Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Recognition of Overseas Qualifications (Charges) Regulations 2024.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 4th October 2024.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“ database” means a collection of information including the comparison of UK qualifications with overseas qualifications;

“ overseas qualification” means a qualification issued by a body that is based outside the United Kingdom;

“ qualification” means any record, issued by a body whose ordinary activities include the issuing of such records, of having attained a particular standard following a course of study or training;

“ qualification reference statement” means a statement providing information about an individual’s UK qualification;

“ qualification reference statement bundle service” means services including, but not limited to, the provision of a specified number of qualification reference statements;

“ refugee” has the meaning given by the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on 28 July 1951 and its Protocol;

“ refugee bundle service” means services including, but not limited to, the provision of a specified number of statements of comparability, with each statement processed on an expedited basis;

“ refugee organisation” means an organisation, including any body corporate or unincorporated association and any combination of persons, that, as part of or all of its service, provides help or information to refugees;

“ standard bundle service” means services including, but not limited to, the provision of a specified number of statements of comparability, with each statement processed on an expedited basis;

“ statement of comparability” means a statement comparing an individual’s overseas qualification to a UK qualification or level of UK qualification;

“ subscription package” means the provision of a range of services for a period of 12 months including, but not limited to, access to a database;

“ UK qualification” means a qualification issued by a body that is based in the United Kingdom.

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations, a body is based—

(a) where its registered office is,

(b) if it does not have a registered office, where its head office is, or

(c) if it does not have a registered office or a head office, where its principal place of operation is.

Charges for statements

3.  Schedule 1 specifies the charges for an application for—

(a) a statement of comparability, and

(b) a qualification reference statement.

Charges for a bundle service

4.  Schedule 2 specifies the charges for—

(a) a standard bundle service,

(b) a refugee bundle service, and

(c) a qualification reference statement bundle service.

Charges for a subscription package

5.  Schedule 3 specifies the charges for a subscription package.

Charges for an ancillary service

6.  Schedule 4 specifies the charges for an ancillary service.

Payment of charges

7.  Any charge for any service provided under these Regulations is payable—

(a) to the organisation providing that service on behalf of the Secretary of State, and

(b) at the time that the application is submitted.

Schedules

Regulation 3

Schedule 1 Charges for statements

1.  

2.  In this Schedule—

“ priority service” means an optional service including but not limited to—

“ super priority service” means an optional service including but not limited to—

Regulation 4

Schedule 2 Charges for a bundle service

Regulation 5

Schedule 3 Charges for a subscription package

Regulation 6

Schedule 4 Charges for an ancillary service

1.  

2.  In this Schedule—

“ certified translation” means a translation certified to be a correct translation;

“ relevant international agreement” means—

“ subscriber”means a person who receives a subscription package under an agreement between the person and the provider of the service.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations set out the charges payable in connection with services regarding the recognition of qualifications provided in pursuance of international obligations.

Regulations 3 to 6 introduce the applications and services for which charges may be charged. Regulation 7 states the payment arrangements. The Schedules summarise each application or service and state the corresponding charge.

The international obligations are set out in two international agreements, namely: the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education, signed by the United Kingdom at Paris on 25 November 2019 (Cmnd. 497. United Nations Treaty Series, registration number 57727), and the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, signed by the United Kingdom on 7 November 1997 (Cmnd. 5577. United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 2136, p. 3).

A copy of the two international agreements that were in force immediately before these Regulations come into force is published alongside these Regulations and copies can be obtained on request from the Department for Education, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private sector, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.