Certification Grades
The five QA Assessor certification grades on every scheme, with the training, work-experience and audit requirements of each, and how a grade is assessed and decided.
QA Assessor certifies management system auditors at five grades on each of its ten schemes. A grade is awarded on a structured assessment of your evidence against a published rubric: your verified training and audit records, a work sample of your own audit work (Auditor and above) and a structured interview (Lead Auditor and Principal Auditor; a sample of Auditor applications). An assessor who did not train you scores the evidence, and the certification decision is made by a different person. Only verified records count, and your dashboard checks them against each grade before you apply.
For people who have completed an auditor course and want formal recognition before they have built up audit experience.
- Completed a Foundation, Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor course for the scheme, verified from your training record (QA Assessor, an Approved Training Provider or any provider we can confirm)
- No audit experience needed
For people who audit parts of their own organisation's management system, or a supplier's, usually alongside another job.
- Completed an Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor course for the scheme, verified from your training record (QA Assessor, an Approved Training Provider or any provider we can confirm)
- 5 audits in the last 5 years, each of at least 3 hours, 2 audit days in total
For people who carry out full management system audits, as a team member or on their own, internally, for customers or for certification bodies.
- Completed a Lead Auditor course for the scheme, verified from your training record (QA Assessor, an Approved Training Provider or any provider we can confirm)
- At least 4 years of verified work experience, 2 of them in the discipline of the scheme
- 4 audits in the last 5 years, 20 audit days in total, 15 on site or in live remote sessions
- A work sample: a redacted audit plan, checklist or report you produced for one of the audits counted, scored against the published rubric
- A structured interview for a sample of applications
For experienced auditors who plan and lead audit teams through full management system audits.
- Completed a Lead Auditor course for the scheme, verified from your training record (QA Assessor, an Approved Training Provider or any provider we can confirm)
- At least 4 years of verified work experience, 2 of them in the discipline of the scheme
- 4 audits in the last 5 years, 20 audit days in total, 15 on site or in live remote sessions
- 3 full audits as team leader, 15 days, 10 on site
- A work sample: a redacted audit plan, checklist or report you produced for one of the audits counted, scored against the published rubric
- A structured interview (online, about 45 minutes, recorded with your consent after a live identity check)
For senior audit professionals with a long auditing history who now work mainly in training, consultancy or management and may no longer audit regularly.
- Completed a Lead Auditor course for the scheme, verified from your training record (QA Assessor, an Approved Training Provider or any provider we can confirm)
- At least 4 years of verified work experience, 2 of them in the discipline of the scheme
- 4 audits in the last 15 years, 20 audit days in total, 15 on site or in live remote sessions
- 3 full audits as team leader, 15 days, 10 on site
- 10 or more years of auditing history
- A work sample: a redacted audit plan, checklist or report you produced for one of the audits counted, scored against the published rubric
- A structured interview (online, about 45 minutes, recorded with your consent after a live identity check)
Every grade also requires a verified identity, the declaration, the Code of Conduct and the annual fee; the certification period is three years, with CPD (at least 3 complete CPD records, each verified by QA Assessor, in every full calendar year of the three-year certification period; they are checked at recertification). Your evidence is scored against a published rubric by an assessor who did not train you, and the decision is made by a different person. Full rules: the Applicant Handbook.
Choosing a grade
Match the grade to what your records show. If you have completed an auditor course and have not audited yet, Associate Auditor puts you on the register while you build your Audit Log. If you audit parts of your own organisation’s system or a supplier’s, Internal Auditor. If you take part in full management system audits, Auditor. If you plan and lead audit teams and your log shows it, Lead Auditor. If you have audited for ten years or more and now mainly train, consult or manage, Principal Auditor. You can regrade at any time as your experience grows.
Start your application How certification works Applicant Handbook
QA Assessor certification processes are self-declared as aligned with ISO/IEC 17024:2026. QA Assessor is not accredited and makes no claim of accreditation.