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What is an external qualification?
What does awarded or authenticated by an outside person mean?
What sort of payments are covered by Section 97?
How does a qualification become approved under Section 97?
How do I get funding for a qualification which is not approved?
How long does an approval last?
Where do I find out about funding?
What's happened to Schedule 2(a)?
What is an external qualification?
An external qualification is a qualification awarded or authenticated by an outside person.
What does awarded or authenticated by an outside person mean?
A qualification is awarded by an outside person if it is awarded by a person other than the institution or a member of its staff. A qualification is authenticated by an outside person if it is awarded by the institution and is authenticated by a person other than the institution or a member of its staff.
What sort of payments are covered by Section 97?
A payment in respect of a qualification includes payments to an outside person for devising, administering, verifying or certifying the qualification, for setting or moderating examinations, for registering, assessing or examining candidates.
How does a qualification become approved under Section 97?
Following accreditation, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) recommends qualifications for approval under Section 97 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000, according to specified criteria. Details of the regulatory authorities' accreditation procedures can be accessed at www.qca.org.uk/nq/accreditation.
Only qualifications that have been accredited by the regulatory authorities will normally be considered for approval by the Secretary of State. Qualifications are posted on this website once approval is granted.
How do I get funding for a qualification which is not approved?
The provisions of Section 97 apply only to payments to awarding bodies for fees and charges relating to external qualifications. Funding of course provision, whether it leads to an external qualification, to more informal certification or which is not certificated in any way, is for the Learning and Skills Council, as funding authority, to determine.
How long does an approval last?
The length of approval varies from qualification to qualification depending on the accreditation conditions applying to a particular qualification. In the database you will see that each qualification is given an approval start date, an approval end date and a certification end date. Candidates may register for the qualification at any time between the approval start date and the approval end date and, any candidate registered for the qualification at its approval end date, may complete their course and secure their qualification up to the certification end date.
Where do I find out about funding?
Funding matters are for the Learning and Skills Council to determine. You can find out how to get in touch with them in the Useful Links page.
What's happened to Schedule 2(a)?
Schedule 2a was repealed on 31 March 2001. It has no legal force. The provisions of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 replace those of Sections 400 and 401 of the Education Act 1996, Section 37 of the Education Act 1997 and Section 3 and Schedule 2 to the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
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