The programme awards two qualifications:

• Bachelor of Finance and Accounting – awarded by SIMI Swiss (Switzerland)
• OTHM Level 6 Diploma in Accounting and Business – awarded by OTHM (United Kingdom)

These two qualifications are fully integrated, creating maximum strength and value for graduates upon completion.

Yes.

• The OTHM qualification is regulated by Ofqual (UK Government), ensuring national standards of quality, transparency, and compliance in the United Kingdom.
• SIMI Swiss is an international higher education institute operating under the Swiss Private HEI model, registered and governed in the Canton of Zug. It is responsible for the academic value of its Private Degree programmes in accordance with Swiss law.
• Check the programme on SVEB HERE.

Yes. The OTHM qualification is part of the RQF and regulated by Ofqual, and it is recognised at the Bachelor’s Degree Level within the UK education system.

References:

• Official UK Government recognition assessment: HERE
• Recognition of equivalency to a Bachelor’s degree in the UK and across Europe: HERE

The UK Qualification Reference Statement issued by an authorised representative of the UK Department for Education is the highest-level document confirming the status of a graduate’s qualification, serving to authenticate and recognise:

• Verification that the qualification is recognised in the United Kingdom.
• Recognition of the qualification’s level and position within the UK national qualification frameworks, including all three frameworks:
  • The Regulated Qualifications Framework of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (RQF)
  • The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)
  • The Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW)

Example: A qualification recognised by the UK Department for Education with the notation UK Framework Levels – RQF Level 6 / SCQF Level 9 / CQFW Level 6 means that the qualification is classified at the BACHELOR’S level across the entire United Kingdom and holds academic validity in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

• Confirmation that the awarding institution is recognised by the UK Government.
• Confirmation of the entry requirements for obtaining the qualification.
• Confirmation of the assessment and examination procedures.
• Confirmation of the graduate’s competency and employability.
• Confirmation of progression opportunities for further study within the UK National Education System after completing the qualification.

Yes.
The SwissUK degree awarded by SIMI is recognised for employment in Switzerland without any additional procedures, as the position of Specialist in Finance and Accounting belongs to the group of occupations that do not require a professional licence.

The Governments of Switzerland and the United Kingdom have signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement on Professional Qualifications, effective from 01/01/2025. Under this agreement, professional qualifications issued in either country may be submitted for recognition when applying for a professional licence in the other country, including professions that fall under the professionally regulated category—those requiring a licence to practise.

As a result, qualifications within the SwissUK™ education system—particularly programmes awarded by Ofqual Awarding Bodies—are eligible to be submitted as part of the initial application for recognition or for obtaining a new professional licence in Switzerland, in accordance with the mechanisms defined in the agreement.

References:

• Swiss–UK Mutual Recognition Agreement on Professional Qualifications from the UK Government: HERE
• Swiss–UK Mutual Recognition Agreement on Professional Qualifications from the Swiss Government: HERE
• List of approximately 200 regulated professions requiring a professional licence under the Swiss–UK Mutual Recognition Agreement (qualifications within the SwissUK™ system—including those from Ofqual Awarding Bodies—are eligible for initial assessment according to the agreement): HERE

UK ENIC benchmarks RQF Level 6 at Band 9, which is equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree. See more details HERE

The “Agreement between the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland) and the United Kingdom on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications” is a bilateral treaty between the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, signed on 14/6/2023 and effective from 01/01/2025. This Agreement establishes an official legal framework for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and professional competence between the two countries. Read more HERE

1. Core content of the Agreement

The Agreement creates a bilateral mechanism to:

• Establish a transparent process for recognising professional qualifications and professional competence.
• Facilitate professionals trained in one country to practise in the other.
• Reduce legal barriers in regulated professions, such as finance, accounting, auditing, management, engineering, and other state-regulated sectors.

A key point of the Agreement is shifting the focus from the nationality of the qualification to professional competence and training standards, in line with competency-based recognition trends in Europe and the United Kingdom.

2. Significance in the context of education and professional practice

In Switzerland, many state-regulated professional fields are currently largely controlled by the public university system in terms of training and recognition, which may create barriers for learners from private or international education models when demonstrating competence.

The Switzerland–UK Agreement:

• Opens a bilateral legal corridor for competence assessment and recognition.
• Significantly reduces the need for complete retraining or restarting recognition from scratch when changing work environments.
• Increases international credibility when demonstrating qualifications to employers, professional bodies, and international institutions.

3. Direct significance for SwissUK™ learners

For SwissUK™ learners, the Agreement provides practical and long-term benefits:

1) Professional recognition through a clearer process

The Agreement provides a foundation for SwissUK™ learners to access a transparent mutual recognition process, helping to:

• Reduce the risk of refusal due to differences in education systems.
• Increase the likelihood of being considered for recognition in regulated professions in both Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

2) Expand parallel career opportunities in both countries

Learners may:

• Develop a career in Switzerland in highly specialised professional fields.
• At the same time, access the UK labour market, where professional recognition is managed under a nationally governed framework.

3) Reduce time and financial costs of career transition

Instead of having to start over or join lengthy supplementary programmes, SwissUK™ learners have a legal basis to be assessed for equivalence, significantly saving resources.

4. The role of SwissUK™ within the Agreement framework

SwissUK™ is a training system exclusively owned and implemented by Swiss Information and Management Institute, built upon:

• The academic quality of Swiss higher education.
• A recognition framework and competency standards governed by the Government of the United Kingdom.
• Delivered through a home-based international study model with live broadcast classes, without partnerships in Vietnam, delegation, or intermediaries, helping to keep the programme original and avoid unauthorised classes in Vietnam.

After graduation, SwissUK™ learners are supported in completing the necessary procedures to obtain:

• An official UK Qualification Reference Statement issued by an authorised representative of the UK Department for Education.
• Confirmation of academic value, professional competence, employability, and pathways for further study in an international context.

Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Swiss Confederation on Mutual Recognition in Financial Services
(provisional translation: Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Swiss Confederation on mutual recognition in the field of financial services) is a bilateral agreement intended to establish a mechanism for regulatory recognition and legal coordination between the two countries across financial services activities, including banking, investment, insurance, and asset management. Read more HERE

1. What is this Agreement?

This is a legal framework for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Swiss Confederation to:

• Recognise the equivalence of certain financial regulatory standards.
• Enable financial institutions, professionals, products, and services to access each other’s markets more conveniently.
• Reduce legal barriers, especially in the post-Brexit context where the UK no longer benefits from EU “passporting”.

Simply put, this is a national-level legal bridge between two leading European financial centres.

2. Why is this Agreement important?

At the national & market level

• United Kingdom: maintaining its position as a global financial centre outside the EU.
• Switzerland: a global leader in asset management, private banking, and fintech.
• Both sides open a bilateral legal corridor, replacing certain multilateral mechanisms that ceased to apply after Brexit.

At the workforce & expert level

• Enhance professional mobility and support recognition of competence and work standards.
• Create a foundation for comparison, referencing, and recognition of professional competence across the two systems.

3. Direct significance for SwissUK™ learners

For learners following the SwissUK™ model, this Agreement delivers a clear strategic advantage:

1) Qualifications and competence “sit on the right legal axis”

SwissUK™ combines:

• Training & academic standards grounded in Switzerland (a leading financial jurisdiction).
• Qualifications/competency standards within the UK system (RQF, Ofqual).

The Agreement helps ensure these two “axes” do not conflict, but instead complement one another in the context of international practice and work.

2) Advantages in regulated financial sectors

In sectors such as:

• banking & finance
• investment management
• compliance & risk
• wealth & asset management

Employers and regulators often:

• prioritise qualification/competency systems with international comparability,
• especially a UK framework combined with a Swiss context.

SwissUK™ positions learners within the legal overlap that this Agreement is designed to support.

3) Stronger professional credibility for cross-border work

SwissUK™ learners:

• Do not only hold qualifications,
• but also develop competence within a legal environment supported by a bilateral agreement.

This reduces the risk of being perceived as an isolated private qualification, especially in finance—a sector that is highly sensitive to legal and regulatory requirements.

4) Aligned with the trend of recognising competence rather than purely academic credentials

This Agreement aligns with the wider trend towards:

• Recognition of professional competence,
• Outcomes-based regulation in regulated sectors,
• Recognition supported by formal recognition statements rather than relying only on traditional academic assessment.

Yes.

According to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), RQF Level 6 is aligned with EQF Level 6. See more details HERE

Yes. It may be evaluated as equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree or Bachelor-level, depending on the individual application, through:

• CICIC (Canada)
• WES (USA/Canada)

The final outcome depends on the purpose of the evaluation and the independent assessment conducted by these agencies. See more details HERE

Yes.

The qualification integrates the competency standards for the Accounting Finance Manager role – Occupational Code LAR402 under the UK occupational framework. See more details HERE

According to labor market data from the United Kingdom, the average annual salary for the Professional Accountant group (which includes manager roles aligned with this program) is £46,678 per year. See more details HERE

Yes.

According to the Statement of Changes to the UK Immigration Rules (effective 2025), the minimum qualification level for the Skilled Worker Visa has been raised to RQF Level 6.

A qualification at RQF Level 6 meets the mandatory academic requirement.

See more details HERE

Yes. Learners are eligible to apply for postgraduate programs such as:

• MBA (Master of Business Administration)
• MSc in Finance / Accounting / Banking & Risk Management / Investment Management
• MSc in Management / Financial Economics

Reference: Recognition of RQF/EQF Level 6 as a Bachelor’s degree under international education standards. See more details: HERE

All qualification recognitions, top-ups, or transfers under the Swiss and UK education systems are subject to the specific policies of the receiving institution or relevant authority — verification should be conducted in advance where applicable.

Yes.

• SIMI Swiss provides consular legalization services for its qualifications. See more HERE.
• OTHM offers an online qualification verification system via QR Code. See more HERE.
• The UK Department for Education confirms that OTHM qualifications (including those bearing the SIMI name) are officially recognised by the UK Government and mapped to RQF Level 6 / SCQF Level 9 / CQFW Level 6 (Bachelor’s Level).

Information relating to the programme, the qualification, its accreditation status, and any associated recognition frameworks is derived from official publications issued by the UK Government, statutory regulatory authorities, and other competent bodies. All information is accurate as of the date of publication; however, it may be amended, revised, or withdrawn at any time without prior notice, pursuant to updates in applicable policies, regulations, or statutory instruments.

Although recognition, cross-recognition, and equivalency frameworks are established on transparent, objective, and verifiable criteria, each country, ministry, governmental department, professional body, or receiving institution retains sole discretion and full adjudicatory authority to determine whether a qualification is recognised, accepted, or deemed equivalent under its internal regulations and legal jurisdiction. Accordingly, learners bear full responsibility for verifying recognition requirements directly with the relevant authority or institution before relying on the qualification for any legal, academic, or professional purpose.

In accordance with principles of transparency and jurisdictional compliance, SIMI Swiss, UKeU®, OTHM, and all related parties do not make any commitment or representation regarding qualification recognition, equivalency, immigration status, or professional licensing in any country, ministry, department, or regulatory body.

This information is provided to ensure accuracy and transparency in public communication, consistent with international standards and best practices in academic disclosure.