The eligibility criteria for becoming a member of the Education UK Partnership or participating in Partnership activity are outlined below.

Membership
Membership of the Partnership is on an individual institutional basis and is only open to institutions that meet the eligibility criteria below and have their primary base / headquarters in the United Kingdom.

The Partnership may admit associate membership organisations, such as examination boards, professional associations or other relevant education organisations.

Quality and recognition
A fundamental strength of UK qualifications is their worldwide recognition and high quality. All Partnership member institutions must be able to support this. For membership, at least 80 per cent of the qualifications gained by students in the previous academic year must be recognised UK qualifications (this includes the International Baccalaureate).

Where institutions, examining bodies or professional organisations award qualifications that are not regulated by one of the following, the Partnership reserves the right to exclude such organisations:

• Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
• Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
• Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
• Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS)
• Council for the Curriculum Examinations & Assessment (CCEA)

Applications from these organisations will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Partnership Boards.

Finances
The Education UK Partnership will not admit any institutions with outstanding debts to, or which are in dispute with, the British Council.

Any institution applying for Partnership membership must have been trading for a minimum of five years.

For private / independent schools and colleges, we require copies of your last three years' annual reports, including copies of your accounts, audited where possible. Based on these reports and accounts, along with a report from Dun & Bradstreet, we will produce, for the Partnership Operating Board, an indication of financial strength and stability and the risk of business failure. The Board will consider this report when reviewing your application for membership. Any institutions assessed by Dun & Bradstreet as having a higher-than-average risk of business failure are unlikely to be accepted for membership.

Accreditation
Institutions that become a member of the Education UK Partnership or that wish to participate in Partnership activity must meet the accreditation requirements outlined in the table below.

	Institution type Accreditation and eligibility criteria University, Higher education institution, College of further or higher education Until the Home Office Register of Education Providers comes into effect: Listed on Department for Innovation, University and Skills (DIUS) Register of Education and Training Providers. From the time when the Home Office Register of Education Providers comes into effect: Listed on this register. Private or independent college Until the Home Office Register of Education Providers comes into effect: Full, non-provisional accreditation by either the British Accreditation Council (BAC), Accreditation Service for Independent Colleges (ASIC) or Accreditation UK, with at least six months remaining between your application to join the Partnership and the date your accreditation is valid until. At least 80 per cent of qualifications gained by students in the previous academic year being from the UK qualification framework.* From the time when the Home Office Register of Education Providers comes into effect: Listed on this register. At least 80 per cent of qualifications gained by students in the previous academic year being from the UK qualification framework.* *The UK qualifications framework consists of qualifications that are recognised by: the QCA in England; the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales; the CCEA in Northern Ireland; or the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. Private associate feeder companies Membership under the host institution will be granted providing that there is written evidence from the host institution that they will act as sponsor for all incoming international students. An example of such evidence is a signed letter sent to the Education UK Partnership. We will also seek a letter from the UK Borders Agency stating that the private associate feeder company will not require separate accreditation / registration on their Points Based System register of employers and sponsors. Any exceptions will be considered on an individual basis by the Board. State and independent boarding school Registered with either: England: Department for Children, Schools and Families Scotland: Department of Education and Lifelong Learning Wales: Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Northern Ireland: Department of Education English language school Accredited by Accreditation UK Examination board Offering qualifications regulated by: QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) DCELLS (Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills) CCEA (Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment) Professional body, Associate member At the discretion of the Education UK Partnership Operating Board

The Partnership services for schools have been designed to meet the demand primarily from state and independent boarding schools. Boarding schools that wish to become members must provide boarding facilities that meet National Boarding Standards inspected by OFSTED. Other institutions, such as day schools, tutorial or independent colleges, that do not provide boarding but meet the rest of the criteria and wish to become members, will be considered on a case by case basis.

Applicants for membership must give permission for the British Council to receive copies of all information supplied to or requested by the accrediting body which undertook their accreditation. The British Council will also solicit a copy of the inspectors’ report from the accrediting body that carried out the accreditation of any applicant applying for membership.

For private / independent schools and colleges, membership of the Partnership shall be for the duration of their accreditation. Renewal of membership is dependent on re-accreditation.

Please note that the British Council charges a non-refundable application fee to all new applicants, whether their application to join the Partnership is successful or not.

The decision of the Partnership Board is final and no appeals process will be entered into.