Conformance tiers
The framework is free to use. The claim that you conform to it is not free of conditions. This page states what each tier permits you to say, in words that may not be paraphrased, and what it forbids.
No tier on this page is a statement about quality
A verified mapping says the map is accurate: the statements named are the statements taught and assessed. It says nothing whatever about teaching quality, assessment rigour, learner outcomes, or whether the credential is worth its price.
A provider who writes “quality assured by” or “accredited by” on the strength of any tier below is misusing the mark, and the listing is withdrawn.
What each tier permits, and what it forbids
Self-declared alignment
That the organisation has published a coverage map at a public address and declared it against a named framework version.
No review · no fee · listed within 2 working days · removable on request
Stating that a course aligns with named framework statements, with the version cited.
Reproducing statement text and identifiers under the licence.
Using the wordmark in the required claim wording only.
The seal. Tier 0 carries no seal.
The words verified, reviewed, approved, accredited or quality assured, in any language.
Implying the listing followed any check by us.
Verified mapping
That a reviewer has checked the coverage map against the course or credential material and found the mapping accurate at the date shown.
Desk review · cost-recovery fee · 6–8 weeks · valid 2 years or until the credential version changes
Stating that the coverage map is verified, in the required wording.
The Tier I seal, subject to the trademark policy.
Listing in the register with the verified map published in full.
Any claim about assessment rigour — Tier I does not examine assessment.
Extending the claim to other courses from the same provider.
Continuing to claim verification after the assessed content changes.
Verified credential
That the coverage map is accurate and that the assessment instruments, pass mark and standard-setting record were examined and found sufficient for the level claimed.
Document review plus sampling of live assessment material · cost-recovery fee · 10–14 weeks · valid 2 years
Stating that the credential is listed at Tier II, in the required wording.
The Tier II seal, subject to the trademark policy.
Naming the assessed statements and the assessed proportion in marketing.
The words accredited, approved or endorsed. Tier II is verification, not accreditation.
Implying a learner outcome or employment outcome.
Using the listing to market an unlisted sibling credential.
Accredited awarding body
That the organisation itself was reviewed — governance, examiner competence, standard-setting practice, appeals and consistency across its credential portfolio — and found sufficient at the date shown.
Open since 30.08.2026 · applications taken in order received
Stating that the organisation is accredited at Tier III, in the required wording.
The Tier III seal, subject to the trademark policy.
Naming the credential portfolio covered by the review and the version it was reviewed against.
Any claim of Tier III status by an organisation not listed at Tier III on the register.
Describing an application as provisional, pending or approved in principle. No such status exists.
Extending the accreditation to a credential outside the portfolio reviewed.
Any use of accreditation language on the strength of Tier I or Tier II.
Tier III is open, and one organisation is listed
Tier III is defined above and its requirements are settled. It opened on 30.08.2026. Review capacity is the binding constraint, not demand: applications are taken in the order received and the queue is published rather than absorbed silently.
IBAIC Inc. is listed at Tier III against version 1.29 following organisation-level review. No provisional or pending status exists: an organisation either holds the tier on the register or it does not, and the register is the only place to check.
Decided 30.08.2026 · recorded at notice 2026-004
Copy the wording for your tier
Use the wording verbatim. You may set it in your own typeface and place it where you like, including in small print, but the words do not change and the version reference is not optional.
This course states that it aligns with the AI Competence Framework. The alignment is declared by the provider and has not been reviewed by AI Certification Standards.
The coverage map for this credential has been verified against the AI Competence Framework by AI Certification Standards. Verification confirms the accuracy of the mapping only. It is not an assessment of teaching quality or assessment rigour.
This credential is listed at Tier II against the AI Competence Framework. Its coverage map and assessment methods have been reviewed by AI Certification Standards. The review confirms that the stated statements are assessed by the stated methods. It is not an endorsement of the credential or of its provider.
This organisation is accredited at Tier III against the AI Competence Framework. Its governance, examiner competence, standard setting, appeals and credential portfolio have been reviewed by AI Certification Standards. Accreditation applies to the organisation and the portfolio reviewed, not to any individual course, and the register entry states its date and scope.
What review costs, and why
Using the framework is free at every tier. Reviewed tiers carry a cost-recovery fee for reviewer time only: we do not price by organisation size, credential volume or ability to pay, and we do not take a share of credential revenue.
| Tier | Basis | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 0 | No review | None |
| Tier I | Desk review of the coverage map, cost-recovery | Published rate |
| Tier II | Document review plus assessment sampling, cost-recovery | Published rate |
| Tier III | Organisation-level review, cost-recovery | Published rate |
How a listing ends
A listing expires on its stated date. It is not renewed automatically; the register shows it as lapsed with the date.
If the assessed content changes, the holder must tell us within 20 working days. The listing is suspended until the map is re-verified.
Anyone may report a listing they believe is inaccurate. The holder is told what was alleged and by what evidence, though not necessarily by whom.
The holder responds. Most cases end here, with a corrected map or corrected marketing.
The listing is withdrawn with a published reason. Seal use must stop within 10 working days.
Appeals are heard by three people who took no part in the decision, at least one external.
Decisions involving anyone connected to us
Some applicants will be organisations our board members, reviewers or funders are connected to. What is avoidable is deciding those applications quietly.
Anyone with a connection to an applicant declares it before the application is allocated, not after a decision is questioned.
A declared party takes no part in the review, the decision, or the discussion of it, and does not see the reviewer's notes.
Related-party applications are reviewed by an external reviewer with no connection to us, and the reviewer is named in the decision record.
Every recusal is published at notices with the name, the application and the nature of the connection, whatever the outcome.
Apply for a tier
Eligibility, what to submit, timescales, what is published on decision and the fee, per tier. Tier 0 self-listing is a short unreviewed form and takes about ten minutes.