QCTO accreditation FAQ

They are different accreditations. Skills Development Provider (SDP) accreditation authorises you to deliver specified occupational qualifications, part qualifications, or skills programmes.

Assessment Centre accreditation authorises a site to conduct the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) for specified qualifications.

Many organisations start as an SDP and register learners for EISA at an existing accredited centre. Hosting EISA sittings yourself is a separate project — different evidence pack, different site requirements, and a calendar aligned to published EISA dates.

No. QCTO occupational skills programmes use a Final Integrated Supervised Assessment (FISA), not a national EISA sitting.

The SDP typically designs, moderates, and conducts the FISA under supervised exam conditions according to the skills programme document. There is also no separate Assessment Centre track for skills programmes — accreditation covers delivery and that exit assessment together.

If you only offer skills programmes, do not plan around EISA registration close dates. Plan around FISA readiness and the skills-programme enrolment / results channels.

QCTO expects learner enrolment data in two stages for full and part qualifications: first within 21 working days after training starts, then again when learners are ready for EISA — typically at least three months before the scheduled sitting.

For occupational skills programmes the first enrolment window is tighter: commonly within five working days of programme start, via the skills-programme enrolment channel.

Enrolment triggers quality-assurance monitoring. Learners generally cannot be registered for EISA unless they were previously enrolled and the provider has been through monitoring expectations for that cohort.

EISA dates are set per qualification / academic year by the relevant Quality Partner (often a SETA acting as AQP). There is no single national master calendar on the QCTO website.

Closing dates for learner registration are published with those sittings and are typically about three months before the EISA date. Late registrations are not allowed.

Assessa’s public EISA dates page lists upcoming sittings with a computed registration-close estimate using that three-month rule — always confirm against the QP / QCTO notice for your SAQA ID.

The Statement of Results (SoR) is the SDP-issued record showing a learner is competent in all required modules — knowledge, practical, and workplace evidence — and therefore eligible for EISA registration.

Without a credible SoR (and usually prior QCTO enrolment), learners should not be put forward for the external assessment. Keep assessor identity, dates, moderation outcomes, and workplace evidence producible when monitoring samples your SoRs.

After you submit a complete, valid document pack, QCTO’s stated processing objective for SDP accreditation is on the order of 90 days — including desktop evaluation and site visit where required. Incomplete packs reset the clock; documents are typically due within 21 working days of application.

Assessment Centre applications are routed via the relevant AQP for site evaluation. QCTO aims to process AQP recommendations within about 30 working days after receiving them.

Treat these as planning objectives, not guaranteed SLAs. Do not advertise programmes or assessment services as accredited until the formal QCTO outcome letter is issued.

No. QCTO deals directly with applicants and does not promote intermediary agents who replace its evaluation. Be wary of anyone selling “guaranteed accreditation” outside the official online application, desktop evaluation, and site-visit process.

You remain responsible for the accuracy of submitted documents. Misrepresentation can lead to rejection or revocation.

EISA is the external exam (or practical assessment) learners sit at an accredited Assessment Centre.

LEISA refers to the learner enrolment / EISA-readiness data submission to QCTO (structured files emailed on the prescribed channels). It is administrative readiness data — not the assessment itself.

Providers enrol cohorts after programme start, then update readiness when learners have Statements of Results and can meet the registration close date.

For occupational qualifications with a workplace-experience component, yes — accreditation readiness expects signed Workplace MoUs that define deliverables against the Curriculum document.

Where a final MoU is not yet available, QCTO guidance has allowed a signed Letter of Intent with workplaces in some cases, with the MoU to follow after accreditation. Confirm the current criteria for your application pack.

Foundational Learning Competence (FLC) covers literacy and numeracy requirements built into many occupational qualifications at NQF Levels 3 and 4.

Where the registered qualification / curriculum requires FLC, learners generally need it before (or as a condition of) EISA entry. Check the Curriculum document for the SAQA ID you deliver — do not assume every programme has the same FLC rule.