QQI, the state agency responsible for the external quality assurance of tertiary education and training in Ireland, has announced the first group of ELE providers to be awarded the TrustEd Ireland statutory quality mark.
For the ELE sector, the scheme establishes for the first time a formal engagement with QQI and a requirement to implement statutory quality assurance and regulation measures, a significant development for the sector.
“International students coming to Ireland should have confidence in the quality of the education and supports they will receive,” said James Lawless, minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science.
He added that Ireland has “built a strong international reputation for education, and the authorisation of the first providers under the TrustEd Ireland quality mark is an important step in strengthening and protecting that reputation”.
“For the first time, authorised English language education providers will operate within a clear regulatory framework, helping to enhance quality, transparency and accountability across the sector and providing greater assurance for students choosing Ireland as their study destination,” the minister continued.
According to QQI, the TrustEd Ireland mark represents a “clear indicator of quality assured education provision which will help international learners make informed decisions when coming to study in Ireland by identifying providers that meet rigorous quality standards”.
In addition to setting educational standards, TrustEd Ireland is underpinned by a Learner Protection Fund which will be managed by QQI.
“The fund provides both academic and financial bonding ensuring that arrangements will be made to allow learners to complete their studies with another provider or, where this is not possible, receive a refund of some or all of the most recently paid fees depending on the circumstances,” said QQI in a statement.
It added that private higher education and English language education providers that are authorised under TrustEd Ireland will be required to contribute to the Learner Protection Fund.
Commenting on the announcement, Lynn Ramsey, CEO of QQI said: “The TrustEd Ireland scheme establishes robust national standards for higher education and English language education providers and positions Ireland as a global leader in quality assured international education.”
She said that the announcement “marks a new era of quality oversight and regulation for the English language education sector in Ireland, with the establishment of formal, statutory engagement with QQI.”
“Under the scheme, QQI has a statutory monitoring responsibility to ensure providers adhere to the agreed code of practice, ultimately ensuring that the rights of learners are protected during their time studying in Ireland.”
Lynn Ramsey, CEO of QQI
“Under the scheme, QQI has a statutory monitoring responsibility to ensure providers adhere to the agreed code of practice, ultimately ensuring that the rights of learners are protected during their time studying in Ireland,” she added.
Speaking to The PIE News, English Education Ireland’s CEO Lorcan O’Connor Loyd said his organisation welcomes today’s announcement.
“Getting the first providers authorised under TrustEd Ireland is a real milestone for the sector and a strong signal of Ireland’s commitment to quality assurance for international learners. Our members have put significant work into meeting the new standards, and it’s good to see that recognised,” said Lloyd, whose organisation and members had previously boycotted the accreditation scheme, pointing to concerns around the framework’s fee structure and emergency student protection fund.
“Some important questions remain open. There’s still uncertainty for providers around Protection of Enrolled Learners arrangements under the new scheme,” explained Lloyd.
“We have real concerns about the cost burden the scheme places on ELE providers. Universities are exempt from this funding requirement, which creates an uneven playing field for the private education sector. No education provider is currently paying into the TrustEd Learner Protection fund, so the practical financial impact hasn’t been tested yet.”
To obtain TrustEd Ireland authorisation, ELE providers must undergo a thorough due diligence assessment, which examines areas such as financial and legal structures and business plans to establish the capacity and capability of private education providers to deliver quality assured education programs.
Under the scheme, providers must also have quality assurance procedures that are approved by QQI and demonstrate compliance with an associated Code of Practice.
The Code includes key criteria to protect the experience of international learners from pre-enrolment through to the conclusion of their program.
ELE providers are required to undergo a site inspection as part of their assessment for compliance with the Code of Practice.
Once authorised under the scheme providers and eligible programs will be published on a new TrustEd Ireland Authorised Providers: List of Eligible Programmes (Higher Education, Foundation and English language education programs).
This new list, which is managed by QQI, will supersede the current non-statutory Interim List of Eligible Programs (ILEP), which providers’ programs must be listed on to recruit non-EU/EEA/Swiss learners.
The new TrustEd Ireland list will identify those programs that comply with immigration requirements to enable Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs & Migration to determine applications for study visas and immigration permissions for study purposes.
“In January 2026, a first group of 28 higher education institutions were awarded the TrustEd Ireland quality mark. Further applications from ELE providers and further HE providers are currently being reviewed by QQI with authorisation decision outcomes expected in Q4 2026,” QQI’s statement read.
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