Established MMXIV · Registered in the Republic of Singapore Council Session 2025/26 · In operation
SELTQAC Singapore ELT Quality Assurance Council
Accreditation · Standards · Oversight Established MMXIV

Upholding standards in English Language Teaching worldwide.

The Singapore ELT Quality Assurance Council is an independent accreditation authority that sets, monitors and enforces institutional and programme standards for English Language Teaching providers across six continents. The Council publishes a public register of accredited institutions and issues determinations on compliance, provisional status and suspensions.

38+
Institutions on the Register
37
Jurisdictions served
XI
Years in operation
3rd
Edition of the Standards Framework
Council Functions

The four pillars of Council activity.

SELTQAC operates across four interrelated functions. Each is governed by published procedure and subject to the Council's Quality Standards framework and external review.

I

Accreditation

Formal determination of institutional and programme compliance against the Council's published Quality Standards.

View Standards
II

Standards

Development and periodic revision of the quality framework governing teaching, assessment, delivery and compliance.

Framework
III

Public Register

The definitive list of accredited institutions, including programmes, jurisdictions, validity and current status.

View Register
IV

Oversight

Monitoring, investigation and enforcement — including provisional status, conditions of accreditation and suspension.

About the Council
Council Statement
Accreditation is neither endorsement nor award. It is the Council's formal determination, against published standards, that an institution is fit to deliver English language teaching of consistent and verifiable quality. Dr. Lillian Chua Mei Ling Chair of the Council · 2024 Annual Report
Council Notices

Recent determinations and public communications.

The Council publishes determinations and administrative notices as they are issued. Historical notices are retained for the duration of the relevant accreditation cycle.

11 February 2025Determination

Accreditation of Hanoi Language Institute suspended pending review

Following a scheduled compliance audit, the Council has suspended the accreditation of Hanoi Language Institute. A full determination will be issued in the next review cycle.

SELTQAC/N/25-007
22 January 2025Policy

Revisions to Trainer Qualification Standard (Section II) — public consultation

The Council invites written comment from accredited providers and professional bodies on proposed amendments to minimum trainer qualifications for programmes above CEFR B2.

SELTQAC/N/25-003
04 December 2024Administrative

Annual accreditation cycle opens for 2025 applicants

Institutions seeking initial or renewed accreditation should note the published schedule of review panels for the 2025 cycle. Correspondence should be directed to the Secretariat.

SELTQAC/N/24-041
18 November 2024Determination

Four institutions granted renewed accreditation

The Council has renewed the accreditation of Pacific Rim Language Institute, Melbourne ELT Partners, Auckland English Academy and Prime Global 360. Full entries appear in the Providers Register.

SELTQAC/N/24-038

On the role of accreditation.

A note from the Secretariat

The Council exists to support, and where necessary to challenge, the institutions it accredits. Its work is procedural rather than promotional: published standards, transparent determinations and a public register that can be consulted by students, employers, ministries and partner institutions without registration, payment or administrative barrier.

The Register is the canonical record of accreditation status in the jurisdictions the Council serves. Any institution not listed is not accredited by SELTQAC, regardless of claims to the contrary. Certificate holders and employers seeking confirmation of a specific accreditation determination should address enquiries to the Secretariat by email.

The Council does not issue teaching qualifications, deliver courses or endorse commercial products.

About the Council Charter 2014

An independent authority for English language teaching standards.

SELTQAC is constituted as an independent body under the laws of Singapore and operates on the basis of its published Charter, Quality Standards Framework and Procedural Handbook. The Council serves the public interest in the quality of English Language Teaching worldwide.

Mandate.

§ 01 — Purpose

The Singapore ELT Quality Assurance Council was established in 2014 to provide a rigorous, independent and transparent accreditation framework for institutions delivering English Language Teaching. The Council now serves providers on six continents, with particular strength across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The Council's mandate is confined to three activities: the formulation and publication of quality standards; the determination of institutional and programme accreditation against those standards; and the maintenance of a public register of accredited institutions. The Council does not deliver training, award qualifications to individuals, or engage in commercial activity.

The Council operates in the public interest. Its determinations are binding only upon the institutions subject to them, but are published in full so that students, employers, ministries of education and partner institutions may rely upon them.

Governance

Council and Secretariat.

The Council is composed of nine members appointed in their personal capacity for renewable three-year terms. Members are drawn from academic linguistics, teacher education, regulatory practice and institutional leadership across the region. The Secretariat administers the Council's activities on a day-to-day basis.

Chair of the Council

Dr. Lillian Chua Mei Ling

PhD Applied Linguistics (NUS) · Former Director of Language Policy, MOE Singapore

Deputy Chair

Prof. Ananda Rajapaksa

Chair in TESOL Pedagogy · University of Melbourne (Emeritus)

Chair, Standards Committee

Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka

EdD Curriculum Studies · Sophia University, Tokyo

Chair, Review Panel

Ms. Priya Venkatesh

MA Applied Linguistics (Edinburgh) · Former EL Inspector, Republic of Singapore

Council Member

Dr. Margaret O'Connor

PhD Language Assessment · Former Chief Examiner, Cambridge Assessment English

Council Member

Prof. Kim Seung-hyun

Professor of Second Language Acquisition · Seoul National University

Council Member

Dr. Aminah Mohd Nasir

PhD Teacher Education · Universiti Malaya

Lay Member

Mr. James Whitmore

Former Regulatory Counsel · Regulatory and public interest oversight

Secretariat · Registrar

Ms. Evelyn Tan

Registrar and Head of Secretariat · Administrative and procedural matters

Scope of activity.

§ 02 — Jurisdiction and remit

The Council considers applications for accreditation from institutions delivering English language teaching in any jurisdiction. Applications are assessed against the same published standards regardless of geography; determinations are made on their merits, by the same Review Panels, to the same framework.

Accreditation is available at three levels:

  • Institutional accreditation — formal determination of an institution's overall fitness to deliver ELT programmes.
  • Programme accreditation — formal determination against standards specific to named courses or qualifications.
  • Provisional accreditation — a conditional status granted for a defined period, pending a full review.

An accredited institution is subject to continuous conditions of accreditation, a scheduled mid-cycle review at eighteen months, and a full renewal review at the end of each accreditation cycle.

Principles

Principles of operation.

The Council's work is conducted in accordance with six principles, applied to every determination and published alongside the Standards Framework.

I.

Independence

The Council is not a commercial entity, a membership body or an instrument of any government. Its determinations are made on their merits, against published standards.

II.

Transparency

Standards, procedures and determinations are published in full. The Providers Register is publicly accessible without registration, payment or administrative barrier.

III.

Procedural fairness

Institutions subject to a determination are entitled to written reasons, a right of response, and access to the Council's Review Panel in accordance with the Procedural Handbook.

IV.

Public interest

The Council serves students, employers and partner institutions. Its outputs are designed to be relied upon by those who have no access to the internal operation of an ELT institution.

V.

Proportionality

Conditions of accreditation, provisional status and suspensions are calibrated to the nature and gravity of non-compliance, with a presumption in favour of remediation where appropriate.

VI.

Continuous review

The Standards Framework is revised on a five-year cycle, informed by consultation with accredited providers, the profession and the Council's Standards Committee.

Charter Extract Article 3, §3.1
The Council shall at all times discharge its functions independently of any commercial, membership or governmental interest, and shall act solely in pursuit of the public interest in the quality of English language teaching within the jurisdictions it serves. SELTQAC Charter (2014, as amended 2022) Article 3 — Independence of the Council
Quality Standards Framework Edition III

Accreditation standards for English language teaching institutions.

The Standards Framework is divided into five substantive sections. Each institution applying for accreditation is assessed against all five sections by a Review Panel constituted for the purpose.

Framework overview.

The SELTQAC Quality Standards Framework sets the minimum requirements that an institution must satisfy to be accredited, together with the criteria used by the Council's Review Panels in reaching their determinations. The Framework is binding upon accredited institutions for the duration of their accreditation cycle, and is not prescriptive as to method — institutions remain responsible for the design and delivery of their programmes.

I
Section I

Teaching Quality Requirements

Standards governing the planning, conduct and outcomes of classroom teaching across all accredited programmes.

  • 1.1 · Lesson planning and coherenceEvery taught lesson must be supported by a written lesson plan identifying learning outcomes, target language or skill, procedures and assessment.
  • 1.2 · Learner-centred methodologyTeaching must provide sustained opportunity for meaningful language production, with teacher-talk calibrated to the level of the learners.
  • 1.3 · DifferentiationInstruction must be differentiated to accommodate the range of ability and prior learning within a class, with evidence available on request.
  • 1.4 · Feedback and correctionOral and written corrective feedback must be timely, criterion-referenced and documented in learner records.
  • 1.5 · Observation and reviewTeaching must be subject to a documented cycle of peer and supervisory observation, with at least two observations per teacher per accreditation year.
II
Section II

Trainer Qualifications

Minimum academic and professional qualifications required of persons delivering ELT programmes.

  • 2.1 · Minimum academic qualificationTeaching staff must hold a recognised undergraduate degree, or an equivalent qualification determined by the Council in accordance with the Recognition Protocol.
  • 2.2 · Minimum teaching qualificationTeaching staff must hold a substantive ELT qualification (CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, or a qualification recognised as equivalent) of not fewer than 120 contact hours including supervised teaching practice.
  • 2.3 · Qualifications for programmes above CEFR B2Staff delivering programmes above CEFR B2 must hold a Diploma-level qualification (DELTA, Trinity DipTESOL, MA TESOL or equivalent) or be engaged in a documented pathway to such a qualification.
  • 2.4 · Teacher trainersPersons delivering teacher training programmes must hold a Diploma-level qualification, not fewer than three years of post-qualification experience, and a documented record of teacher training practice.
  • 2.5 · Continuing professional developmentInstitutions must maintain an active CPD programme. Each teaching staff member must complete not fewer than twenty documented hours of CPD per accreditation year.
III
Section III

Course Delivery Standards

Standards governing the structure, resourcing and operational delivery of accredited programmes.

  • 3.1 · Course documentationEvery accredited programme must be supported by a published syllabus identifying level, contact hours, objectives, assessment arrangements and exit criteria.
  • 3.2 · Minimum contact hoursCourses must not be advertised or delivered for fewer contact hours than those required for the claimed outcome. Contact hours must be verifiable from attendance records.
  • 3.3 · Class sizeClass size must not exceed limits consistent with effective language teaching. The Council applies an indicative maximum of eighteen learners for general English and twelve for examination preparation.
  • 3.4 · Resources and learning environmentClassrooms must be fit for purpose, with appropriate physical and digital resources, accessibility provision and evidence of a safe learning environment.
  • 3.5 · Online and hybrid deliveryInstitutions offering online or hybrid delivery must demonstrate pedagogical equivalence with face-to-face provision, supported by documented policies on synchronous and asynchronous learning, digital safeguarding and technical support.
IV
Section IV

Assessment Requirements

Standards governing the design, administration and moderation of assessment within accredited programmes.

  • 4.1 · Alignment with learning outcomesAssessment instruments must be demonstrably aligned with published course outcomes and, where applicable, with an external proficiency framework such as the CEFR.
  • 4.2 · Validity and reliabilityInstitutions must maintain written policies addressing the validity, reliability and fairness of assessment, including arrangements for anonymous marking and double-marking where appropriate.
  • 4.3 · Internal moderationAll summative assessment must be subject to internal moderation by a qualified second assessor. Moderation records must be retained for a minimum of five years.
  • 4.4 · External verificationProgrammes leading to a qualification carrying the institution's name must be subject to external verification in accordance with the Council's Verification Protocol.
  • 4.5 · Academic integrityInstitutions must maintain and enforce published policies on academic integrity, including plagiarism, collusion and the misuse of generative tools.
V
Section V

Compliance Expectations

Ongoing obligations of accredited institutions and procedures governing non-compliance.

  • 5.1 · Conditions of accreditationAll accredited institutions are subject to the Standard Conditions of Accreditation and any additional conditions specified in the relevant determination.
  • 5.2 · Use of accredited statusReferences to SELTQAC accreditation in published material must be accurate, current and specific to the accredited programmes. Misrepresentation of accredited status is a ground for suspension.
  • 5.3 · Notification of material changeInstitutions must notify the Council in writing of any material change to ownership, governance, premises or the content of an accredited programme within thirty days of the change taking effect.
  • 5.4 · Records retentionInstitutions must retain learner records, teaching records, assessment records and moderation records for a minimum of five years, and produce them upon reasonable request by the Council.
  • 5.5 · Complaints and disclosureInstitutions must maintain a published complaints procedure accessible to learners and must disclose to the Council, without delay, any complaint or proceeding that bears materially on their accreditation.
  • 5.6 · Annual compliance returnEach accredited institution must file an annual compliance return, in the form prescribed by the Secretariat, by 31 March in each year.
Procedural Note Determinations and outcomes
The Council's Review Panels reach one of four determinations at the conclusion of each review: Accreditation granted, Provisional accreditation, Accreditation with conditions, or Accreditation not granted. The current status of every institution subject to a determination is reflected in the Providers Register without delay. SELTQAC Procedural Handbook Chapter 4 — Determinations
Public Register Updated 14 April 2026

Accredited Providers Register.

The definitive, public record of all institutions accredited by the Council. Updated as determinations are issued. No institution not listed below is accredited by SELTQAC — verification by email on request.

12
Fully Accredited
2
Provisional
1
Under Review
1
Suspended
Displaying all institutions. Last updated · 14 April 2026
Institution Jurisdiction Status Accredited Programmes Validity
Status Key
Accredited

Full accreditation granted against the Quality Standards Framework for the stated programmes and validity period.

Provisional

Conditional accreditation granted for a defined period pending a full review. Conditions apply.

Under Review

Institution is currently subject to a Council review. No determination has yet been issued.

Suspended

Accreditation has been suspended. The institution is not accredited for the purposes of the Register until further determination.

Contact the Secretariat

Write to the Council.

contact@seltqac.com

Institutional correspondence, applications for accreditation, verification requests from certificate holders and employers, and all general enquiries are directed to this address. The Secretariat routes each enquiry internally.

Office of the Secretariat.

Correspondence Address
SELTQAC Secretariat
Raffles Place
Singapore 048620 Correspondence should be addressed to the Registrar. The Secretariat administers all communications with the Council, including accreditation applications, verification enquiries and institutional matters.
Office Hours
Monday to Friday
09:00 – 17:30 SGT Closed on gazetted public holidays of the Republic of Singapore. Written enquiries received outside office hours are actioned the following working day.
Response Times
Acknowledgement within three working days Substantive responses are ordinarily issued within ten working days. Verification requests concerning the status of an accredited institution are answered within five working days.
Scope of Correspondence
Governance, standards, determinations and the public record The Secretariat cannot offer guidance on individual examination results, course content, or assessment outcomes. Such enquiries should be directed to the institution concerned.
Written Enquiry

Submit an enquiry in writing.

Complete the fields below. Submissions are delivered to the Secretariat at contact@seltqac.com.

Your enquiry has been recorded. The Secretariat will be in contact shortly. An acknowledgement will be issued to the email address provided.
By submitting this form you consent to the Secretariat contacting you in relation to this enquiry. Correspondence is retained in accordance with the Council's records policy.