampling that covers relevant populations, variations and adverse cases; and
• recognized independent specialist evidence where ICEQC cannot directly establish a material legal, physical, technical or safety condition.

Sampling controls the evidence examined; it does not reduce the number of applicable requirements. The use of a remote method does not change the meaning or threshold of conformity.

See ICEQC-CER-002 clauses 33–40 and ICEQC-CER-002 clauses 74–81.

Requirement-by-requirement conformity verification

ICEQC records a conclusion for every requirement applicable to the confirmed scope. A conclusion is supported by the evidence assigned to that requirement and by any necessary cross-check, interview, demonstration, observation or specialist evidence.

A positive certification decision may be made only where all of the following conditions are satisfied:

• the certification object and scope are confirmed;
• the applicability record is complete;
• every applicable requirement is recorded as C — Conforming;
• every N/A has an objective factual basis confirmed by ICEQC;
• every recorded nonconformity has remediation verified as complete;
• no unresolved evidence limitation prevents a conformity conclusion;
• the complete certification record has passed technical review; and
• an authorized independent decision maker has granted certification.

A strength, innovation or result above one requirement cannot compensate for failure to meet another requirement. No requirement result is averaged, weighted, converted into a percentage or offset against performance elsewhere.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clause 55, ICEQC-CER-003 clause 6 and ICEQC-CER-003 clause 57.

Nonconformity and remediation

Where a requirement is not met, ICEQC records the requirement, the verified facts, the evidence basis and the nonconforming condition. The applicant is informed of the published completion criteria; ICEQC does not select, design or operate the applicant's corrective solution.

A remediation response distinguishes planned action from completed action and identifies any continuing limitation or residual risk. A plan, draft, promise, purchase order or scheduled activity does not establish implementation.

Certification cannot be granted while an applicable requirement remains NC, a required remediation is incomplete or effectiveness necessary to establish present conformity has not been verified. Administrative lapse, expiry of a deadline, deletion from a system or verbal agreement cannot complete remediation.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 58–63 and ICEQC-CER-003 clauses 34–50.

Technical review and independent certification decision

Evidence verification, technical review and certification decision are separate controlled functions. The person who makes the certification decision does not perform the evidence verification for the same application.

An automated system may organize information or identify an incomplete record. It cannot independently determine conformity, verify remediation, make the certification decision, determine an appeal or impose a certification status.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 65–72, ICEQC-CER-003 clauses 51–68 and Decision authorities.

Limits on certification personnel

ICEQC personnel verify facts and evidence against published requirements. They cannot add a criterion, waive or reduce an applicable requirement, offset a nonconformity, or grant certification on professional preference.

These limits are set out in ICEQC-CER-001 clause 6.2, ICEQC-CER-001 Annex S4, ICEQC-CER-002 clause 103.1, ICEQC-CER-003 clause 5.4 and ICEQC-CER-003 clause 14.4.

Certificate, public record and reliance

After a positive decision, ICEQC issues the controlled certificate and publishes the corresponding record in the Public Certificate Register. The public record is the source for current certification status and scope.

• legal certificate holder and any controlled trading name;
• certificate number and public verification identifier;
• certification object and certificate title;
• approved scope and material exclusions;
• applicable ICEQC documents and editions;
• decision, issue, effective and expiry dates; and
• current status and the effective date of any later status action.

A certificate copy, certification mark, QR code, website statement or third-party directory does not replace the official record. Reliance is limited to the holder, object, scope, editions, dates and current status shown in that record.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 73–79, How to verify a certificate and Certificate status.

Continuing conformity and status control

Certification remains subject to continuing conformity throughout the certification cycle. ICEQC conducts surveillance and reviews material changes, complaints, incidents and other information capable of affecting the certified scope or status.

• The certificate holder maintains conformity and keeps the legal holder, certified operations and public claims accurate.
• The certificate holder reports a material change without waiting for the next surveillance review.
• ICEQC may request evidence, conduct targeted or special surveillance, maintain certification, reduce the scope, suspend, restore, withdraw or allow certification to expire under the applicable rules.
• The Public Certificate Register records the effective current status; possession of an apparently unexpired certificate does not establish that certification remains current.

See Maintaining certification, ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 80–101 and ICEQC-CER-003 clauses 87–110.

Impartiality, complaints and appeals

Commercial administration, evidence verification, technical review, certification decision and appeal functions are separated. Relevant interests are declared and managed, and payment does not determine a conformity conclusion or certification decision.

See ICEQC-CER-001 clauses 103–124 and ICEQC-CER-003 clauses 69–86.

Responsibilities

What the certificate confirms

The certificate and Public Certificate Register confirm that, on the effective decision date, every ICEQC requirement applicable to the identified holder, certification object and approved scope was determined to be conforming and no required remediation remained incomplete.

The record also identifies the applicable standards and editions, certification dates and current status. Continued reliance remains subject to the current public record and any later surveillance or status decision.

What the certificate does not establish

• Government authorization or a licence to provide education.
• Statutory institutional or programme accreditation.
• Degree recognition or academic equivalence.
• A score, ranking, grade, certification level or finding of industry-best performance.
• A guarantee of future performance, safety or an individual learner outcome.
• Certification of any person, activity, site, service, product, version, partner or jurisdiction outside the scope shown in the Public Certificate Register.

See Mandate and certification boundaries and Certificates, marks and claims.