A New Chapter in Coffee Education

Introducing a More Accessible Pricing Model

The SCA is transforming its global education pricing model to make learning more accessible, affordable, and equitable for coffee professionals everywhere.

Meet the new forward-looking pricing model designed to meet learners where they are, both geographically and economically.

Education costs will now vary by country, reflecting local economic realities.

We’ve organized countries into five groups based on data from the International Monetary Fund and the Purchasing Power Parity per Capita Index.

This approach ensures that both course fees for learners and license fees for trainers are scaled fairly and transparently.

This model applies to all SCA certificate programs, including the new Q Program.

A more inclusive, empowered global coffee community.

We believe education is the foundation of a thriving, equitable, and sustainable coffee industry—and the SCA is proud to lead this transformation. But we’re not doing it alone.

Through trusted relationships and shared values, we’re partnering with key institutions to expand our reach and impact. These collaborations help bring our programs and standards to more people, while respecting and leveraging local knowledge and infrastructure.

New to SCA Education? Here's how it works. 

We offer certificate courses through the following programs: the Coffee Skills Program, Coffee Sustainability Program, Coffee Technician Program, and the Q Grader Program. In addition, we offer a standalone certificate course: the CVA for Cuppers Course.

The SCA provides the curriculum, platform, and administrative services to trainers for a fee per learner and per trainer. Trainers set their own total price for a learner’s education experience, with some trainers covering both fees. 

Step 1 for Learners and Trainers

Country Groups

To understand the new pricing model and how it affects you, both learners and trainers should start by finding the country in which they reside.

Click to show drop down list of countries within each group.

  • Afghanistan 
    Benin 
    Burkina Faso 
    Burundi 
    Cameroon 
    Central African Republic 
    Chad 
    Comoros 
    Congo, Democratic Republic of
    Eritrea  
    Ethiopia  
    Gambia  
    Guinea  
    Guinea-Bissau  
    Haiti  
    Kiribati 
    Lesotho 
    Liberia 
    Madagascar 
    Malawi 
    Mali 
    Micronesia (Federated States of) 
    Mozambique 
    Myanmar 
    Nepal 
    Niger 
    Palestine, State of 
    Papua New Guinea 
    Rwanda 
    Senegal 
    Sierra Leone 
    Solomon Islands 
    Somalia 
    Tajikistan 
    Tanzania, United Republic of 
    Timor-Leste 
    Togo 
    Uganda 
    Vanuatu 
    Yemen 
    Zambia 
    Zimbabwe 

  • Angola 
    Bangladesh 
    Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 
    Cabo Verde 
    Cambodia 
    Congo  
    Côte d'Ivoire  
    Djibouti  
    Ghana  
    Honduras  
    India  
    Jamaica 
    Jordan 
    Kenya 
    Kyrgyzstan 
    Lao People's Democratic Republic 
    Marshall Islands 
    Mauritania 
    Morocco 
    Namibia 
    Nauru 
    Nicaragua 
    Nigeria 
    Pakistan 
    Philippines 
    Samoa 
    Sri Lanka 
    Tonga 
    Turks and Caicos Islands 
    Tuvalu 
    Uzbekistan 
    Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 
    Western Sahara 

  • Albania 
    Algeria 
    Antigua and Barbuda 
    Barbados 
    Belize 
    Bhutan 
    Bosnia and Herzegovina 
    Botswana 
    Bouvet Island 
    Brazil 
    Colombia 
    Dominica  
    Ecuador  
    Egypt  
    El Salvador  
    Equatorial Guinea  
    Eswatini  
    Fiji  
    Gibraltar  
    Grenada  
    Guatemala  
    Indonesia  
    Iraq 
    Kosovo 
    Lebanon 
    Libya 
    Martinique 
    Moldova, Republic of 
    Mongolia 
    Montserrat 
    Niue 
    Palau 
    Paraguay 
    Peru 
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 
    South Africa 
    Suriname 
    Tunisia 
    Ukraine 
    Viet Nam 

  • Argentina 
    Armenia 
    Azerbaijan 
    Belarus 
    Chile 
    Costa Rica  
    Dominican Republic  
    Gabon  
    Georgia  
    Maldives 
    Mauritius 
    Mexico 
    Montenegro 
    North Macedonia 
    Réunion 
    Saint Kitts and Nevis 
    Saint Lucia 
    Serbia 
    Thailand 
    Trinidad and Tobago 
    Turkmenistan 
    Uruguay 

  • Åland Islands 
    American Samoa 
    Andorra 
    Anguilla 
    Aruba 
    Australia 
    Austria 
    Bahamas 
    Bahrain 
    Belgium 
    Bermuda 
    Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba 
    Brunei Darussalam 
    Bulgaria 
    Canada 
    Cayman Islands 
    China 
    Christmas Island 
    Cocos (Keeling) Islands 
    Cook Islands  
    Croatia  
    Curaçao  
    Cyprus  
    Czechia  
    Denmark  
    Estonia  
    Falkland Islands (Malvinas)  
    Faroe Islands  
    Finland  
    France  
    French Guiana  
    French Polynesia  
    Germany  
    Greece  
    Greenland  
    Guadeloupe  
    Guam  
    Guernsey  
    Guyana  
    Holy See (Vatican City State)  
    Hong Kong SAR  
    Hungary  
    Iceland  
    Ireland 
    Isle of Man 
    Israel 
    Italy 
    Japan 
    Jersey 
    Kazakhstan 
    Korea, Republic of 
    Kuwait 
    Latvia 
    Liechtenstein 
    Lithuania 
    Luxembourg 
    Macao 
    Malaysia 
    Malta 
    Mayotte 
    Monaco 
    Netherlands 
    Netherlands Antilles 
    New Caledonia 
    New Zealand 
    Norfolk Island 
    Northern Mariana Islands 
    Norway 
    Oman 
    Panama 
    Poland 
    Portugal 
    Puerto Rico 
    Qatar 
    Romania 
    Russian Federation 
    Saint Barthélemy 
    Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha 
    Saint Martin (Dutch) 
    Saint Martin (French) 
    San Marino 
    Saudi Arabia 
    Seychelles 
    Singapore 
    Slovakia 
    Slovenia 
    Spain 
    Svalbard and Jan Mayen 
    Sweden 
    Switzerland 
    Taiwan 
    Turkey 
    United Arab Emirates 
    United Kingdom 
    United States 
    United States Minor Outlying Islands 
    United States Miscellaneous Pacific Islands 
    Virgin Islands (British) 
    Virgin Islands (US) 
    Wallis and Futuna 

Don’t see your country? The SCA is a US-based 501(c)6 non-profit and held to US sanctions. This list will be updated as sanctions adjust.

Step 2 for Learners

Understanding SCA Education Program Fees

Our current fees per learner and per trainer are $25 or $50, depending on type of education course. Final course pricing for the learner will vary, as trainers set their own pricing. This new pricing will launch later in 2025.

Our new pricing groups adjust fees by where the learner resides:

Group 1:  $4 / $8
Group 2: $5 / $10
Group 3:  $13 / $25
Group 4: $18 / $35
Group 5: $25 / $50

These are the fees the SCA collects per learner per course. Course prices are freely set by trainers and vary per market.

Step 2 for Trainers

New Pricing Information for Trainer License Fees

An AST License authorizes a trainer to teach SCA curriculum. Find your new group pricing for license fees, and descriptions of available licenses below. This new pricing will launch later in 2025.

All Module Licenses Now Included in Standard and Enterprise (Flex) Licenses!

License Fees

  • Group 1: $115 per year

  • Group 2: $200 per year

  • Group 3: $500 per year

  • Group 4: $700 per year

  • Group 5: $975 per year

Global Upgrade (optional) $500 per calendar year

Trainer License Options

There are two AST licenses available to trainers who meet the requirements to teach, based on their location and country group.

Authorized trainers interested in teaching outside of their country group may upgrade to “global status,” which allows trainers to teach anywhere in the world—no matter where they reside.

The License for an Individual

A standard license is held by an individual or independent consultant who meets the requirements to teach the relevant modules. For this license type, the license is held by the trainer within their designated country group and is non-transferable.

The License for a Company

Available to any SCA member companies, the enterprise (flex) license authorizes any qualified trainer to teach on behalf of the company within their designated country group. The company may designate an administrator to oversee course management.

For Trainers Who Want to Teach Anywhere

Standard and enterprise licenses authorize a trainer within their designated country group. A Global Upgrade license authorizes a holder of either a Standard or Enterprise license to teach in additional geographies. 

New!
License Duration and Discounts: Standard and Enterprise (Flex) Licenses are granted for 1 year, with an option to purchase a 3-year term at a 10% discount on the total cost.

Find Available Courses

Know which certificate program and level you want to take? Use our Course Finder to browse upcoming courses in your region.