Q Grader Courses Now Available Across Various Regions and Languages
Today, Q Grader courses launch as part of the updated program with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) for the first time. The globally respected license for coffee professionals to evaluate and communicate coffee quality has been updated to align with the latest in coffee science. Many courses are now available, with more locations, languages, and dates to be added continuously over the coming months.
Recognized worldwide as the leading specialty coffee license, the Q Grader Program tests professionals' ability to evaluate coffee using physical, descriptive, affective, and extrinsic assessments. Graduates earn the Q Grader license, a mark of excellence trusted across the global coffee value chain—from producers and exporters to roasters, importers, and traders. It was announced in April at Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston that, as part of a new partnership, the SCA would evolve the content of the Q Grader Program and transition its management from the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI).
The updated curriculum, now grounded in the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), reflects the latest advancements in sensory science. By aligning professional coffee evaluation with the CVA, the modern Q Grader Program establishes a shared global framework for understanding coffee’s value, supporting a more transparent, consistent, and connected coffee sector.
“The Q Grader Program has long served coffee professionals around the world,” said Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association. “With the addition of the Coffee Value Assessment, our goal is to provide resources that reflect the needs of today’s coffee community and help us work collectively to make coffee better.”
Courses are taught by an international network of licensed instructors who guide participants through intensive sensory training and examination, ensuring a rigorous and globally consistent standard. The updated Q Grader Program launches in tandem with our new education pricing model—a new country-specific approach that ensures affordability across diverse markets, making it easier for professionals everywhere to pursue one of the industry’s most respected credentials.
The launch of the updated Q Grader Program marks a new era for specialty coffee education—one that brings together scientific innovation, professional rigor, and a global community of practitioners dedicated to making coffee better.