Get your course accredited

We set the benchmark for surgical education. Every short course accredited and monitored by the Royal College of Surgeons of England has been rigorously assessed for quality, consistency and alignment with best practice.

Our accreditation is your assurance that the course meets the highest standards in surgical training.

Apply now

Eligibility

Your course must:

  • be an established course that has run at least twice previously;
  • be delivered in person or online and run annually or several times a year;
  • focus on surgical or surgery-related education and skills development;
  • be delivered by qualified professionals with relevant expertise;
  • target an audience within the surgical education field, aligned with the course title and content.

Benefits of course accreditation

  • Quality assurance: rigorous review ensures high standards in surgical education.
  • Professional recognition: demonstrates excellence and credibility for providers.
  • Enhanced visibility: courses gain greater exposure within the profession.
  • Use of the RCS England accredited logo: a mark of quality and credibility.
  • Promotional support: course listed on our website and in the Bulletin.
  • CPD support: enables participants to earn CPD points.
  • Confidence for learners: guarantees a trusted and effective learning experience.
  • Online participant evaluation: access to our online participant evaluation system (Evasys), supporting continuous improvement through real feedback.

Fees

  • £1,500 (not-for-profit): for courses run by a surgeon or non-profit organisation where fees only cover costs.
  • £5,000 (for-profit): for courses designed to make a profit or involve commercial products or technology.

In addition, we'll ask you to cover expenses relating to the accreditation panel visit, which is part of the application review process and ongoing monitoring.

Costs may vary for international courses.

Terms of course accreditation

Accreditation is awarded for three years following a successful panel visit during course delivery and is subject to annual monitoring and review.

Courses must also meet the following standards:

  • Course content is evidence-based and promotes the development of competent surgeons and allied healthcare professionals.
  • Learning aims and outcomes are clearly defined, achievable, and reflected in the course structure and assessment (where applicable).
  • Teaching and assessment methods are appropriate and relevant.
  • Adequate resources and learning materials are provided to support delegates.
  • The organiser and faculty have proven expertise; all skills courses include a consultant surgeon on the faculty.
  • Awards granted are commensurate with the activity and follow appropriate assessment.
  • A robust quality-assurance process underpins the course, including effective evaluation of learning.
  • Positive feedback from previous sittings is available.
  • The course aligns with the strategic portfolio and business interests of our College.
  • Any commercial sponsorship is clearly stated and does not influence educational content or structure.
  • There must be no inappropriate conflict of interest on the part of the organiser or any faculty members.

Read the full criteria and standards for course accreditation.

How to apply

To start your course accreditation application, complete our short online form.

Apply now

What happens next

  • Application review: Our Quality Assurance team will be in touch with the full application form and will review your application against RCS England standards once received.
  • Accreditation visit: If eligible, we'll arrange an expert panel review visit to your centre. This will include seeing the course in delivery and discussing your application in more detail. The panel usually includes a consultant surgeon and an RCS England staff member.
  • Final decision: The visit report is submitted to the Quality Assurance Operational Group, and if approved, the accreditation is awarded for three years.
  • Timeline: Accreditation typically takes three to six months.

Contact

If you have any questions about applying for accreditation, please email qa@rcseng.ac.uk and we'll be happy to help.