English Language Schools

The following is for general information purposes only. All further queries regarding this information should be directed to the competent authorities listed below.

Competent Authority

(ACELS), Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services was the competent authority for English language schools in Ireland. The ACELS scheme is now managed by Quality and Qualification Ireland (QQI) on an administrative basis.  The ACELS scheme is no longer open to new applications.

QQI have developed a new statutory quality mark, the International Education Mark (IEM), to be launched in 2024. This new quality assurance scheme will be open to English language education and higher education providers. The IEM will be authorised to providers who have demonstrated that they meet national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners of HE and ELE programmes from pre-enrolment through to the completion of their programme.

The ACELS scheme will cease to operate once the first IEM authorised ELE providers are confirmed. Once the ACELS scheme ceases to operate, accredited providers will no longer have ACELS accreditation. There will be no automatic transition for ACELS recognised providers from the ACELS scheme to the IEM, although there will be a transition period to offer ACELS accredited providers to apply for authorisation to use the IEM.

 ACELS accredited ELE providers who wish to apply for authorisation to use the IEM will be required to demonstrate compliance with the criteria set out in the new statutory Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of English Language Education to International Learners (ELE Code) and the suitability of their quality assurance procedures by having regard to and meeting the criteria set out in the new statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines for ELE Providers (QA Guidelines for ELE).

Further information

If you are an English language school provider who is looking to offer programmes in Ireland leading to QQI awards, you must apply to QQI for

• QA approval
• Validation of your first programme(s) through a process called Initial Access to Validation (IAV)

You may obtain further information in the link below.

• Becoming a QQI Award provider

Contact Details

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)

26/27 Denzille Lane,

Dublin,

D02 P266.

Tel: +353 1 905 8100

Further information can be found here