Centre approval

The first step to offering OCR qualifications is becoming an approved centre. All centres must abide by the OCR terms of business.

For vocational qualifications, including Functional Skills, you need to obtain approval for each qualification. For this, you’ll need to complete the vocational centre approval form. 

For Level 1 or Level 2 Functional Skills external tests (paper-based or on-screen) you need to follow the OCR Instructions for conducting examinations.

Please read the following guidance before applying for centre approval:

To apply, complete the following form and email it to ocrvocationalapprovals@ocr.org.uk

Depending on your circumstances we may contact awarding bodies for references, arrange for a representative to visit your centre or carry out a credit check.

Visiting your centre

For vocational qualifications, a visit from one of our team will be required if:

• You plan to run formal timetabled examinations and you do not currently have approval for this.
• You are seeking approval to offer verified qualifications
  

See the fees list for details of fees charged for approval visits.

Credit checking

If you are a company, sole trader or partnership, we have a credit checking process in place to help us verify your credit worthiness.

You need to have been established, and trading on credit terms, for a minimum of six months and be able to supply us with two credit references (banks, solicitors and accountants are not considered as trade creditors and cannot be used as referees).

If you cannot satisfy these requirements, we will be unable to process your application.

We can, however, review your application after six months of trading.

If you cannot meet these criteria but think there are extenuating circumstances, please email the details to our customer support centre.

Once your application is approved you will receive a letter of confirmation. You can then enter candidates for the qualifications that you are approved to offer.

Approval is subject to continued centre activity; if there are no entries or certification claims for a qualification for three consecutive years, centre approval will automatically lapse for that qualification.

In addition, your full vocational centre approval will lapse if you have not made any entries or certification claims for any vocational qualification for three years.

Get in touch with our customer support centre.