Guidance

Register of end-point assessment organisations

How to find an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) for your apprentice and how to apply to join the EPAO register.

From:
Department for Education
Published
5 April 2018
Last updated
5 June 2023 — See all updates

This guidance was withdrawn on

The register of end-point assessment organisations is now part of the apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR).

There is information on joining APAR as an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) or on finding an EPAO.

Applies to England

Aligning application processes for DfE’s register of end-point assessment organisations and Ofqual recognition

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) published the response to its consultation on external quality assurance (EQA) on 4 August 2020.

In the consultation, DfE and Ofqual committed to aligning the processes for the DfE register of end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) and Ofqual recognition, to be more efficient and reduce the burden on EPAOs.

Since the consultation, DfE and Ofqual have worked together to simplify and reduce duplication between the 2 application processes.

DfE is launching the new process on 28 July 2022.

The new process

If your organisation wants to join the EPAO register or apply to add additional standards to a current register listing and Ofqual is the EQA provider, you must:

The EPA’s operational date on the Ofqual register must match the readiness date on your application to the EPAO register.

DfE will then review your application.

This will apply to both:

  • new organisations
  • Ofqual-regulated organisations that want to expand their scope of recognition to include new standards

Process to offer EPA where Ofqual is the EQA provider

  1. EPAO applies to Ofqual for recognition or expansion
  2. Ofqual reviews and approves the application
  3. EPAO adds its qualification to Ofqual register via the portal
  4. EPAO submits the application to the EPAO register through the DfE apprenticeship service
  5. DfE reviews the shorter application to the EPAO register
  6. DfE checks the EPAO qualification on the Ofqual register
  7. DfE approves the application and adds the listing to the EPAO register

Ofqual will update DfE on applications and approvals.

The process for higher education institutions and integrated degrees will not change.

What will change

Stage 1 of the application process for the EPAO register will not change.

Stage 2 of the application process for the EPAO register will remain but with fewer questions. This is because DfE will take assurance from Ofqual recognition in areas where there is currently duplication between the 2 application processes.

Questions that remain in stage 2 are operational and provide information that Ofqual does not need – for example, the organisation’s geographical coverage for the standard.

Ofqual’s application process and its criteria for recognition will not change.

EQA transition

Organisations currently on the EPAO register and in the process of applying for Ofqual recognition or expansion as part of the EQA transition programme will not have to reapply to the EPAO register through the new process for those standards in scope for transition.

If organisations want to deliver additional standards outside of the transition, where they’re not currently on the EPAO register, they’ll need to follow the new process.

New organisations that are applying to the EPAO register for standards that are either currently EQAd by Ofqual or in scope through the transition already need to gain Ofqual recognition before they apply to the EPAO register.

If you want to have your qualifications regulated, contact Ofqual.

Important information about the changes to external quality assurance

IfATE published the response to its consultation on external quality assurance (EQA) on 4 August 2020.

The consultation proposed a simplified and improved system for EQA of apprenticeship end-point assessment, with all EQA delivered by Ofqual, or the Office for Students for integrated degree apprenticeships, under a common EQA framework set by IfATE.

Having taken into account all the responses, and listened to feedback, IfATE has strengthened the proposal and is now proceeding with the changes.

Standards will transition to Ofqual in 2 main phases:

  • by the end of December 2021, all standards where IfATE is the EQA provider (phase 1)
  • by the end of December 2022, all standards where the EQA is currently provided by other external bodies will move to Ofqual (phase 2)

You can find out more about changes to EQA and a timetable of when standards will transfer to Ofqual.

Introduction to EPAOs

As well as containing information about training and assessment, all apprenticeship standards must contain an EPA. An independent organisation must be involved in the EPA of each apprentice so that all apprentices following the same standard are assessed consistently.

Only organisations on the EPAO register are eligible to conduct the independent EPA of apprentices. Although a number of different people and organisations may be involved in an apprentice’s EPA, only the independent organisation needs to apply to and be listed on the EPAO register.

How to find an EPAO

Employers can find an end-point assessment organisation for their apprentice.

Unless the assessment plan states otherwise, employers cannot select their apprentice’s training organisation to be the EPAO.

Training providers, prospective EPAOs and other organisations can use the [WITHDRAWN] Register of end-point assessment organisations (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 68.7 KB) to see lists of organisations that have been assessed as being suitable to conduct an independent EPA of apprentices and be in receipt of public funds.

The [WITHDRAWN] Register list of standards (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 62.7 KB) shows which organisations can provide assessment for specific standards.

IfATE has published a list of EQA providers for each apprenticeship standard.

Selecting an organisation that is not listed on the EPAO register

If you want to use an organisation that is not on the EPAO register, that organisation will need to apply and be listed against the apprenticeship standard before you can consider it.

Selecting an organisation when none are listed on the EPAO register against an apprenticeship standard

You will not be able to select an EPAO for your apprentice until at least one organisation is listed on the EPAO register for that apprenticeship standard.

Asking for more information about an organisation on the EPAO register

To help choose an EPAO, you can ask an organisation on the register for more information about the service it offers.

Find out more about the register of end-point assessment organisations.

How to apply to the EPAO register

Before you apply to the EPAO register, you can read:

To apply to become an EPAO, complete the online application in the apprenticeship assessment service.

You will need to:

  • answer all the questions and make a series of declarations
  • send your latest financial statements
  • send accompanying documentation, where asked

Applications will be prioritised for standards that have:

  • no EPAOs
  • low numbers of EPAOs compared to learners

Find an assessment opportunity

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has built a service to help potential and existing EPAOs understand the business opportunities for apprenticeship assessment.

You can:

  • browse lists of approved standards, standards in development and proposed standards
  • search for standards that you’re interested in
  • filter search results by region, sector or level

Help and support

For more support:

Opening hours are 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

Updates to this page

Published 5 April 2018
Last updated 5 June 2023 + show all updates

  1. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards' have been updated for June 2023.

  2. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards' have been updated for May 2023.

  3. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards' have been updated for April 2023.

  4. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards' updated for March 2023.

  5. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards' updated for February 2023.

  6. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards' updated for January 2023.

  7. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations (December 2022)' and 'Register list of standards (December 2022)' spreadsheets have been added.

  8. Updated the attachments 'Register list of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards'.

  9. Updated the attachments 'Register list of end-point assessment organisations' and 'Register list of standards'.

  10. 'Register of end-point assessment organisations (September 2022)' and 'Register list of standards (September 2022)' spreadsheets have been added.

  11. Added a section on 'Aligning application processes for DfE’s register of end-point assessment organisations and Ofqual recognition'.

  12. Updated Register List Of Standards doc and title July 2022 and updated Register List of organisations doc

  13. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for June 2022

  14. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for May 2022

  15. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for April 2022

  16. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for March 2022

  17. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for February 2022

  18. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for January 2022

  19. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for December 2021

  20. Changed the date to December 2022 for phase 2 of the external quality assurance transition.

  21. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for November 2021

  22. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for October 2021

  23. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for September 2021

  24. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for August 2021

  25. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for July 2021

  26. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for June 2021

  27. Updated information on the external quality assurance transition. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for May 2021.

  28. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for April 2021

  29. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for March 2021

  30. Updated information on the register of end-point assessment organisations and finding an end-point assessment organisation.

  31. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for February 2021

  32. We have updated the list of approved apprenticeship standards and the list of registered apprenticeship training providers.

  33. Updated the list of approved apprenticeship standards and the list of registered apprenticeship training providers.

  34. Updated the list of approved apprenticeship standards and the list of registered apprenticeship training providers.

  35. Updated the list of standards being assessed by Ofqual from November 2020. Added more detail about the transition arrangements for Ofqual taking on the assessment of standards between now and July 2022.

  36. Updated the register of EPAOs and approved standards for October 2020

  37. Updated to include details of standards that need to be quality assured by Ofqual from November 2020.

  38. Updated the registers for end-point assessment organisations and apprenticeship standards.

  39. Updated to prioritise applications where there are currently no EPAOs or low numbers of EPAOs relative to learner numbers.

  40. Response from The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education on its consultation on external quality assurance

  41. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (July 2020) and the list of standards.

  42. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (June 2020) and the list of standards.

  43. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (June 2020) and the list of standards.

  44. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (May 2020) and the list of standards.

  45. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (May 2020) and the list of standards.

  46. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (April 2020) and the list of standards.

  47. Updated information relating to application processing times.

  48. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (March 2020) and the list of standards.

  49. Update to the Conditions for being on the register of end-point assessment organisations.

  50. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (February 2020) and the list of standards.

  51. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (January 2020) and the list of standards.

  52. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (December 2019) and the list of standards.

  53. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (November 2019) and the list of standards.

  54. Update to include Find an assessment opportunity

  55. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (October 2019) and the list of standards.

  56. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (September 2019) and the list of standards.

  57. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (July 2019) and the list of standards.

  58. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (July 2019) and the list of standards.

  59. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (June 2019) and the list of standards.

  60. We have updated the latest Register and standards lists.

  61. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations (April 2019) and the list of standards.

  62. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance and the list of apprentice standards (March 2019).

  63. We have updated the Register of end-point assessment organisations (February 2019) and list of standards.

  64. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations and the list of standards.

  65. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance and the list of apprentice standards (February 2019).

  66. We have updated the list of apprentice standards.

  67. We have updated the list of standards and the Register of end-point assessment organisations.

  68. We've updated the list of apprentice standards and the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance.

  69. We have updated the register of end-point assessment organisations, the list of standards and the list of apprentice standards.

  70. Updated the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations.

  71. We've updated the Register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance and the list of apprentice standards.

  72. Updated the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations

  73. Updated the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance; the list of apprentice standards; the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations

  74. Updated the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations

  75. Updated the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance and the list of apprentice standards

  76. Updated the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations

  77. Updated the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance and the list of apprentice standards

  78. Updated the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations

  79. Updated the register list of standards and register of end-point assessment organisations

  80. Published updated version of register of end-point assessment organisations (July 2018), list of standards and the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance.

  81. Published updated version of register of end-point assessment organisations (June 2018), list of standards and the register of end-point assessment organisations: pre-application guidance.

  82. Updated register of end-point assessment organisations and updated list of standards we are inviting applications for.

  83. First published.

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