The Awarding Bodies - State Examinations Commission

Awarding Bodies are organisations that are authorised to make awards, certification, or award qualifications

Listing Awarding Bodies

WhichCollege.ie provides an overview of awarding bodies operating in Ireland, the UK, and internationally. While many postgraduate qualifications are issued by organisations with statutory authority, a wide range of professional bodies also grant their own awards linked to advanced study. Although most Irish courses lead to qualifications from domestic awarding bodies, some programmes result in international or non‑Irish awards, depending on the institution or field of study.

A number of Irish institutions act both as education providers and as awarding bodies in their own right. This includes the Irish universities and the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), which have the authority to confer postgraduate qualifications.

An academic award (whether a degree, diploma, or certificate) is granted when a learner successfully completes a recognised programme of higher education at undergraduate or postgraduate level. These awards are issued by designated awarding bodies and are aligned with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The NFQ distinguishes between major and non‑major awards, with the latter covering minor, special‑purpose, and supplemental awards.

Major awards represent the primary qualification type at each NFQ level and correspond to substantial learning achievements. Examples include an Honours Bachelor Degree at Level 8, a Master’s Degree at Level 9, and a Doctoral Degree at Level 10.

Recent legislative changes have streamlined Ireland’s qualifications system, reducing the number of statutory awarding bodies. The responsibilities previously held by organisations such as the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA), the National Council for Vocational Awards (NCVA), Solas, Teagasc, CERT, and Bord Iascaigh Mhara have been consolidated under the awards councils FETAC and HETAC.

Below, WhichCollege.ie outlines the awarding bodies responsible for certification across Ireland and the UK.

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The State Examinations Commission makes awards for learning in school programmes – Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate.

Overview

The SEC is responsible for the development, assessment, accreditation and certification of second-level examinations in Ireland. These are the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate. The State Examinations Commission is a non-departmental public body under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. There are five Commissioners appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills.

Established in March 2003, the Commission assumed responsibility for the operation of the State Certificate Examinations from the Department of Education and Skills.

The Commission works in partnership with school authorities and education providers in order to deliver a high quality examination and assessment system that is efficient, fair and accessible. In addition, the SEC ensures that the system operates in an environment of openness, transparency and accountability.

Functions

The Commission is responsible for the operation of all aspects of the established Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Certificate Examinations. This includes written, oral, aural and practical components and assessed course work in some subjects. Two million components are examined annually. The SEC also organises certain trade and professional examinations. The individual functions involved in the operation of the examinations include:

Preparing examination papers and other examination materials

Determining procedures for the conduct and supervision of examinations

Recruiting contract staff to draft and mark examination components and to superintend at the examinations

Arranging for marking of work presented for assessment and examinations

Issuing the results of examinations

Determining procedures to enable the review and appeal of results of
examinations at the request of candidates

Charging and collecting fees for examinations

Designating examination places

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