Verification is a lightweight independent check. It confirms that a course genuinely exists, broadly matches how it is presented, and shows no material reason for us to withhold verification. It is not a rating, a ranking or a recommendation.
The standard
Four principles
These are the whole standard. A reviewer applies judgement against them — there is no scorecard, no weighting and no pass mark.
01
Principle 1: The course is real
There is enough evidence that the course exists and can actually be accessed or delivered — that someone paying for it receives something.
02
Principle 2: The offer broadly matches the course
The course substantially resembles what a reasonable buyer would expect from the public offer. We look for material differences, not minor wording changes or a module that has been renamed.
03
Principle 3: The offer is not materially misleading
We find no obvious major contradiction or deceptive representation that meaningfully changes what a buyer believes they are purchasing.
04
Principle 4: No material reason to withhold verification
A course does not need to be perfect. Minor imperfections, subjective disagreements, production values and teaching style are not normally reasons to withhold verification. This is a human judgement, not a calculation.
Method
Two ways we verify
Both methods can result in the same Verified status and the same badge. There are no tiers — but the method used is always stated on the course profile, so you can weigh the evidence behind it.
Direct course review
The provider gives TrustMyCourse reviewer access, and we examine the course alongside its public offer.
We look at enough of the course to establish that it exists, that access works and that there is genuine material inside
We compare the delivered course against what the sales page promises
We do not watch every lesson, complete assignments or spend a fixed number of hours — a forty-hour course does not need a forty-hour audit
We do not assess teaching style, production values or whether the reviewer personally enjoyed it
Buyer evidence review
Where reviewer access is not provided or is impractical, we assess evidence from people who bought or received the course.
Evidence can include purchaser statements, proof of purchase, screenshots and other reasonable supporting material
The reviewer decides whether there is enough evidence to reach a reasonable decision — there is no fixed number of records
This is not a public review system: we publish no ratings, no comments and no average score
Buyer evidence is an input to our decision, never a consumer-review product
Limits
What we are not claiming
Verification describes what a course is. It says nothing about what any particular learner will get out of it.
Whether you will earn money, find work or reach any particular result
Whether a course is the right choice for your situation
Teaching quality, or the personal opinions of previous buyers
Anything a creator changes between scheduled re-checks
We also do not judge whether the teaching style is enjoyable, whether the videos look expensive, whether every statement is academically correct, or whether the reviewer would personally buy it. TrustMyCourse is not an accreditation body, a regulator or a certification board, and Verified is not an academic qualification.
Outcomes
When we may not verify a course
A course does not need to be perfect. These are the material reasons we would withhold verification.
The course does not genuinely exist, or cannot be accessed or delivered
Substantial advertised content is missing from what buyers receive
The evidence submitted appears to have been fabricated
What buyers receive is materially different from what they are led to expect
There is an obvious major misleading representation in the public offer
We cannot obtain enough evidence to make a reasonable decision either way
Not enough evidence is not a finding against a course
If we cannot gather enough evidence to decide, we record the outcome as Unable to verify. That is a statement about our evidence, not about the course, and we keep it visibly separate from Verification withdrawn, which is what we record when a material issue is identified in a course that was previously verified.
Over time
Verification has a date on it
A verification describes the course and the public offer as they were when we reviewed them. Courses change, sales pages get rewritten, and platforms move. So verification is not permanent: we may re-check a course and renew it, allow it to expire, or withdraw it if a material issue emerges. Every profile shows the dates either way, including for courses that are no longer verified.
Transparency
What every profile shows
The current verification status
Which method was used to verify it
The date the verification was completed
A verification reference you can quote
A written summary of what the reviewer checked and found
Does Verified mean TrustMyCourse recommends the course?
No. Verified means we reviewed the available evidence and found no material reason to withhold verification. It is not a recommendation, a ranking or an opinion about whether the course is right for you. We publish no score, no rating and no ordering by quality.
Does paying guarantee verification?
No. Course creators may pay for a review to be carried out, but payment does not guarantee a Verified result. A course that does not meet the standard is not verified, whatever has been paid. Featured placement is separate advertising and cannot improve a verification outcome.
Do you watch every lesson?
No, and we do not claim to. A review is proportionate: we look at enough of the course to establish that it exists, that access works, that there is genuine material inside and that it broadly matches the public offer. Verification is not an academic audit of every statement in every lesson.
What is a buyer evidence review?
When reviewer access is not provided or is impractical, we assess evidence from people who bought or received the course — statements, proof of purchase and similar supporting material — to establish that it was delivered broadly as presented. Every profile states which method was used, so you can weigh the evidence behind the decision yourself.
Can verification expire or be withdrawn?
Yes. Verification describes a course and its offer at the time they were reviewed, and courses change. Verification carries a date, can be re-checked and renewed, can expire, and can be withdrawn if a material issue emerges. The public record keeps the dates either way.
Does Verified guarantee results?
No. We make no claim about income, employment, return on investment or whether you will succeed. A course promising guaranteed outcomes is treated as a problem during review, not as a selling point.