The self-accreditation status entitles a higher education provider (HEP) to accredit its programmes except for programmes that require accreditation and recognition of the relevant professional body. The legal provisions for the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) to implement self-accreditation are provided for in the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007 (Act 679).

Chapter 4 of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007 contains provisions for self-accrediting higher education providers:

1. Section 61 provides for the application of self-accreditation status upon an invitation of the Honourable Minister and for MQA to conduct an institutional audit before the self-accreditation status is granted.
2. Section 62 describes that a self-accrediting HEP may apply to register accredited programmes in the Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQR).
3. Section 63 explains the certificate of self-accreditation.
4. Section 64 is on the revocation of self-accreditation status or cancellation of registration of programmes.

MQA has published the Code of Practice for Institutional Audit (COPIA) as a guide to undertake institutional audits in general as well as the institutional audit to award the self-accreditation status.

1. Section 2 of the COPIA outlines the standards and criteria used to evaluate (audit) an institution based on the nine areas of evaluation for quality assurance. For the award of self-accreditation status, an important criterion that will be emphasised is that an HEP needs to have a robust internal quality assurance system.