Checking a school with CHED: the two-minute way

The tarpaulin over the gate

It is enrolment week, and the tarpaulin over the school gate is louder than the traffic. A smiling graduate in a toga, a column of courses and, near the bottom, a row of official-sounding words. Picture one like this:

NOW ACCEPTING ENROLLEES!
CHED ACCREDITED · Gov't Permit No. ____ · Level III Accredited
BS Business Administration · BS Criminology · Master in Management
In partnership with a university abroad · Working? Get credit for your experience!⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠

Every line on it can be checked, and most of the checking takes less time than the jeepney ride home.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠

Already in the queue? Jump to the two-minute check.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠

The tarpaulin, decoded line by line

CHED was created by Republic Act No. 7722 to set and enforce minimum standards for higher education, public and private. Its words are exact, and tarpaulins are not.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠

CHED gives each programme permission: a permit and then Government Recognition at a private school, or, at a state or local college, a Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC) confirming the programme meets CHED's requirements.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠

Accreditation is a separate, voluntary step above that minimum. Screenshot this table before you join the queue.

"Gov't Permit No." on a Master in Management?

Graduate programmes skip the permit phase and go straight to recognition.

"Level III", but for which course?

Accreditation levels are usually given programme by programme, so the level may belong to another course. Ask for the certificate, which should name the agency, programme, level and period.

CHED's accreditation policy names a federation for private schools, whose member PAASCU publishes its member schools, and a network for public ones: AACCUP for state colleges, ALCUCOA for local ones. Ask the agency named on the certificate directly whether it is valid for this programme.

"In partnership with a university abroad"?

A degree taught here with or for a foreign institution needs CHED's prior authority. Ask to see it.

"Get credit for your experience"?

The honest version is the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP), set in law by Republic Act No. 12124: deputised schools assess what you have learned at work and can award a degree. CHED's ETEEAP page lists the approved schools.

How to check a school with CHED, before your number is called

When people ask whether a school is CHED accredited, what they need to know is whether this programme has CHED recognition. CHED keeps the register that answers it: the Philippine Qualifications Register for Higher Education, or PhQuaR.

You are in the enrolment queue with a phone. That is enough.

1. Find your programme (40 seconds)

   Open CHED Recognized Programs and search by degree or keyword, narrowing by region and by school.

2. Read the authority (30 seconds)

   Each listed programme shows its type of CHED authorisation (Government Recognition or a COPC) and the date it took effect.

3. Match the campus (30 seconds)

   Open CHED Recognized Higher Education Institutions. This list holds only contact details, and that is all you need: match the address, website and any former names to your campus. If the school's website looks thin, try the website X-ray.

4. Note the status (20 seconds)

   For a private school, the register can be filtered by status: autonomous, deregulated or regulated. Screenshot both entries. Your number is being called.

   PhQuaR will not load? Keep your place, ask the questions below, and confirm with the Regional Office before you pay.

Not in the register? Read this before you panic

A missing entry is a question, not yet a verdict. Find your row, and screenshot this table too.

The CHED Regional Office settles the first three rows.

Why these rows?

PhQuaR lists only programmes with Government Recognition or a COPC, CHED's manual tells schools to post permits on campus bulletin boards, and CHED's note says the register is filled in as authority is verified. A school refused recognition can also be barred from awarding degrees in that programme.

At the window: four questions, asked politely

A good school answers these without a flicker. Ask to see paper, not just a smile.

1. "Good morning po. Before I enrol, may I see the CHED Government Recognition, or the permit, for [programme] at this campus?"

Good sign: a paper naming this programme and campus. Step out if you hear: "It covers the whole school."

2. "Is it in PhQuaR? If not yet, what is the permit number, so I can confirm it with the Regional Office?"

Good sign: a title to search, or a permit number to check. Step out if you hear: "We don't need to be listed."

3. "Will graduates of this programme need a Special Order from CHED, and will they get one?"

A Special Order is a unique, mandatory number "certifying that a student's degree program is recognized and legitimate". The Citizen's Charter lists it for private schools' programmes without Level II accreditation and for local colleges; autonomous and deregulated schools are exempt.

Good sign: "Yes, for every batch", or an honest no: "We are a state university or college", "We are autonomous" or "deregulated", or, at a private school, "This programme holds Level II accreditation or higher". Step out if you hear: "What is a Special Order?"

4. "And if it is ETEEAP or with a university abroad, may I see CHED's authority for that too, po?"

Good sign: a CHED paper naming this programme. Step out if you hear: "CHED doesn't come into it."

Before you pay, tick all four:

• Your programme is in PhQuaR, or the Regional Office has confirmed its permit.
• The school's paper shows the same authority.
• The campus matches the register entry.
• The registrar's answers pass the keys above.

All four? Pay with the screenshot in your hand. A gap, or "don't worry, it's being processed"? Step out of the queue and call the Regional Office first.

Already paid the reservation fee? Ask the school for its refund terms in writing, report the programme to the Regional Office, and read what to do if you have already paid.

What an honest tarpaulin looks like

The same banner, rewritten to pass the check. It is invented too; the permit line uses the wording CHED's manual requires on adverts.

NOW ACCEPTING ENROLLEES!
BS Business Administration: As per Commission on Higher Education Permit Number ____
BS Criminology: Government Recognition · Level III, [agency]
Master in Management: Government Recognition
Credit for experience: ETEEAP, for [programme]

No "CHED accredited", and every claim names a programme you can look up.

Keep the screenshot

File it with your enrolment papers. Later, PhQuaR shows an employer the programme is recognised, and CHED's eCAV system authenticates your documents for work abroad.

The tarpaulin comes down after enrolment week. Your screenshot stays.

Sources

• CHED: Philippine Qualifications Register for Higher Education (PhQuaR-HE)
• PhQuaR: CHED Recognized Programs, with its note that the database is filled in as each school's authority is verified
• PhQuaR: CHED Recognized Higher Education Institutions, and the private schools' register, with its status filter and Bangsamoro note
• CHED Memorandum Order No. 40: Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education (National Library copy): sections 11, 49 and 50, 54 to 65, and 69 to 72
• CHED: Citizen's Charter, the edition quoted here: Special Orders, CAV and complaints about schools. CHED publishes new editions, and its Citizen's Charter page may carry an earlier one
• CHED Memorandum Order No. 1: Revised Policies and Guidelines on Voluntary Accreditation (National Library copy): the accrediting networks
• CHED eCAV: Contact Us: Regional Office addresses
• Republic Act No. 7722: full text on LawPhil, a non-government law library, and the Official Gazette text
• Republic Act No. 11448, the Transnational Higher Education Act: full text on LawPhil, and the Official Gazette text
• TESDA: TVI with Registered Programs
• Bangsamoro Government, which links its education ministry (ministry site)
• CHED: ETEEAP, on CHED's legacy website: the Act and the approved schools

Also worth reading

• Degree from abroad? Exactly how it gets checked, and why it takes longer

#CHED #PhQuaR #StudyInThePhilippines #CheckBeforeYouEnrol