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A positive university experience and worthwhile outcomes are key considerations for students applying to university. Hopeful students in the process of researching universities and programmes should make sure that not only do they meet their needs but that the programme is well structured, provides accurate information based on current research and is acknowledged by future employers to improve career prospects.
A good way to make sure that a university programme has all these things is by checking whether it is accredited. An accreditation body will do research for you and give a seal of approval if the programme is of a good quality. This takes the guess work out of research for both students and employers. But what is accreditation? Who gives accreditation and why is it important? Find everything you need to know about university accreditation here.
What is the purpose of accreditation?
As previously mentioned, accreditation is the approval of a university or course given by a governing body to verify that a programme is able to give students a high-quality education and the tools to thrive in the job market. This is done by making sure that the university or programme is providing up to date information based on current research as well as the right skills and experiences. The purpose of accreditation is to assure that both students and employers benefit from a degree that is of high quality.
Types of accredition
There are three types of accreditation: institutional, departmental, and programmatic.
Institutional accreditation covers a whole institution including all the programmes, departments and campuses including online programmes. To assign institutional accreditation, the accreditation body will need to analyse the school as a whole, looking at several elements to make sure that the information, opportunities, and facilities provided are up to standard.
Departmental accreditation provides accreditation to all the programmes in an academic department. The department building, faculty and each of the programmes will be analysed in this type of accreditation.
Programmatic accreditation is a specialised accreditation which looks at one specific programme. It is most common in subjects where students might want to pursue a graduate degree such as law, medicine, or business. For students who apply to study a postgraduate degree at a different institution, the new school will want to ensure that the university which the student graduated from for their undergraduate degree has comparable academic standards. It is also common for subjects such as engineering where students might need to apply for a license or charter to work. Licensing companies will want to ensure that an applicant has sufficient education, and programmatic accreditation allows them to easily determine this.
Accreditation in different countries
In most countries, university accreditation bodies are government organisations which work with universities or higher education programmes in their country.
This is different in the US, where organisations are private companies. Many accreditation bodies in the US are international, meaning that they accredit institutions from all over the world, not just nationally.
In rare cases, countries such as Canada, Singapore and Macau do not have any national accreditation organisations. It is common that universities in these countries will pursue international accreditation to remain competitive to international students.
The accreditation process
Accreditation is something that is pursued by universities. In some countries such as the UK and India, it is a legal requirement for universities to have accreditation if they are claiming to offer undergraduate or graduate degrees. In other countries, accreditation is non-essential but highly regarded.
When pursuing accreditation, the university will firstly decide what type of accreditation that they wish to apply for. They will also do research into the different accreditation organisations if applicable, making sure that the accreditation will reflect the aims of the institution. They will then need to gather the correct paperwork outlining their university’s policies, procedures and the results that they produce, both in terms of academic results and student success post-graduation. They will need to complete a self-assessment, submit their application and prepare for a site visit that will be completed by a representative of the accreditation governing body. Following this they will be informed whether their application was successful.
There are many benefits to accreditation, including:
Students who are researching universities and considering which they might want to apply for can look at accreditation as an assurance of academic quality and a positive experience on campus.
For students who are transferring schools and school credits, they are able to do so easily between two schools who have approval from the same accreditation body. It assures the new school that the previous school had a good academic standard and that credits earned by the student thus far are still valid.
For students who are applying to schools, accepting a place at an accredited university will give them more funding options. It is often a requirement of applying for student funding that the chosen university or programme is accredited.
Accreditation is also important following graduation when a student is looking for a job. A degree from an accredited university will assure employers of the quality of an applicant’s education and will therefore affect employability.
Accreditors to look out for
In the US, there are many accreditation agencies, some of which focus on universities within a certain state and others which operate more widely, nationally and internationally. A list of institutional and programmatic accreditors can be found on the website of the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
In other countries, there will be a national accrediting agency such as:
Accreditation is the process of a private or government agency conducting an analysis of an academic programme or institution. If accreditation is given, it is an assurance that students at the university can expect to receive a high-quality education and are sufficiently prepared to enter the post-graduate job market.
Universities apply for accreditation. The process includes them providing the governing body information about their institution and the outcomes of their students. A representative from the organisation will conduct a site visit to ensure that the institution is performing to a high standard.
Accreditation is important for both universities and students. In some countries, it is a legal requirement for a university to be accredited by a government organisation. Accreditation legitimises the institution and the programmes it offers to potential students.
For students, the benefits of studying an accredited programme are not just limited to employment prospects after graduation. Accreditation can help them to secure more funding opportunities and to transfer credits if they wish to study elsewhere. It is also useful if they intend to study a postgraduate qualification at another institution as it assures the postgraduate school of the quality of their undergraduate education.
Students can find out whether their chosen university is accredited by consulting the university directly or the accreditation organisation. The university website or someone in the admissions department should be able to tell prospective students whether the university is accredited. Alternatively, the website of the accreditation organisation should have a list of their accredited universities.
Many other countries have a national accreditation system as part of the government department of education. The accreditation agencies for many countries are listed above. For countries or study destinations not listed, visit the local government website to find out more about higher education accreditation.
Some countries such as Canada, Singapore and Macau do not have national accreditation. Universities in these countries will often pursue international accreditation to compete with other institutions internationally. Contact the university directly to find out more.
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Accreditation: everything you need to know
Holly Hemmings
Updated Jan 06, 2025Save
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Table of contents
Table of contents
A positive university experience and worthwhile outcomes are key considerations for students applying to university. Hopeful students in the process of researching universities and programmes should make sure that not only do they meet their needs but that the programme is well structured, provides accurate information based on current research and is acknowledged by future employers to improve career prospects.
A good way to make sure that a university programme has all these things is by checking whether it is accredited. An accreditation body will do research for you and give a seal of approval if the programme is of a good quality. This takes the guess work out of research for both students and employers. But what is accreditation? Who gives accreditation and why is it important? Find everything you need to know about university accreditation here.
What is the purpose of accreditation?
As previously mentioned, accreditation is the approval of a university or course given by a governing body to verify that a programme is able to give students a high-quality education and the tools to thrive in the job market. This is done by making sure that the university or programme is providing up to date information based on current research as well as the right skills and experiences. The purpose of accreditation is to assure that both students and employers benefit from a degree that is of high quality.
Types of accredition
There are three types of accreditation: institutional, departmental, and programmatic.
Institutional accreditation covers a whole institution including all the programmes, departments and campuses including online programmes. To assign institutional accreditation, the accreditation body will need to analyse the school as a whole, looking at several elements to make sure that the information, opportunities, and facilities provided are up to standard.
Departmental accreditation provides accreditation to all the programmes in an academic department. The department building, faculty and each of the programmes will be analysed in this type of accreditation.
Programmatic accreditation is a specialised accreditation which looks at one specific programme. It is most common in subjects where students might want to pursue a graduate degree such as law, medicine, or business. For students who apply to study a postgraduate degree at a different institution, the new school will want to ensure that the university which the student graduated from for their undergraduate degree has comparable academic standards. It is also common for subjects such as engineering where students might need to apply for a license or charter to work. Licensing companies will want to ensure that an applicant has sufficient education, and programmatic accreditation allows them to easily determine this.
Accreditation in different countries
In most countries, university accreditation bodies are government organisations which work with universities or higher education programmes in their country.
This is different in the US, where organisations are private companies. Many accreditation bodies in the US are international, meaning that they accredit institutions from all over the world, not just nationally.
In rare cases, countries such as Canada, Singapore and Macau do not have any national accreditation organisations. It is common that universities in these countries will pursue international accreditation to remain competitive to international students.
The accreditation process
Accreditation is something that is pursued by universities. In some countries such as the UK and India, it is a legal requirement for universities to have accreditation if they are claiming to offer undergraduate or graduate degrees. In other countries, accreditation is non-essential but highly regarded.
When pursuing accreditation, the university will firstly decide what type of accreditation that they wish to apply for. They will also do research into the different accreditation organisations if applicable, making sure that the accreditation will reflect the aims of the institution. They will then need to gather the correct paperwork outlining their university’s policies, procedures and the results that they produce, both in terms of academic results and student success post-graduation. They will need to complete a self-assessment, submit their application and prepare for a site visit that will be completed by a representative of the accreditation governing body. Following this they will be informed whether their application was successful.
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The benefits of accreditation
There are many benefits to accreditation, including:
Accreditors to look out for
In the US, there are many accreditation agencies, some of which focus on universities within a certain state and others which operate more widely, nationally and internationally. A list of institutional and programmatic accreditors can be found on the website of the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
In other countries, there will be a national accrediting agency such as:
Albania – Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education
Australia – Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Bangladesh – Bangladesh Accreditation Council
Belgium – Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders
France – Ministry of National Education and Conférence des Grandes Écoles
Germany – Kultusministerkonferenz
Greece – Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency
Hong Kong SAR – Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
India – University Grants Commission, National Assessment and Accreditation Council and National Board of Accreditation
Ireland – National Framework of Qualifications
Italy – Regio Decreto 31
Japan – Japan University Accreditation Association, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education and Japan Institution for Higher Education Evaluation
Kenya – Commission for University Education
Malaysia – Lembaga Akreditasi Negara
Netherlands – Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders
Nigeria – National Universities Commission
Pakistan – Higher Education Commission
Philippines – Commission on Higher Education
Portugal - Agência de Acrediação
South Africa – Department of Higher Education and Training and South African Qualifications Authority
United Kingdom – Royal Charter and UK Government
Zambia – Higher Education Authority
Frequently Asked Questions
Accreditation is the process of a private or government agency conducting an analysis of an academic programme or institution. If accreditation is given, it is an assurance that students at the university can expect to receive a high-quality education and are sufficiently prepared to enter the post-graduate job market.
Universities apply for accreditation. The process includes them providing the governing body information about their institution and the outcomes of their students. A representative from the organisation will conduct a site visit to ensure that the institution is performing to a high standard.
Accreditation is important for both universities and students. In some countries, it is a legal requirement for a university to be accredited by a government organisation. Accreditation legitimises the institution and the programmes it offers to potential students.
For students, the benefits of studying an accredited programme are not just limited to employment prospects after graduation. Accreditation can help them to secure more funding opportunities and to transfer credits if they wish to study elsewhere. It is also useful if they intend to study a postgraduate qualification at another institution as it assures the postgraduate school of the quality of their undergraduate education.
Students can find out whether their chosen university is accredited by consulting the university directly or the accreditation organisation. The university website or someone in the admissions department should be able to tell prospective students whether the university is accredited. Alternatively, the website of the accreditation organisation should have a list of their accredited universities.
For universities in the US, there is a list of accreditation organisations on the US Department of Education or the Council of Higher Education Accreditation websites.
Many other countries have a national accreditation system as part of the government department of education. The accreditation agencies for many countries are listed above. For countries or study destinations not listed, visit the local government website to find out more about higher education accreditation.
Some countries such as Canada, Singapore and Macau do not have national accreditation. Universities in these countries will often pursue international accreditation to compete with other institutions internationally. Contact the university directly to find out more.
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