Accreditation process
A provider-friendly submission process that reuses information you already have — with independent assessment against a defined Standard, clear feedback and resubmission where needed.
Step‑by‑step
1) Submit your course
Start with what you already have. Import supported details from an existing public course page, reuse trainers and standard methods, then provide the course-review evidence the assessor needs.
2) Independent Standard assessment
An assigned assessor reviews the course against the CPD Ireland Course Accreditation Standard and records structured findings.
3) Feedback & actions if required
CPD Ireland controls provider-facing feedback. If an action is required, you can respond and resubmit revised evidence without losing the earlier history.
4) Accreditation decision
CPD Ireland Administration makes the final accreditation decision and determines final approved CPD hours.
5) Draft course review & publication
If accredited, CPD Ireland automatically creates the authoritative course record as a Draft. Administration checks the approved title, provider, CPD hours, delivery, accreditation dates and register fields, then deliberately publishes the course.
6) Outputs & public record
After publication, the course appears in the CPD Register subject to the existing provider/publication rules. Accredited providers can access the available certificate, badge pack and approved descriptor and can issue digitally verifiable learner CPD completion certificates from the Provider Portal.
What you submit (course pack)
- Course details, outline / agenda and learning outcomes entered in the Portal (or supported by an uploaded document)
- Trainer(s) selected from your reusable Trainer Library
- Course content for substantive review — uploaded materials such as slides, handbook, workbook or facilitator guide, a secure video/LMS/hosted-course review link, or an appropriate combination
- Attendance / participation verification method entered in the Portal, with optional supporting evidence
- Assessment approach where applicable, with optional supporting evidence
- Learner evaluation method entered in the Portal, with optional supporting evidence
- Course version/date
Use what you already have: enter information directly where a file is not needed, reuse trainers and standard methods, import supported draft details from an existing public course page, or start a similar submission from an existing course. For video, LMS or hosted eLearning, secure review access can provide the substantive course-content evidence instead of a large video upload. AI suggestions are review-only and never submit or approve anything automatically. The Course Design Guide & Provider Toolkit gives practical examples and checklists.
What sits behind the badge
The public Accreditation Standard explains the ten areas every newly assessed course must demonstrate.
Relevance
Is the content appropriate for the audience and stated purpose?
Design
Is the structure clear, with resources that support learning?
Verification
Is there a credible method to verify participation and evaluate outcomes?
Each Standard is recorded as Meets Standard, Action Required or Does Not Meet Standard. Accreditation is not awarded while a Standard remains unresolved. Read the full Standard. If you are still designing or preparing the course, use the practical Guide to Creating an Accreditation-Ready Course and Provider Toolkit before you submit. Providers may use our Complaints & Appeals Policy if they believe a decision or process should be reviewed.
CPD Ireland accreditation confirms that a course has met CPD Ireland's review criteria. It does not constitute regulatory approval, a professional qualification, or a guarantee that a particular professional body, employer or regulator will accept the course or its CPD hours. Learners and providers should check any body-specific requirements that apply to them.
Your first step is evidence mapping, not needless rework.
We can start with your current accreditation documentation and course pack, then identify what is needed for an independent CPD Ireland decision.
Next step
Send us the basics and we’ll tell you exactly what the next step is.