UK English school accreditation: how to check English UK, BAC and GOV.UK lists

GOV.UK Short-term study visa pages require an accredited UK institution. Standard Visitor study also requires an accredited institution that is not an academy or state-funded school. Accreditation is an immigration condition, not a marketing badge. Border officers can ask for the offer letter and the accreditor name.

GOV.UK lists Accreditation Service for International Colleges, Accreditation UK, British Accreditation Council, Education and Training Inspectorate in Northern Ireland, Estyn in Wales, Education Scotland, Independent Schools Inspectorate, Ofsted, Office for Students, and the Quality Assurance Agency. A student sponsor licence is another valid route. Check the school's name on the accreditor's register, not on Google ads.

Open the GOV.UK Short-term study 'Your course' page and copy the accreditor list. Ask the language school which body inspects it. Search that body's public register for the legal school name. Match the campus city to the register entry. If the names differ, stop. Ask for the last inspection date in writing.

Cape Town schools should cite English South Africa, EAQUALS, IALC, or a university language centre. EnglishHubSA lists accreditation badges as the school publishes them for Avenue English, Good Hope Studies, International House Cape Town, UCT English Language Centre, EC Cape Town, Cape Town School of English, and LAL Cape Town. After the quality check, compare a 12-week invoice with the UK quote. Cape Town often wins on price. The UK still wins on short-haul from Europe.