THE HARTSFORD STANDARD

Forged for
Global Trust.

A credential is only as strong as the institution behind it. Every Hartsford certificate is designed to provide a clear, identifiable, and verifiable record of learning or assessment.

Internationally Issued
Hartsford provides professional education and certificates through a UK-based educational institution, with certificate records available for online verification.
Unique & Verifiable Identity
Each certificate carries a unique serial identifier and QR verification route linking the document to its official online record.
Documented Academic Information
Course certificates record the programme and training hours, while language certificates record the assessed CEFR level and examination result.
Verify Authenticity Confirm at hartsford.co.uk/verify
CREDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE

Two credentials.
Two different purposes.

Hartsford issues two principal certificate types. They use the same core identity and verification infrastructure, while documenting different forms of educational evidence.

01
TYPE I

Professional Course Certificate

Awarded upon completion of a Hartsford academic or professional learning programme. It records the learner's name, programme title, professional training hours, and certificate issue date, together with the identifying information used for verification.

WHAT IS RECORDED
Full learner name
Programme title
Training hours
Issue date
Serial ID + QR
Training Partner*
* Where applicable.
02
TYPE II

English Language Assessment Certificate

Issued following an English language assessment aligned to the CEFR framework. It records the candidate's assessed level from A1 to C2 and the examination outcome.

WHAT IS RECORDED
Candidate name
CEFR level A1–C2
Overall result
Assessment date
Serial ID + QR
Verification record
CERTIFICATE TYPES
02
CURRENT REACH
195+
countries shown by Hartsford
LANGUAGE SCALE
A1–C2
six CEFR levels
VERIFICATION
QR + ID
online certificate record
CERTIFICATE ANATOMY

What is actually
inside the document?

Every field exists for a reason. The certificate should communicate enough information to identify what was completed or assessed, who it belongs to, when it was issued, and how the record can be verified.

One document. Multiple layers of evidence.
Identity, educational information, dates, assessment data where applicable, and verification references work together rather than as isolated design elements.
01
Name

Identifies the individual to whom the certificate or assessment record belongs. The name should correspond with the learner or candidate record used for issuance.

02
Course or Assessment

Makes the subject of the credential explicit. A course certificate identifies the programme completed; a language certificate identifies the assessment being reported.

03
Training Hours

On course completion certificates, recorded training hours provide additional context about the amount of structured learning associated with the programme.

04
CEFR Level

On English assessment certificates, the CEFR level communicates the candidate's assessed position on the A1–C2 proficiency scale. CEFR defines six principal levels and uses descriptive proficiency descriptors.

05
Result

The language assessment certificate distinguishes the assessed level from the examination outcome and records the result stated on the issued document.

06
Issue Date

Records when the certificate was formally issued and creates a clear reference point for employers, institutions, or other parties reviewing the document.

07
Certificate Number & QR

Provides the document with a unique identity and a direct route to the official Hartsford verification process.

TYPE I — IN DETAIL

Professional Course
Certificate.

This certificate records completion of a Hartsford professional learning programme. Its role is documentary: it identifies the learner, the programme, the recorded training volume, the issue date, and the verification identity attached to the certificate.

Student Full Name
The certificate is issued to the named learner recorded by Hartsford.
Programme Title
The exact course or programme title associated with the issued record.
Professional Training Hours
The structured training volume recorded for the completed programme.
Issue Date
The date on which the certificate was issued and recorded.
Global Serial ID & QR Code
A unique identifier and QR verification route connected to the official certificate record.
Training Partner (where applicable)
Identifies the trainer or training centre through which the programme was delivered, where applicable.
TRAINING PARTNER
Clear attribution, without confusion.

Where a programme is delivered through a Hartsford training partner, the certificate can identify that delivery entity in the Training Partner field.

Hartsford — Issuing Institution The certificate is issued and verified through Hartsford's certificate system.
Training Partner — Delivery Entity The trainer or centre through which the learning was delivered, where applicable.
Why Training Hours Are Recorded

Recording training hours gives employers, learners, and organisations an additional, concrete description of the amount of structured learning associated with a completed programme.

These hours should be treated as a record of training volume. They should not automatically be represented as membership of, or formal credit from, a separate CPD accreditation body unless such status is explicitly stated.

TYPE II — IN DETAIL

English Language
Assessment Certificate.

This certificate records the candidate's assessed English level and examination result using the CEFR framework as the reference scale.

CEFR is a framework, not a single test.
The Council of Europe defines six principal reference levels — A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 — using descriptive proficiency scales.
Council of Europe — CEFR Level Descriptions
A1 — C2
A1
Beginner Basic user
A2
Elementary Basic user
B1
Intermediate Independent user
B2
Upper-Intermediate Independent user
C1
Advanced Proficient user
C2
Proficient Proficient user
Candidate Name
The full name of the person who completed the assessment.
CEFR Level
The assessed level on the A1–C2 CEFR scale.
Overall Result
The examination outcome recorded on the certificate.
Assessment Date
The date associated with the assessment and certificate record.
Serial ID & QR Verification
The same verification infrastructure used for Hartsford's course certificates.
SIDE BY SIDE

Credential Comparison

The same verification philosophy. Different educational evidence.

FEATURE
TYPE I
Professional Course Certificate
TYPE II
English Language Assessment Certificate
Primary purpose Records completion of a professional learning programme. Records an assessed English proficiency level and result.
Name Learner name Candidate name
Programme / assessment Course title English assessment
Training hours
CEFR level A1–C2
Result Programme completion Assessment result
Issue / assessment date
Training Partner Where applicable
Unique serial ID
QR verification
Online verification record

The acceptance of a certificate for a particular purpose is determined by the organisation receiving it and by that organisation's own requirements.

PROFESSIONAL USE

Where the certificate
fits into your record.

The certificate is supporting evidence. Its usefulness depends on how accurately it is presented and whether the receiving organisation accepts that type of evidence for its particular purpose.

CV / Resume

List the issuing institution, course title or language level, issue date, and verification reference where relevant. Use wording that matches the certificate exactly.

LinkedIn & Online Profiles

Hartsford certificate details can be presented in professional profiles and portfolios, with the relevant verification URL used when a direct supporting link is appropriate.

Employment Applications

Where professional training or documented English proficiency is relevant to the role, the certificate can accompany an application as supporting evidence.

Professional Portfolio

Certificates can sit alongside projects, references, training records, assessments, and other evidence of professional development.

Institutional & HR Records

Organisations may retain course certificates and assessment records alongside internal training files, employee development records, or application documentation. A clear certificate number and verification route make the document easier to reference later.

MARKET CONTEXT

Why verifiable credentials
are getting more attention.

The value of a credential is increasingly tied to whether another person can understand what it represents and verify its source.

The figures below come from Accredible's 2025 State of Credentialing research and describe the broader digital-credential market. They are not Hartsford performance statistics.

EMPLOYER SEARCH
91%

of hiring professionals surveyed said they actively look for digital credentials when reviewing applications.

INTERVIEW EFFECT
86%

said they would be more likely to interview a candidate with a digital credential proving a relevant skill.

63%
Credential influence on hiring

said they had hired a candidate at least partly because of a digital credential they earned.

Read the full 2025 State of Credentialing Report
VERIFICATION SYSTEM

A certificate should
be easy to check.

Hartsford certificates use a unique certificate identifier and QR verification route so that a document reviewer can compare the certificate with its official online record.

01
Scan or Enter
Use the QR code printed on the certificate or enter its unique serial identifier.
02
Open the Official Record
The identifier routes the reviewer to the Hartsford certificate verification service.
03
Compare the Information
The reviewer compares the details shown on the document with the official verification record.
04
Detect Inconsistency
If the information presented on a document does not correspond with its official record, the discrepancy can be identified during verification.
For employers and institutions

Certificate verification is available through hartsford.co.uk/verify .

READ THE DOCUMENT CORRECTLY

What a certificate means — and what it does not.

A Hartsford certificate is documentary evidence of the completion or assessment described on the certificate. Its meaning should be interpreted from the information stated on the document and from the context in which it is being presented.

Course Completion Certificate
Evidence of completed learning or training for the named programme and recorded training volume.
English Language Assessment Certificate
Evidence of the stated assessment result and CEFR level shown on the certificate.
Important
A certificate should not be represented as a regulated licence, statutory qualification, government-issued award, professional registration, or immigration-approved test unless the relevant authority expressly recognises it for that purpose.
COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Practical questions about certificate type, information, verification, and professional use.

What is the difference between a Hartsford course certificate and an English language certificate?

A course completion certificate records completion of a professional learning programme, including the course title and recorded training hours. An English language assessment certificate records the candidate's assessed English level, based on the CEFR framework, together with the examination outcome.

Does every Hartsford certificate have a unique certificate number?

Hartsford's certificate format uses a unique certificate number as part of the identification and verification process. The identifier provides a reference that can be checked through the official certificate verification service.

What is the QR code used for?

The QR code provides a convenient route to the official Hartsford verification process. It allows a reviewer to move from the physical or digital certificate to the relevant online verification record.

What does the Training Partner field mean?

Where applicable, Training Partner identifies the trainer or training centre through which the programme was delivered. It provides additional context about delivery without changing the identity of the certificate issuer.

Can I add a Hartsford course certificate to my CV?

Yes. A course completion certificate can be included under professional development, training, continuing education, or another relevant section. The wording should accurately reflect the course completed and should match the certificate.

Can I include a Hartsford English result on my CV?

Yes. Where relevant, the assessed CEFR level and result may be included in a language proficiency section. The candidate should use the exact level and result stated on the issued certificate.

What does A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2 mean?

These are the six principal CEFR reference levels. The Council of Europe groups them into basic users (A1–A2), independent users (B1–B2), and proficient users (C1–C2). The framework uses descriptive proficiency scales rather than treating the levels as simple percentages or school grades.

Does a CEFR level automatically mean that every employer or university must accept it?

No. CEFR provides a common framework for describing language proficiency, but individual employers, universities, regulators, immigration authorities, and professional bodies may specify which tests or forms of evidence they accept. The receiving organisation's requirements always take precedence.

Can a Hartsford English certificate automatically be used for immigration?

Not automatically. Immigration authorities may require a specific approved test or evidence type. For example, the UK Skilled Worker route can require a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider when a qualifying alternative is not available. Always check the current requirement of the specific authority and visa route.

Does the certificate expire?

Hartsford's certificate format does not state an expiry date, and the certificate record is intended to remain available for verification. However, the organisation receiving the certificate may impose its own rules about how recent a qualification, training record, or language result must be. Certificate validity and external acceptance are therefore separate questions.

How should an employer verify a Hartsford certificate?

The employer can use the QR code printed on the certificate or the unique certificate identifier to access the official Hartsford verification service. The information displayed there should be compared with the information shown on the document.

OFFICIAL REFERENCE

Read the certificate.
Then verify the record.

The certificate is the document presented by the learner or candidate. The verification service provides the online reference used to check the certificate's identifying information.

OFFICIAL VERIFICATION
hartsford.co.uk/verify
Verify a Certificate
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