Choose your accreditation route by two things: the market you serve and what your qualification has to prove. Ofqual is the route for regulated qualifications in England, on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). MFHEA, in Malta, gives you an EU-issued qualification carrying an MQF level referenced to the European Qualifications Framework. CPD is the route for structured professional development that does not need to carry a framework level at all.
Ofqual: regulated in England
Ofqual is the route when you need a regulated qualification in England. To offer regulated qualifications you become an Ofqual recognised awarding organisation and have each qualification regulated, and the qualifications sit on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), which runs from Entry level through levels 1 to 8. It is the strongest form of recognition in England, and the most demanding to hold.
Note the boundary. A qualification regulated by Ofqual in England is not automatically regulated in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, each of which has its own regulator and framework. There is no single UK-wide regulator, so do not assume Ofqual recognition covers all four nations.
MFHEA: EU-issued through Malta
MFHEA is the route when you want an EU-issued qualification. The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority accredits your programme and pegs it to a level on the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF), which has eight levels referenced to the eight-level European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Because Malta is an EU member state, the qualification is issued from within the EU and its level reads across member states.
There are two parts to the Malta route, a provider side and a programme side, and a new entity applies for both at once. Keep in mind that the MQF or EQF level is about readability of the level, not permission to practise a regulated profession, which runs through separate EU rules.
CPD: recognition without a framework level
CPD is the route when your training does not need a framework level at all. CPD certification is voluntary, non-regulated recognition that a course is structured, current and delivers a stated number of CPD hours or points, and it is provided by CPD certification services rather than by a government regulator.
It suits short courses, webinars and professional-development content where a full regulated qualification is not the goal. It is the lightest route to hold, which is a strength when a framework level is not what your buyers want.
The three routes side by side
Here is how the three routes compare on the two things that decide the choice.
| Route | Market | Framework level | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofqual | England | RQF level | You need a regulated qualification in England |
| MFHEA (Malta) | EU | MQF level, referenced to the EQF | You need an EU-issued qualification |
| CPD certification | UK, EU and beyond | None | You need recognised professional development, not a level |
Can you hold more than one route
Yes, you can hold more than one route, and providers serving both the UK and the EU often do. A UK route and a Malta route together give a UK-regulated qualification and an EU-issued one, worth it when both markets are real for you.
Holding two routes means meeting two sets of requirements and two ongoing workloads, so it earns its cost only when you actually sell into both markets. Our guide to dual accreditation covers when the second route pays off.
How to decide
Decide by writing down your market first and what your qualification must prove second. If your buyers are in England and need a regulated qualification, Ofqual is the route. If they are in the EU and need a recognised level, MFHEA through Malta is the route. If they need structured professional development without a framework level, CPD is the route, with no need to pay for more.
When the answer is not obvious, it usually means your market is split or your buyers have not told you what they need. That is worth resolving first, and our accreditation services page sets out each route in full.
Common questions
Which is best, Ofqual, CPD or MFHEA?
None is best in the abstract; the best route is the one that matches your market and what your qualification must prove. Ofqual fits a regulated qualification in England, MFHEA fits an EU-issued qualification through Malta, and CPD fits professional development that does not need a framework level. Start from your buyers, not from the route.
Can I hold more than one?
Yes. Providers who serve both the UK and the EU often hold a UK route and a Malta route together, so learners in each market get recognition they can read. Holding more than one route means meeting more than one set of requirements, so it is worth doing only when each route serves a market you actually sell into.
Which route reaches the EU?
The MFHEA route through Malta is the one that gives you an EU-issued qualification, because Malta is an EU member state and the MQF level is referenced to the European Qualifications Framework. Ofqual recognition is regulation in England, and CPD certification is not tied to any national framework. If EU recognition of your level is the goal, Malta is the route.
Is CPD a real accreditation?
CPD certification is real, voluntary, non-regulated recognition that a course is structured, current and delivers a stated number of CPD hours or points. It is not a regulated qualification and does not carry an RQF, SCQF or MQF level by itself, so it makes a smaller claim than Ofqual or MFHEA. Used honestly for the right content, it is a credible, widely understood form of recognition.
Can Apollo recommend the route for us?
Yes. Apollo Accreditation works across Ofqual, CPD and MFHEA routes for training providers in the UK and Malta, so we match the route to your market and goals rather than to a single product we sell. Book a scoping call and we will map the right route, or routes, to your case.
Planning a programme, an accreditation route or a quality system?
Book a 30 minute scoping call. We will map the route, the standards that apply and a realistic timeline. No preparation needed.
Book a 30 minute scoping callPrefer to write first? Contact us.