University Accreditation Services: Institution and Programme
SAC is opening with Higher Education. The K-12 and Vocational & Technical frameworks will follow once their standards are approved.
Choose the Scope That Fits Your Goals
University accreditation with SAC can cover the whole institution or a single programme. Each scope is a separate application with its own review, decision, certificate and renewal date, so you can start with the one that suits your goals and readiness and add the other later.
Institutional accreditation
A review of the whole institution: governance, strategy, resources and quality systems. Suited to institutions that want a baseline across all faculties, or whose partners and funders ask about the institution as a whole.
Programme accreditation
A review of a single degree or programme: its design, learning outcomes, teaching and results. Suited to a flagship programme, or to an institution that is not yet ready for a whole-institution review.
University & HEI Accreditation
Institutional and programme accreditation for universities, university colleges and higher education institutions worldwide, including private universities. The framework draws on the Swedish quality-assurance tradition. Institution-level and programme-level accreditation are separate applications, each with its own review, decision, certificate and renewal date.
Timeline
3–6 months from application to certificate
Validity
4-year accreditation with annual monitoring
What We Evaluate
- Institutional Governance & Strategy
- Programme Design & Learning Outcomes
- Research Environment & Output
- Faculty Qualifications & Development
- Student Admission & Support Services
- Quality Assurance Processes
- Internationalization & Partnerships
- Graduate Employability & Impact
K-12 School Accreditation
Accreditation for primary, middle and secondary schools. The K-12 standards, evidence requirements and self-evaluation forms are being developed and will be published once formally approved.
Timeline
To be announced
Validity
To be announced
Standards under development
The quality domains for this framework will be published here once they have been formally approved.
Vocational & Technical Education
Quality assurance and accreditation for TVET institutions and professional education providers. Corporate training providers and non-profit education providers will be able to apply under this framework where their activity fits. It is being developed and will open once its standards are approved.
Timeline
To be announced
Validity
To be announced
Standards under development
The quality domains for this framework will be published here once they have been formally approved.
Who Is Higher Education Accreditation For?
SAC accredits universities, university colleges and other higher education institutions in any country, public or private, and individual programmes within them. To apply, an institution needs a valid licence or authorisation from the competent authority in its country, at least two academic years of operation, a named focal contact point, and adequate governance, learner records and evidence. There is no minimum student number.
Accreditation is a quality review. It sits alongside the authorisation an institution needs in order to operate, and it does not replace it. If you are weighing up whether to apply, the guide to accreditation, licensing and recognition explains how the concepts differ.
What a SAC Higher Education Review Includes
Whichever scope you choose, the review follows the same transparent seven-step process, from eligibility to certificate, with a target of 3–6 months.
- A structured self-evaluation across the eight Higher Education quality domains
- Evidence submission and an administrative completeness check before review begins
- Independent review by a panel of three trained assessors, each scoring every domain with a written comment
- A site visit of two to three days to validate evidence and meet leadership, staff and students
- A decision by a separate Accreditation Decision Committee
- A written report with domain-by-domain findings and recommendations
The outcome is one of three: Accredited, Conditionally Accredited, Not Accredited. See every stage and its indicative timing in the accreditation process steps, or check university accreditation requirements to see whether your institution can apply.
After Accreditation: Certificate, Monitoring, Support
Certificate
A certificate valid for four years, stating exactly what was accredited: the institution or a specific programme.
Annual monitoring
A proportionate yearly progress review, not a re-accreditation, with reminders before deadlines.
Improvement support
Written recommendations help institutions keep improving. Renewal is risk-based and focuses on what has changed.
Fees depend on the type and scope of accreditation. Please contact the Swedish Accreditation Center for current fee information, or read the accreditation FAQ.
Understand your options
What is accreditation in higher education?
A plain-language definition, why it matters and how a review works.
Read moreInstitutional vs programme accreditation
What each one covers and how to decide which you need.
Read moreUniversity accreditation requirements
Eligibility rules and the evidence an application usually needs.
Read moreHow to write a self-evaluation report
The eight Higher Education domains, a step-by-step method and common mistakes.
Read moreAbout SAC and how decisions are made
Independence, governance, conflicts of interest and appeals.
Read moreAccreditation FAQ
Impartiality, the review itself, timelines, outcomes and appeals.
Read moreNot Sure Which Scope or Framework Applies?
Contact our team and we'll help you identify the right accreditation track and scope for your institution.
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