The Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services (ACELS) accreditation scheme for English language education (ELE) providers was established in 1969 under the auspices of the then Department of Education. The aim behind ACELS was to manage and develop quality standards in ELE providers. The ACELS scheme is now managed by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) on an administrative basis. Please note that the ACELS scheme is no longer open to new applications.
All current ACELS recognised ELE providers are listed on the RECOGNISED PROVIDERS section of this website and this list is updated annually. All ACELS recognised ELE providers may carry the following legend: Recognised by ACELS, a service of Quality and Qualifications Ireland, for English language teaching.
QQI have developed a new statutory quality international education mark, the (IEM), which was launched on 2 September 2024. This new quality assurance scheme, known as TrustEd Ireland, will be open to English language education (ELE) and higher education (HE) providers. The TrustEd Ireland mark will be authorised to ELE and HE providers who have demonstrated that they meet national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners enrolled on HE and ELE programmes from pre-enrolment through to the completion of their programme.
The ACELS scheme will cease to operate once the first TrustEd Ireland authorised ELE providers are confirmed. Once the ACELS scheme ceases to operate, ACLES accredited providers will no longer hold ACELS accreditation. There will be no automatic transition for ACELS accredited providers from the ACELS scheme to the TrustEd Ireland mark, although there will be a transition period to offer ACELS accredited providers a reasonable period of time to apply for authorisation to use the TrustEd Ireland mark.
ACELS accredited ELE providers who wish to apply for authorisation to use the TrustEd Ireland mark 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, to demonstrate 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).
Please see qqi.ie for further information on TrustEd Ireland and how to make an application.