FAQs We Get Asked as a QCTO Accredited Assessment Centre
EISA Hub is a well-established and experienced QCTO Accredited Assessment Centre, proudly holding assessment centre accreditation for over 60 occupational qualifications across eight Assessment Quality Partners (AQPs). With six national QCTO assessment centres strategically located across South Africa’s major provinces, we are well-positioned to serve Skills Development Providers (SDPs) nationwide through one point of contact.
At EISA Hub, our sole focus is the delivery of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA).
As a dedicated Assessment Centre, we are often approached by SDPs, learners, and stakeholders with questions about the EISA process. In this article, we aim to share insights and address some of the most frequently asked questions. Our goal is to empower our clients with clarity around the EISA process, enabling them to make informed, strategic decisions that support their organisation’s growth and compliance in the evolving skills development landscape.
WHERE CAN LEARNERS COMPLETE THEIR EISA?
Learners may only complete their EISA at a QCTO Accredited Assessment Centre accredited to deliver the EISA for the specific occupational qualification. Just as SDPs must obtain accreditation per occupational qualification and per physical training site, QCTO Accredited Assessment Centres are also required to obtain separate accreditation for each occupational qualification at each physical assessment venue.
It is not uncommon for some institutions to market themselves broadly as QCTO Accredited Assessment Centres, while in fact they only hold assessment centre accreditation for one or two occupational qualifications at a single site. Therefore, vetting a prospective assessment centre, an SDP must ensure that the centre is officially accredited by the QCTO for the specific occupational qualification(s) and in the specific geographic location where the learners will be writing their EISA. SDPs should verify the centre’s scope and validity of accreditation either via the QCTO website or by requesting the centre’s official QCTO accreditation documents.
QCTO accreditation alone does not guarantee that the centre is approved for EISA delivery under a specific AQP. It is also critical to confirm that the centre meets the necessary requirements for EISA delivery under the relevant AQP.
The EISA Hub Difference: Thanks to our extensive accreditation and national footprint, EISA Hub offers clients the unique advantage of managing EISA delivery for multiple occupational qualifications, nationally, through a single point of contact.
WHO MUST REGISTER THE LEARNER FOR THE EISA?
Only the SDP may register learners for their EISA with the QCTO. Learners may not register themselves for the EISA.
HOW DO WE REGISTER LEARNERS FOR THEIR EISA WITH THE QCTO?
EISA registration is NOT done through the assessment centre. EISA registrations may only be submitted to the QCTO by the SDP. To initiate this process, the SDP must complete the second part of the Learner Enrolment Readiness for EISA (LEISA) template and indicate the assessment centre where each learner will complete their EISA. The QCTO, through the relevant Assessment Quality Partner (AQP), will conduct monitoring with the SDP to verify that learners are adequately ready to write the EISA. Once the process is complete and approved, the AQP will formally allocate learners to the appropriate assessment centres.
The EISA Hub Difference: With our extensive experience in EISA delivery across multiple AQPs, EISA Hub’s experienced team assists our clients with the entire registration process to ensure that they meet the necessary requirements and document submissions to avoid any delays in EISA registration.
WE ARE A SDP THAT IS ALSO A REGISTERED ASSESSMENT CENTRE - WILL OUR LEARNERS AUTOMATICALLY BE ALLOCATED TO US?
No, learners will not automatically be allocated to your assessment centre, even if your organisation is both a Skills Development Provider (SDP) and a QCTO-accredited Assessment Centre.
While a few AQPs allow SDPs to indicate a preferred assessment centre, most AQPs reallocate learners to alternative centres at their discretion. This practice is largely driven by the significant logistical and financial costs involved in EISA delivery. From a national perspective, AQPs must manage these costs efficiently, and centralising or redistributing learner allocations is often necessary to optimise resources and ensure the sustainability of the EISA system.
The EISA Hub Difference: EISA Hub has successfully delivered EISAs under the AQPs that we are accredited under. As a result, SDPs that select EISA Hub as their QCTO-accredited Assessment Centre gain a greater level of control and certainty over where their learners will complete their EISA—reducing the risk of reallocation and ensuring consistency around EISA planning.
IS THE EISA A WRITTEN EXAM OR ONLINE EXAM
Currently, most EISAs are written examinations that must be completed in person at a QCTO-accredited Assessment Centre. Learners are required to report to their assigned centre on the scheduled EISA date. The structure and format of the EISA is not determined by the assessment centre. It is the exclusive responsibility of the Assessment Quality Partner (AQP), in line with QCTO requirements to develop the EISA instruments (exam papers) for their registered occupational qualifications.
The EISA Hub Difference: EISA Hub provides our clients with valuable insights into the structure of the EISA for particular occupational qualifications. This includes the number of exams required, duration of the exams, specific exam rules set by the AQP, as well as the structure and format of the EISA.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHEDULING EISA DATES?
The Assessment Quality Partners (AQPs) are mandated by the QCTO to manage and coordinate the delivery of the EISAs for their registered qualifications. This includes the scheduling of EISA dates. Assessment centres do not have the authority to set their own EISA dates. All EISAs must be conducted according to the schedule set by the AQP and approved by the QCTO. Once the AQP has drafted the provisional EISA dates, they are submitted to the QCTO for approval. The final, approved dates are published on the QCTO EISA Schedule found on their website.
The EISA Hub Difference: EISA Hub keeps our clients informed with accurate, up-to-date information on scheduled EISA dates for the occupational qualifications we are accredited for. Our clients can easily view this information on our EISA Calendar, or Upcoming EISA Dates —helping SDPs plan and prepare with confidence.
WHY IS THERE NO EISA DATE FOR THE OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATION WE REQUIRE?
If there is no EISA date listed on the QCTO schedule for a particular occupational qualification, it typically means that the Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) has not yet developed the EISA instrument (exam paper) for that qualification. In such cases, it is recommended to contact the relevant AQP directly to inquire about the anticipated development and release dates for the EISA instrument.
The EISA Hub Difference: EISA Hub maintains close engagement with all AQPs under which we hold assessment centre accreditation. We proactively keep our clients informed of new EISA instruments that are in development or newly released. This allows SDPs to better inform their own clients and learners about prospective EISA dates, exit points, and certification timelines.
HOW DO THE EISA SCHEDULES WORK?
Most EISAs follow a set rotation cycle set by the AQP responsible for the qualification whereby the EISA will occur a set number of times per academic year. The EISA rotations are fixed and no additional or ad hoc dates are scheduled. Therefore, it is critical for SDPs to be aware of the official EISA schedule and incorporate these timelines into their programme planning and learner exit dates.
The EISA Hub Difference: At EISA Hub, we work in close partnership with our clients, using our in-depth knowledge of EISA rotations across multiple AQPs to support strategic planning. This enables our clients to meet critical delivery milestones aligned with their learners’ and clients’ skills development needs.
WHAT ARE THE EISA REGISTRATION CLOSE DATES?
The QCTO EISA Schedule specifies registration close dates for each EISA linked to each respective occupational qualification. It is critical that SDPs submit the LEISA file on or before the published registration close date, as late registrations are not accepted under any circumstances.
Registration close dates are generally set three to four months prior to the EISA date. SDPs must ensure that learners have completed all required components of the occupational qualification in alignment with the EISA timeframes. Missing the registration deadline can result in significant delays.
Example: If learners complete their training in April 2025, and the registration close date is in May 2025 for the August 2025 EISA, failure to register in time means the learners will be deferred to the next available EISA, scheduled for November 2025.
This results in a seven-month wait from training completion to EISA, instead of just four months.
The EISA Hub Difference: At EISA Hub, we help our clients stay ahead of registration deadlines. Our team supports SDPs in ensuring that learners are fully prepared and registered on time, helping to avoid costly delays.
HOW ARE EISA FEES SET?
An EISA fee is applicable for each learner who writes the EISA. The amount and responsibility for payment vary depending on the Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) under which the occupational qualification is registered.
When selecting an assessment centre, SDPs must ensure that the fees charged align with the AQP’s approved fee structure. Excessive fees may raise concerns about compliance, while unusually low fees may suggest potential issues with the quality or integrity of the EISA delivery. SDPs should also confirm what is included in the assessment centre’s EISA fee. It is important to clarify whether the fee covers additional services for the SDP to accurately budget for the full scope of services and avoid any unexpected costs.
The EISA Hub Difference: At EISA Hub, we are well-versed in the various EISA fee structures across the AQPs with which we are accredited. We assist clients in understanding and budgeting for applicable EISA fees across the AQPs we support.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ASSESSMENT CENTRE DOES NOT DELIVER A COMPLIANT EISA?
While EISA delivery may seem straightforward, it is a regulated process that requires close alignment with QCTO protocols. Centres lacking experience may encounter challenges, potentially leading to delays in certification or issues with compliance. Where EISA delivery fails to align with QCTO standards, the consequences can be significant. The QCTO may reject the submitted results or, in severe cases, nullify the entire EISA, which not only disrupts the learner certification process but may also damage the credibility of the SDP involved.
The EISA Hub Difference: EISA Hub has extensive experience in EISA delivery which has been validated and approved by the QCTO. Our stringent EISA protocols ensure that all delivery is fully aligned with QCTO policies and procedures. This commitment to compliance and quality enables us to ensure reliable, consistent, and successful EISA delivery for our clients and their learners.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO PREPARE LEARNERS FOR THEIR EISA?
Preparing learners for their EISA critically important. The assessment process for EISA is significantly different to assessments on legacy qualifications. Learners who do not achieve the required percentage will fail and must rewrite the assessment which will incur additional EISA fees. Each learner is allowed a maximum of three attempts to successfully complete their EISA. If a learner fails after the third attempt, they will be required to restart the entire occupational qualification from the beginning. This has significant cost and time implications. For employer-funded learnerships, repeated failures may also negatively impact skills development targets, B-BBEE compliance, and tax incentive claims under Section 12H. To avoid these risks, it is essential that learners are properly prepared to pass the EISA on their first attempt.
The EISA Hub Difference: At EISA Hub, we are committed to ensuring that learners achieve their best in their EISA and have aligned our learner support and internal processes to meet this commitment.
WHAT INFORMATION DO ASSESSMENT CENTRES GAIN ACCESS TO?
Assessment centres receive access to sensitive learner and client data—this includes personal learner information as well as employer or company details of the learner. It is therefore important for SDPs to carefully assess whether a prospective assessment centre also functions as a SDP. Sharing client or learner information with an entity that also delivers training could potentially compromise existing client relationships or future business opportunities.
The EISA Hub Difference: EISA Hub operates exclusively as a QCTO Accredited Assessment Centre—we are not an SDP and do not offer training. This means our clients can partner with us with complete confidence, knowing that their learner and client information is secure and that there is no conflict of interest.
Make the Smart Choice with EISA Hub
Choosing EISA Hub means partnering with a reliable, non-competing assessment centre that understands the complexities of EISA delivery. With our national footprint, proven compliance record, and end-to-end support, we help SDPs streamline the process, protect their client relationships, and ensure their learners are set up for success. Trust EISA Hub to be your strategic partner in navigating the EISA journey with confidence and clarity
