Accreditation
MQF, QQI, EQF and RQF: how the accreditation systems compare
The same course can be MQF Level 5 in Malta and QQI Level 6 in Ireland. That's not a trick: it's how the frameworks reference each other. Here's the map.
On this page
Why the level numbers differ
Europe doesn't have one qualifications ladder. It has one reference ladder and a national ladder per country. The reference ladder is the EQF (European Qualifications Framework, levels 1–8). Each national framework maps onto it: Malta's MQF aligns one-to-one with the EQF, while Ireland's NFQ has ten levels, so the numbers shift.
That's why the same diploma is MQF Level 5 in Malta and QQI Level 6 in Ireland: one qualification, two national labels, same European reference point.
The frameworks at a glance
EQF: the EU-wide reference framework, levels 1–8. Not an awarding body; the map the others plot onto.MQF: Malta, regulated by MFHEA. Aligned 1:1 with the EQF. Recognition statements come from MQRIC. Get Qualified eligibility lives here.NFQ: Ireland's ten-level framework. Awards and comparability statements come from QQI, so "QQI Level 6" means NFQ Level 6.RQF: England's framework, regulated by Ofqual. Globally recognised diplomas (like ours) are RQF-regulated at source.
The level map
| Qualification | EQF | MQF (Malta) | NFQ/QQI (Ireland) | RQF (UK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation diplomas | 4 | 4 | 5 | ≈ 3 |
| Undergraduate diplomas | 5 | 5 | 6 | ≈ 4–5 |
| Bachelor's (incl. top-ups) | 6 | 6 | 7–8 | ≈ 6 |
| Postgraduate diplomas and master's | 7 | 7 | 9 | ≈ 7 |
≈ marks an approximate match rather than a one-to-one alignment. Mappings per the official framework referencing reports. Verify any single qualification against its own recognition statement: that's what MQRIC (Malta) and QQI comparability statements (Ireland) are for.
What this means when you choose a course
Pick the variant labelled for where you'll use the qualification. Studying from Malta? TheMQF variant carries the local recognition statement and Get Qualified eligibility. In Ireland, the QQI variant does the same job. The teaching is online either way: the label determines how employers and authorities read it.
See it in practice: business management in Malta versusin Ireland, or browse all courses.