SCA Q Grader in 2026: Requirements, Exams and the End of CQI Q Robusta

The current Q Grader credential is administered by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), not the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). This changed on October 1, 2025, when management of the Q Grader Program transferred from CQI to SCA. The current program is built on the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA).

That transition matters for Fine Robusta buyers because the older CQI system used separate Q Arabica and Q Robusta/R-Grader pathways. The current SCA Q Grader license is not species-specific. Historical Q Robusta credentials and Fine Robusta protocols remain relevant when interpreting older records, but they should not be presented as the current certification route.

What the current SCA Q Grader course looks like

SCA describes the current Q Grader course as six consecutive days focused on sensory evaluation, cupping, green coffee grading and CVA. Candidates complete nine assessments: eight practical evaluations and one written exam. All assessments must be passed to earn the license.

The SCA Q Grader license is valid for three years. Renewal is handled through continuing professional development rather than the old CQI calibration model.

What happened to Q Robusta / R-Grader?

Before the transition, CQI operated separate Arabica and Robusta credentials. Existing Q Arabica and Q Robusta graders were eligible to transition into the updated SCA Q Grader program. The new SCA license itself is not divided by coffee species.

For Canephora and Fine Robusta, this does not erase the historical value of CQI/UCDA Fine Robusta work. It changes the credentialing system used by professionals evaluating coffee today.

What buyers should verify

When a supplier presents a grading claim, ask four questions:

1. Which evaluation framework was used?
2. When was the coffee evaluated?
3. Who evaluated the sample and what credential did they hold at that time?
4. Is the document a historical CQI/Q Robusta record or a current SCA/CVA assessment?

The distinction prevents a valid historical record from being misrepresented as a current certification pathway.

Important date

CQI stopped accepting coffee samples for grading on September 30, 2025. Coffee records submitted before October 1, 2025 remain historical evidence, but buyers should not expect new 2026 lots to enter the former CQI Q grading workflow.

OCC routing

For OCC, Q Grader education is supporting content. Broad Fine Robusta grading authority belongs to the Fine Robusta grading and standards Owners, while commercial sourcing belongs to Wholesale.

Continue to the Fine Robusta grading guide for buyer verification, then to Fine Robusta Cambodia for the category authority.

Sources

• Specialty Coffee Association — Q Grader Program
• SCA/CQI Q Program transition FAQ
• Coffee Quality Institute — historical coffee grading database and transition notice