AAS form guidance

Country appraisal guidance

Please consider the safety, accessibility and other aspects of the country as part of your proposal as this will form part of the appraisal process by SQA when considering your request.

The FCO website provides useful information for UK-based centres that are considering operating internationally.

Offering SQA qualifications internationally

Subject to normal Systems and Qualification Approval, all centres are eligible to deliver and assess the following qualifications in most countries:

1. Advanced Certificate & Diploma
2. Customised Award
3. National Certificate
4. National Progression Award (NPA)

All other qualifications are subject to eligibility requirements 

Delivery mode and assessment

When completing the AAS form, you will be asked to confirm which of the following modes of delivery and assessment apply to the new proposal:

• distance delivery and assessment
• in-country delivery and assessment by own staff
• in-country delivery and assessment using a partner organisation’s staff
• in-country delivery and assessment using a sub-contractor’s staff
• work-based assessment (please use the AAS Workplace Site Checklist)

Multiple countries and/or delivery modes and assessment

If you are planning to offer SQA qualifications in more than one country or by more than one mode of delivery and assessment, select the main country and/or method first, you will be prompted to add additional countries and modes of delivery later in the form.

If after reviewing both the AAS Information for Centres and the AAS form guidance, you require any further assistance in completing the AAS form, please speak to your SQA Account Manager.

What happens next?

Once you have submitted the form, we will review and appraise the contents to establish if SQA can support your proposal. When a decision is reached, you will receive one of two responses:-

• Authority to Proceed – this is a letter issued via email that provides confirmation that SQA support your proposal as detailed in the form, for the qualifications specified.
• Rejection – this is a letter issued via email that provides the reason(s) why your proposal cannot be supported at this time in relation to our key appraisal criteria. Further information and guidance can be sought if required.

Any queries relating to your proposal while you await a decision should be directed to:-

• mycentre@sqa.org.uk for centres based in the UK
• sqainternational@sqa.org.uk for centres based internationally