Guide
Accreditation vs Certification vs Membership
Three words schools use interchangeably — they aren't. Learn what each one actually guarantees, so no logo on any website can mislead you again.
Definitions
Three words, three meanings
Each answers a different question. Mixing them up is how marketing works.
| Term | Who is evaluated? | What it guarantees | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accreditation | The institution | An outside body reviewed the school's quality against a standard | EAHEA online accreditation of ACLAS |
| Certification | You, the learner | You completed a defined program of study | An ACLAS professional certificate |
| Membership | Neither, really | The school joined (and paid) an organization | CPD Certification Service member 19626 |
When a school's marketing says "fully accredited," ask: accredited by whom, and does that body carry government authority? The answer changes everything.
The key distinction
Private accreditation is not government accreditation
This is the distinction the entire online-education industry hopes you won't notice.
Government accreditation — for example, recognition by the U.S. Department of Education — is a legal status. It unlocks federal student aid, qualifies graduates for licensed professions, and makes credit transfer between universities possible. It is granted by authorities, not purchased.
Private international accreditation — like the EAHEA and QAHE accreditations ACLAS holds — is an independent quality mark. A private body reviewed the institution against its standards and said it passed. That is a real signal, but it carries no legal weight: no government recognition, no guaranteed credit transfer, no licensed-profession pathway.
Our position, stated plainly ACLAS is accredited by EAHEA (online) and QAHE, recognized by AQS, and a CPD member. It is not accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, not regulated by Greece's GNPEC, and its Kyrgyz entity is a company registration — not an education license. If your career plans require government-recognized credentials, verify acceptance with the relevant authority before you enroll. The complete documentation is on the accreditation page.
In practice
How to read any school's claims in 60 seconds
A three-step check that works on every college website.
Step 1: Get the precise claim
"Accredited" alone means nothing. Find the body name: which organization, and what exactly did it accredit — the whole institution, a specific program, or just "online delivery"? Vague pages are the first warning sign.
Step 2: Check the accreditor's own site
Real accreditations are listed by the accrediting body itself. Search their member directory for the school. If the school isn't there, the claim is aspirational at best.
Step 3: Ask what it doesn't cover
Every accreditation has limits. An honest school states them — like this page does. A school that only shows logos and superlatives is selling you the frame, not the picture.
Keep reading
FAQ
Questions, answered
The distinctions people actually get wrong.
What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
Accreditation evaluates the institution: an outside body reviews the school's quality and declares it meets a standard. Certification evaluates you: you complete a program and receive a credential proving it. A school can be accredited; a graduate gets certified. They answer different questions — 'is this school legitimate?' versus 'did this person finish the work?'
What does membership mean for a college?
The least of the three. Membership means the college paid to join an organization — like the CPD Certification Service, where ACLAS is member 19626. It signals the school participates in a professional community, not that anyone audited its quality. Treat membership logos as background, not proof.
Is private accreditation the same as government accreditation?
No, and the difference matters. Government accreditation (like U.S. Department of Education recognition) carries legal weight for funding, licensing and credit transfer. Private international accreditors — including EAHEA and QAHE, which accredit ACLAS — are independent quality marks without government authority. Both are real; they just promise different things. Any school that blurs them is misleading you.
What accreditation does ACLAS actually hold?
ACLAS holds online accreditation from EAHEA and QAHE, plus AQS recognition, and CPD membership (no. 19626). It does not hold U.S. Department of Education accreditation, is not regulated by Greece's GNPEC, and its Kyrgyz entity is a company registration, not an education license. The full, documented picture is on the accreditation page — read it before you enroll anywhere, including here.
Can a school be legitimate without government accreditation?
Yes — legitimacy and government accreditation are different things. A school is legitimate if it honestly delivers what it promises: real courses, real assessment, verifiable credentials. Government accreditation adds specific legal privileges (federal aid eligibility, licensed-profession pathways). Decide which of those you actually need; many career goals don't require them.
How do I check a school's accreditation claims?
Three steps. First, read exactly what the school claims — the precise body name and what was accredited (the institution? a program? just 'online'?). Second, check the accreditor's own site for the school's listing. Third, ask what the accreditation does not cover. Honest schools answer all three; evasive ones fail at step one.
Does accreditation affect whether employers accept my degree?
Sometimes. Regulated professions (nursing, teaching, engineering licensure) usually require government-recognized accreditation — a private-accredited degree won't qualify you there. For most business and tech roles, employers care whether the credential is real and verifiable, not which accreditor's logo is on the site. Match the credential to your target career, not to a generic idea of prestige.
What is CPD certification?
Continuing Professional Development: structured learning that keeps professionals current after their formal education. The CPD Certification Service (UK) certifies that a provider's courses meet its CPD standards — ACLAS is a certified member. CPD points matter in fields where professionals must log annual learning hours; the certificate proves the learning happened.
Now read our full accreditation picture.
Every claim on this page, documented with certificate scans and exact scope: what ACLAS holds, what it doesn't, and how to verify it all independently.