Fees and pricing 2026/27
At Active IQ, we feel it’s important to tell you exactly what we charge and what you get in return, making the whole process open, honest, and easy to understand.
We're committed to keeping our prices as low as possible while continuing to provide the services, support and resources our customers rely on.
Click here to download Active IQ’s fees list for 2026/27, or use the page-turning version below. You can also find further information about the changes to our fees for the next academic year and a series of FAQs below.
If you have any questions about fees and pricing, please contact your account manager in the first instance.
Qualification fee freeze
We're pleased to confirm that qualification fees will remain unchanged for 2026/27, with the exception of specialist technical qualifications.
Changes to other fees
As a result of rising operating costs, some fees will increase for 2026/27. This includes specialist technical qualification fees, the annual centre recognition fee, as well as certain administrative, training and quality assurance services.
As part of the integration of Active IQ and NCFE, we're also beginning to align our fee structures. Our aim is to create a simpler and more consistent experience for centres that work across both organisations and to reduce the need for further changes once integration is complete.
Centre recognition fee
To align Active IQ and NCFE financial years, the 2026–27 centre recognition fee will be charged on a pro-rata basis for 11 months, covering the period from 1 September 2026 to 1 August 2027.
Centres that already deliver both NCFE and Active IQ qualifications will be charged a single annual centre recognition fee rather than separate fees for each organisation.
From 1 August, you'll be able to view individual qualification fees on the qualification pages of our website. We'll also publish a combined NCFE and Active IQ Fees and Pricing Guide later this year when integration takes place.
As a result of rising operational costs, we have increased the AIQ Annual Centre Recognition fee. We are committed to keeping our prices as low as possible, while continuing to provide the services, support and resources that our customers rely on.
No, we will only apply the NCFE Annual Centre Recognition fee to dual customers for the 2026-27 session. Please speak to your Business Development Manager if you have any further queries.
As a result of rising operational costs, we have increased centres’ fees for 2026-27. We are committed to keeping our prices as low as possible, while continuing to provide the services, support and resources that our customers rely on.
We recognise that with the upcoming integration of the two Awarding Organisations, there is going to be a period of change and where possible, we want to provide some stability. We have made the decision to restrict qualification increases on the Active IQ portfolio to only those that have significant costs due to the external assessment element of the qualification.
We have reviewed the fees for both Active IQ and NCFE to find natural alignment and to support transparency. From this review, we’ve found that NCFE has a more robust structure in place for its EQA pricing, offering customers more flexibility and options. When it comes to appeals, NCFE’s pricing structure separates the different stages of the appeals process.
A remote EQA review is held on Teams. It involves the EQA meeting with your staff and remotely accessing evidence for review. A face-to-face visit is held in person at your centre. It involves meeting with staff, potentially meeting learners and accessing evidence in person. Observations of processes and assessments could also take place.
No, this fee is for centres who are not currently approved by Active IQ and wish to apply to become a customer. This is not applicable for all current customers.
Bespoke Training is tailored, paid-for support or training designed specifically for your centre. It could focus on a specific qualification, process or issue. Training can be either remote or in person.
We have taken this opportunity to align as many of the fees as possible to ensure a smooth integration for customers at the end of the year. NCFE will continue to review our prices on an annual basis.
Once the integration is complete, we will be aligning the invoicing date for the Annual Centre Recognition Fee to the academic session (August to July). From 2027, you will receive your annual invoices from August, rather than the current date of September. By invoicing you for 11 months, this ensures we can transition the invoice date without customers paying extra.