Become a British Council attached centre and join a global learning network of thousands of ambitious schools and institutions.

As an attached centre, you can offer world-renowned exams from Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) or Pearson Edexcel. You can also benefit from co-branding your centre with the British Council and the exam board.

The British Council will:

  • help to organise registration
  • handle all exam administration
  • offer support and advice for students and teachers
  • ensure the security of all exam venues
  • be on hand to help teachers and principals where needed.

How to become an attached centre

Becoming an attached centre is straightforward. You can become an approved centre in four simple steps:

Step One

Write to the Ministry of Education/Director of Foreign Programmes. The Ministry will then recommend your school for inspection and inform the British Council.
Contact the British Council to let us know you’re interested in becoming an attached centre.

Find out about our relationship with the Ministry of Education.

Find out if your school meets the requirements for becoming an attached centre outlined under 'Fees and requirements' below.

Step Two

Allow a British Council representative to come to inspect your school and discuss your teaching approach. 

The approved inspector will need to speak with the school principal and be allowed to ask questions for both teachers and students as needed.

You may need to provide:

  • a school prospectus or other promotional literature
  • a list of all teaching staff, including names, qualifications, nationality, years at the school and subject expertise
  • samples of both teachers’ preparation books and student papers
  • a list of subjects and syllabuses offered at the school
  • attendance records and lesson timetables.

Step Three

The British Council inspector will submit a report to the appropriate exam board (CIE/Pearson Edexcel/Oxford AQA) with all inspection details.

Make arrangements for an exam board representative to visit your school. Complete and return the ‘centre approval form’ for the CIE or Pearson Edexcel attached-centre application documents to the British Council.

If all goes well your school will be approved within one month.

Step Four

Once your school has been approved, send a copy of the inspection report and the approval letter to the Ministry of Education. You must agree to unannounced re-inspection by British Council representatives as required.

Fees and requirements

There is no fee to become a British Council attached centre. However, you need to pay an annual fee to join the Cambridge Primary Checkpoint programme.

All schools are expected to meet some basic requirements to become an attached centre. For example, your school must:

  • have government permission to offer international education and qualifications
  • use spacious, well-equipped science laboratories
  • have a library with relevant books and computers offering child-safe internet access
  • contain spacious, light and well-ventilated classrooms
  • take health and safety seriously.