How to get Qualiopi certification
Qualiopi is the quality standard applied in France to training organisations. It certifies that a provider follows a defined set of criteria and good practices.
In this article, you will learn:
- What Qualiopi certification is
- Who it applies to
- The benefits of Qualiopi certification
- The eligibility criteria you need to meet
- The steps in the certification process
- How to get listed with funders once you are certified
We will also show how SchoolMaker, our online training platform, can help you meet each Qualiopi criterion in the national quality framework.
What is Qualiopi?
Qualiopi certification was introduced by the law of 5 September 2018 on the freedom to choose one’s professional future.
Its main goal is to raise the quality of vocational training delivered in France.
It applies to every training organisation, public or private, and requires a quality-management system that meets a specific set of criteria.
Who does Qualiopi apply to?
Vocational training organisations in France need Qualiopi certification if they want to access public or mutualised funding for their training activities. That includes:
- Training centres
- Higher-education institutions
- Continuing-education providers
- Companies that run internal training
- Independent trainers
- Apprentice training centres (CFA)
- Skills-assessment providers
- Organisations that support VAE (validation of prior learning)
Whatever the size of the organisation or the sector, Qualiopi has become a core requirement for proving the quality of the training you deliver.
Key points to remember:
- Legal requirement: Since 1 January 2022, this certification is mandatory to access public funds.
- Broad scope: Every provider that contributes to skills development is concerned.
- National recognition: The certification is recognised across France.
- Renewal: Certification is valid for 3 years, with a surveillance audit at 18 months.
- Single framework: 7 criteria and 32 quality indicators must be met.
Today, about 45,000 training organisations are Qualiopi-certified.
What are the benefits of Qualiopi certification?
Qualiopi certification offers several advantages for training organisations.
First, it strengthens credibility and reputation by guaranteeing the quality of your services.
It also unlocks access to certain public funding, including through the Compte Personnel de Formation (CPF).
Finally, it makes partnerships with other training players easier and supports business growth.
What are the steps in the certification process?
The Qualiopi certification process has several essential steps. They show that a training organisation’s quality system meets the national quality framework. Here are the steps:
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The initial certification request
First, the candidate organisation must submit an initial certification request to a certifying body. This is an organisation authorised by the French state to issue Qualiopi certification.
In October 2022, there were 34 certifying bodies. You can review every certifying body accredited or authorised by the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC) in the official list from the French Ministry of Labour.
As a vocational training organisation, you are free to choose any certifying body from that list.
We recommend contacting several of them so you can compare offers on price, processing time, and the certifier’s reputation in your topic area.
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The administrative eligibility review
Once you have submitted your initial certification request, the certifying body reviews the administrative eligibility of your file.
This step examines the request in detail to confirm that prerequisites are met and that the requested certification scope is coherent.
After that review, a contract is signed between the training organisation and the certifying body. An audit plan is then sent to you for validation. It includes important details such as the audit date, the types of activities covered, and the indicators that will be assessed.
This audit plan gives you a clear roadmap for the upcoming audit and spells out what will be reviewed to assess compliance with Qualiopi requirements.
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An optional “diagnostic” mock audit
The training organisation can choose to run a diagnostic mock audit. This gives a preliminary review of the organisation and helps you spot gaps before the official audit.
The mock audit is not mandatory, but it can be very useful in some cases.
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The initial Qualiopi certification audit
The next key step is the initial certification audit. A qualified auditor, appointed by the certifying body, assesses whether the training organisation’s processes meet the national quality framework. Every indicator is reviewed against the expected level.
Here are the 7 Qualiopi criteria defined by the national quality framework. For each criterion, several indicators will be assessed. We will go through them in detail in the next section:
- Criterion 1: Inform prospects about the training offer
- Criterion 2: Precisely identify the objectives of the services offered
- Criterion 3: Adapt the programme to the beneficiary audiences
- Criterion 4: Match educational, technical, and supervisory resources to the services delivered
- Criterion 5: The provider determines, mobilises, and assesses the skills of internal and/or external contributors, adapted to the services
- Criterion 6: The provider’s involvement and investment in its professional environment
- Criterion 7: Collect and act on feedback and complaints from stakeholders in the services delivered
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Obtaining Qualiopi certification
After the initial audit, you receive a detailed report assessing your training organisation’s compliance with the required quality standards, indicator by indicator.
These certification steps are essential to show that the training organisation meets the quality standards set by the national quality framework.
What eligibility criteria do you need to meet for Qualiopi?
To obtain Qualiopi certification, the training organisation must meet the 7 criteria in the national quality framework. Each criterion includes several indicators.
For each criterion, we will walk through the indicators the certifying body will assess.
We will also show how SchoolMaker helps you meet the indicators that apply to e-learning programmes.
Full list of Qualiopi criteria and indicators
Criterion 1: Inform prospects about the training offer
Indicators 1 to 3
Indicator 1:
The provider publishes information that is publicly accessible, detailed, and verifiable about the services offered: prerequisites, objectives, duration, access methods and timelines, prices, contacts, methods used and assessment methods, and accessibility for people with disabilities.
With SchoolMaker:
You can add these details directly on your website pages so students see them before they enrol, or display them on sales pages generated with SchoolMaker.
Indicator 2:
The provider publishes results indicators adapted to the nature of the services delivered and the audiences welcomed.
With SchoolMaker:
Thanks to the many available exports in SchoolMaker, you can gather everything you need to meet this indicator:
- Percentage of courses completed at 100%
- Number of students
- Average satisfaction rate (automatic testimonial collection helps you analyse your students’ average satisfaction). You can also collect hot and cold feedback with built-in forms.
You can then add this information directly to your website pages.
Indicator 3:
When the provider delivers services that lead to a professional certification, it informs about pass rates for the certifications prepared, the option to validate one or more skill blocks, and equivalences, bridges, next steps, and career outcomes.
With SchoolMaker:
As with the previous indicator, you can add your performance indicators directly on your sales pages.
You can retrieve your students’ certification pass rates from your SchoolMaker admin interface.
Criterion 2: Precisely identify the objectives of the services offered
Indicators 4 to 8
Indicator 4:
The provider analyses the beneficiary’s need in connection with the company and/or the relevant funder(s).
With SchoolMaker:
SchoolMaker lets you create an onboarding phase for each new student. You can ask specific questions to analyse their needs, then export each student’s answers from your admin interface.
You can also create forms for beneficiaries or funders to complete at the start of the programme.
Indicator 5:
The provider defines operational, measurable objectives for the service.
With SchoolMaker:
You can assess learners easily with the built-in forms system.
Indicator 6:
The provider designs the content and delivery methods of the service, adapted to the defined objectives and the beneficiary audiences.
With SchoolMaker:
SchoolMaker lets you build your own training paths using the Offers feature.
Based on the needs you analysed earlier, you can add each member to the right offer.
You can also send personalised documents to each member using private messages.
Indicator 7:
When the provider delivers services that lead to a professional certification, it ensures the content of the service matches the requirements of the target certification.
With SchoolMaker:
Keep a regular watch on the requirements of the target certifications so you can define and update your course prerequisites and content.
SchoolMaker lets you edit or duplicate a lesson, section, or course in a few clicks. The content updates instantly for every member who has access to the changed material.
Indicator 8:
The provider defines positioning and prior-learning assessment procedures at the start of the service.
With SchoolMaker:
To assess your students, you can set up pre- and post-course quizzes to track their progress. You can export each student’s answers.
Criterion 3: Adapt the programme to the beneficiary audiences
Indicators 9 to 16
Indicator 9:
The provider informs beneficiaries about the conditions under which the service will take place.
With SchoolMaker:
SchoolMaker lets you share this information with beneficiaries in several ways:
- Add your terms of sale and legal notices directly inside your school.
- Add external links to your school directly in the Community.
- Send personalised documents to each member using private messages.
- Add the same information on your sales pages so students see it before they enrol.
Indicator 10:
The provider delivers and adapts the service, support, and follow-up to the beneficiary audiences.
With SchoolMaker:
SchoolMaker lets you build your own training paths using the Offers feature.
Based on the needs and problems you identified, you can add each member to the right offer.
You can also offer them:
- Access to the Community
- Coaching sessions
- Lives
- Video replies through Consultations
In each lesson, you can also add downloadable resources.
Indicator 11:
The provider assesses whether beneficiaries have reached the objectives of the service.
With SchoolMaker:
To assess your students, you can set up quizzes throughout the course to track their progress. You can export each student’s answers.
You can also create forms at the beginning, middle, and end of the course with self-assessments.
Indicator 12:
The provider describes and implements measures to support beneficiary engagement and prevent drop-off.
With SchoolMaker:
SchoolMaker can email all of your inactive members. Choose the number of inactive days after which you want to send the notification, and SchoolMaker will alert those members. They can click the link in the email to jump back to the last lesson they viewed.
You can also follow a beneficiary’s individual progress from their dashboard and contact them via private messages to re-engage them.
Indicator 13:
For apprenticeship programmes, the provider, together with the company, plans the learner’s assignments over the short, medium, and long term, and coordinates the progression of learning between the training centre and the workplace.
Note: This indicator only applies to apprentice training centres (CFA).
Indicator 14:
The provider delivers social, professional, educational, and citizenship support.
Note: This indicator only applies to apprentice training centres (CFA).
Indicator 15:
The provider informs apprentices of their rights and duties as apprentices and employees, and of the health and safety rules that apply in the workplace.
Note: This indicator only applies to apprentice training centres (CFA).
Indicator 16:
When the provider delivers programmes that lead to a professional certification, it ensures that the conditions for presenting beneficiaries for certification meet the formal requirements of the certifying authority.
Note: You must meet the formal requirements of the certifying authority when you present candidates for the certification you offer.
Criterion 4: Match educational, technical, and supervisory resources to the services delivered
Indicators 17 to 20
Indicator 17:
The provider makes available, or ensures the availability of, suitable human and technical resources and an appropriate environment (conditions, premises, equipment, technical facilities, and so on).
With SchoolMaker:
On the technical side, SchoolMaker gives your learners a modern, intuitive online training platform, available 24/7, designed for a strong learning experience. It includes the tools you need to follow learners, deliver educational content (videos, exercises, assessments), and provide personalised support.
Indicator 18:
The provider mobilises and coordinates the various internal and/or external contributors (educational, administrative, logistical, commercial, and so on).
With SchoolMaker:
SchoolMaker lets you add administrators to your school so you can coordinate the different stakeholders in your training organisation.
Indicator 19:
The provider makes educational resources available to the beneficiary and helps them take ownership of those resources.
With SchoolMaker:
In each lesson, SchoolMaker lets you add educational resources (downloadable files, external links, audio, video, and more) to improve your beneficiaries’ learning.
Indicator 20:
The provider has staff dedicated to national and international mobility support, a disability officer, and an improvement council.
Note: This indicator only applies to apprentice training centres (CFA).
Criterion 5: The provider determines, mobilises, and assesses the skills of internal and/or external contributors, adapted to the services
Indicators 21 to 22
SchoolMaker, as an LMS, does not cover these points. They remain your responsibility as a training organisation, regardless of the digital tools you use.
Indicator 21:
The provider determines, mobilises, and assesses the skills of internal and/or external contributors, adapted to the services.
Indicator 22:
The provider maintains and develops the skills of its employees, adapted to the services it delivers.
Criterion 6: The provider’s involvement and investment in its professional environment
Indicators 23 to 29
SchoolMaker, as an LMS, does not cover these points. They remain your responsibility as a training organisation, regardless of the digital tools you use.
Indicator 23:
The provider monitors legal and regulatory developments in vocational training and applies the lessons from that watch.
Indicator 24:
The provider monitors changes in skills, occupations, and jobs in its sectors and applies the lessons from that watch.
Indicator 25:
The provider monitors educational and technological innovations that can improve its services and applies the lessons from that watch.
Indicator 26:
The provider mobilises the expertise, tools, and networks needed to welcome, support/train, or guide people with disabilities.
Indicator 27:
When the provider uses subcontracting or umbrella employment, it ensures compliance with this framework.
Indicator 28:
When the services include on-the-job training periods, the provider mobilises its network of socio-economic partners to co-design the training engineering and support workplace placements.
Indicator 29:
The provider develops actions that support professional integration or further study through apprenticeship or any other path that develops knowledge and skills.
Criterion 7: Collect and act on feedback and complaints from stakeholders in the services delivered
Indicators 30 to 32
Indicator 30:
The provider collects feedback from stakeholders: beneficiaries, funders, teaching teams, and the companies involved.
With SchoolMaker:
For example, you can create a form in the last lesson of your programme to collect reviews easily with ratings, scales, or written comments.
Indicator 31:
The provider implements ways to handle difficulties encountered by stakeholders, complaints they raise, and incidents that occur during the service.
With SchoolMaker:
In SchoolMaker, you can follow each beneficiary’s progress. This helps you spot which steps are causing problems and contact students via private messages. You can then improve your course over time.
Indicator 32:
The provider implements improvement measures based on the analysis of feedback and complaints.
With SchoolMaker:
For example, you can ask students what you could improve in your support programme, then export all of those results.
Qualiopi FAQ
How does listing with funders work once you are certified?
Once you are Qualiopi-certified, the training organisation can be listed with funders such as OPCOs (skills operators) and Pôle emploi.
That listing lets the organisation access funding for the training it delivers. It is important to check each funder’s specific listing process so you can maximise funding opportunities.
Is Qualiopi certification mandatory?
Yes. Since 1 January 2022, Qualiopi certification is mandatory for any organisation that wants to access public or mutualised funds (CPF, OPCO, Pôle emploi, and so on).
How much does Qualiopi certification cost?
The cost depends on the certifying body, the size of your organisation, and the number of certified activities. An initial audit typically costs between €900 and €2,000.
How long does it take to get certified?
The full process can take between 2 and 6 months, depending on how prepared you are.
Is SchoolMaker compatible with Qualiopi?
Yes. SchoolMaker helps you meet a large part of the Qualiopi framework, especially for fully online programmes. The platform makes it easier to follow learners, deliver content, analyse results, assess learning, and more.
Can SchoolMaker export the data auditors ask for?
Yes. You can export completion rates, quiz scores, satisfaction rates, questionnaire answers, and more. These are essential to prove the quality and effectiveness of your programmes. Explore the available exports in SchoolMaker.
Can I publish my performance indicators on my website from SchoolMaker?
Yes. By pulling your statistics from SchoolMaker (completion rate, satisfaction, number of students, and so on), you can publish them on your site to meet the Qualiopi indicators around transparency.
How do I know if SchoolMaker is a good fit for my organisation?
Email us at support@schoolmaker.co. Our team will get back to you quickly to review your situation and offer a personalised demo of the platform, tied to your training goals and Qualiopi process.
How much does SchoolMaker cost?
SchoolMaker pricing depends on the number of courses, students, and trainers you want to manage. We offer a simple, transparent plan with no hidden fees. Every feature is available on every plan. See our pricing.
