Feb 10, 2026

Schema Markup for Education: A Non-Technical Guide for Marketing Teams

If you’re marketing for an education provider, you’ve probably heard of schema markup - but aren’t quite sure what it does

Felicity

Head of Performance

If you work in marketing for a school, university, or training provider, you've probably heard about "schema markup" but might not be sure what it actually does or why it matters.


Here's the simple version: Schema markup is code that helps Google (and AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity) understand what your web pages are actually about. When done right, it can get your courses, events, and programs featured more prominently in search results.

The good news? You don't need to code it yourself. AI tools can generate it for you, if you know how to ask.

Which Schema Types Do Educational Organisations Need?

Organization Schema : Essential for every education site

This tells search engines the basics about your institution.

What it includes:

  • Official name and logo

  • Contact information

  • Social media profiles

  • Physical address

Why it matters: This is your digital business card. It helps Google show accurate information in knowledge panels and helps AI platforms cite you correctly.


Course Schema : Critical if you offer courses

This is the big one for educational institutions.

What it includes:

  • Course/Qualification name and description

  • Provider details

  • Course format (online, in-person, hybrid)

  • Duration and schedule

  • Price (if applicable)

Why it matters: Courses with proper schema can appear in Google's course search results and course carousels. AI platforms also use this to recommend your courses when people ask about education options.


WorkBasedProgram Schema : For apprenticeships, internships, and work-integrated learning

Use this for programs that combine work experience with formal education.

What it includes:

  • Program name and description

  • Training salary or stipend information

  • Occupational category (what job/career it prepares for)

  • Program duration

  • Provider details

  • Work hours and training hours

Why it matters: Perfect for polytechnics, vocational training providers, and universities offering cooperative education, internships, or apprenticeships. Helps students find work-based learning opportunities and distinguishes these programs from traditional classroom courses. This schema type is specifically designed for programs where students learn while working.

When to use WorkBasedProgram vs Course:

  • WorkBasedProgram: Apprenticeships, internships, co-op programs, cadetships, work placements with structured learning

  • Course: Traditional classroom or online courses without significant work component


Event Schema : For open days, webinars, workshops

Perfect for promotional events and public lectures.

What it includes:

  • Event name and description

  • Date, time, and location

  • Ticket/registration information

  • Organiser's details

Why it matters: Events with schema can appear in Google's event listings and get rich snippets showing dates and locations directly in search results.


FAQPage Schema : For your FAQ pages

This structures your frequently asked questions.

What it includes:

  • Questions and answers in a structured format

Why it matters: Can trigger FAQ rich results in Google, making your listing take up more space in search results. Also helps AI platforms pull accurate answers when people ask about your programs.


BlogPosting Schema : For blog articles and news

Essential for your educational blog, news section, or thought leadership content.

What it includes:

  • Article headline and description

  • Author information

  • Publication date

  • Featured image

  • Article body (or excerpt)

  • Publisher details

Why it matters: Helps your articles appear in Google News, article carousels, and rich results. AI platforms use this to identify authoritative educational content when answering questions. Well-structured blog schema increases your chances of being cited by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.


EducationalOrganization Schema : Specific type of Organisation

A specialised version of Organisation schema for schools and universities.

What it includes:

  • Everything from Organization schema, plus:

  • Alumni information

  • Department structure

  • Campus details

Why it matters: Provides additional education-specific context that helps with local search and institutional visibility.


How to Brief AI to Create Schema Markup for You

You can use ChatGPT, Claude, or similar AI tools to generate schema markup. Here's exactly what to say:

Basic Briefing Template

Create [SCHEMA TYPE] schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Organization name: [Your organisation/institution's name]
Website: [Your website URL]
Description: [Brief description]
[Include other relevant details based on schema type]

Follow Schema.org standards and ensure it's ready to paste into the <head> section of my HTML.
Create [SCHEMA TYPE] schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Organization name: [Your organisation/institution's name]
Website: [Your website URL]
Description: [Brief description]
[Include other relevant details based on schema type]

Follow Schema.org standards and ensure it's ready to paste into the <head> section of my HTML.
Create [SCHEMA TYPE] schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Organization name: [Your organisation/institution's name]
Website: [Your website URL]
Description: [Brief description]
[Include other relevant details based on schema type]

Follow Schema.org standards and ensure it's ready to paste into the <head> section of my HTML.


Example Briefs for Each Schema Type

For Course Schema:

@type: Course
Include name, provider, description, courseMode, numberOfCredits, educationalLevel, location, duration, startDate, price, URL


Create Course schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

name: Certificate in Digital Marketing
Provider: Wellington College of Business
description: A 12-week online course covering SEO, social media, and content marketing
courseMode: Online
educationalLevel: Beginner
Duration: 12 weeks
StartDate: March 15, 2026
Price: $1,200 NZD
URL: https://example.edu/courses/digital-marketing

Follow Schema.org standards


Create Course schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

name: Certificate in Digital Marketing
Provider: Wellington College of Business
description: A 12-week online course covering SEO, social media, and content marketing
courseMode: Online
educationalLevel: Beginner
Duration: 12 weeks
StartDate: March 15, 2026
Price: $1,200 NZD
URL: https://example.edu/courses/digital-marketing

Follow Schema.org standards


Create Course schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

name: Certificate in Digital Marketing
Provider: Wellington College of Business
description: A 12-week online course covering SEO, social media, and content marketing
courseMode: Online
educationalLevel: Beginner
Duration: 12 weeks
StartDate: March 15, 2026
Price: $1,200 NZD
URL: https://example.edu/courses/digital-marketing

Follow Schema.org standards


For WorkBasedProgram Schema:

@type: WorkBasedProgram
Include: name, provider, description, programType, occupationCategory, duration, trainingSalary, startDate, URL, applicationDeadline


Create WorkBasedProgram schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Program name: Business Administration Apprenticeship
Provider: Wellington College of Business
ProgrameType: Apprenticeship
Description: A 2-year apprenticeship combining on-the-job training with classroom learning in business administration and office management
Occupational category: Business Administrator (use appropriate occupation code if known)
Duration: 2 years
Training salary: $25,000-$35,000 NZD per year (trainee wage)
Work hours: 30 hours per week on-the-job training
Training hours: 10 hours per week classroom instruction
Start dates: February and July intakes
ApplicationDeadline: Jan and June 2026
Program URL: https://example.edu/programs/business-apprenticeship

Follow Schema.org standards and include both educational and employment aspects


Create WorkBasedProgram schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Program name: Business Administration Apprenticeship
Provider: Wellington College of Business
ProgrameType: Apprenticeship
Description: A 2-year apprenticeship combining on-the-job training with classroom learning in business administration and office management
Occupational category: Business Administrator (use appropriate occupation code if known)
Duration: 2 years
Training salary: $25,000-$35,000 NZD per year (trainee wage)
Work hours: 30 hours per week on-the-job training
Training hours: 10 hours per week classroom instruction
Start dates: February and July intakes
ApplicationDeadline: Jan and June 2026
Program URL: https://example.edu/programs/business-apprenticeship

Follow Schema.org standards and include both educational and employment aspects


Create WorkBasedProgram schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Program name: Business Administration Apprenticeship
Provider: Wellington College of Business
ProgrameType: Apprenticeship
Description: A 2-year apprenticeship combining on-the-job training with classroom learning in business administration and office management
Occupational category: Business Administrator (use appropriate occupation code if known)
Duration: 2 years
Training salary: $25,000-$35,000 NZD per year (trainee wage)
Work hours: 30 hours per week on-the-job training
Training hours: 10 hours per week classroom instruction
Start dates: February and July intakes
ApplicationDeadline: Jan and June 2026
Program URL: https://example.edu/programs/business-apprenticeship

Follow Schema.org standards and include both educational and employment aspects


For Event Schema:

@type: EducationEvent, Event
Include: name, description, date, time, location, image, offer - price, URL


Create Event schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Event name: Open Day 2026
Description: Tour our campus, meet lecturers, and learn about our programs
Date: March 20, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM NZDT
Location: Wellington College of Business, 123 Campus Road, Wellington
Offer: Free
Registration: Free, registration required
URL: https://example.edu/events/open-day

Follow Schema.org standards


Create Event schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Event name: Open Day 2026
Description: Tour our campus, meet lecturers, and learn about our programs
Date: March 20, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM NZDT
Location: Wellington College of Business, 123 Campus Road, Wellington
Offer: Free
Registration: Free, registration required
URL: https://example.edu/events/open-day

Follow Schema.org standards


Create Event schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Event name: Open Day 2026
Description: Tour our campus, meet lecturers, and learn about our programs
Date: March 20, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM NZDT
Location: Wellington College of Business, 123 Campus Road, Wellington
Offer: Free
Registration: Free, registration required
URL: https://example.edu/events/open-day

Follow Schema.org standards


For BlogPosting Schema:

@type: BlogPosting, Blog

Include: Headline, name, description, datePublished, author, URL, publisher, image, word count


Create BlogPosting (Article) schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Headline: How to Choose the Right Business Degree in 2026
Description: A comprehensive guide to selecting a business qualification that matches your career goals
Author: Dr. Sarah Johnson
Author title: Senior Lecturer in Business Management
Publication date: February 9, 2026
Publisher: Wellington College of Business
Publisher logo: https://example.edu/logo.png
Featured image: https://example.edu/blog/images/choosing-business-degree.jpg
Article URL: https://example.edu/blog/choosing-business-degree
Word count: Approximately 2000 words

Follow Schema.org standards and include publisher organization details


Create BlogPosting (Article) schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Headline: How to Choose the Right Business Degree in 2026
Description: A comprehensive guide to selecting a business qualification that matches your career goals
Author: Dr. Sarah Johnson
Author title: Senior Lecturer in Business Management
Publication date: February 9, 2026
Publisher: Wellington College of Business
Publisher logo: https://example.edu/logo.png
Featured image: https://example.edu/blog/images/choosing-business-degree.jpg
Article URL: https://example.edu/blog/choosing-business-degree
Word count: Approximately 2000 words

Follow Schema.org standards and include publisher organization details


Create BlogPosting (Article) schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Headline: How to Choose the Right Business Degree in 2026
Description: A comprehensive guide to selecting a business qualification that matches your career goals
Author: Dr. Sarah Johnson
Author title: Senior Lecturer in Business Management
Publication date: February 9, 2026
Publisher: Wellington College of Business
Publisher logo: https://example.edu/logo.png
Featured image: https://example.edu/blog/images/choosing-business-degree.jpg
Article URL: https://example.edu/blog/choosing-business-degree
Word count: Approximately 2000 words

Follow Schema.org standards and include publisher organization details


For Organization Schema:

@type: Organization

Include name, URL, logo, description, address, phone number, email, social profiles 


Create EducationalOrganization schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Name: Wellington College of Business
URL: https://example.edu
Logo: https://example.edu/logo.png
Description: Leading business education provider in Wellington
Address: 123 Campus Road, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 123 4567
Email: info@example.edu
Social profiles: 
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/examplecollege
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/examplecollege

Follow Schema.org standards


Create EducationalOrganization schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Name: Wellington College of Business
URL: https://example.edu
Logo: https://example.edu/logo.png
Description: Leading business education provider in Wellington
Address: 123 Campus Road, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 123 4567
Email: info@example.edu
Social profiles: 
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/examplecollege
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/examplecollege

Follow Schema.org standards


Create EducationalOrganization schema markup in JSON-LD format for:

Name: Wellington College of Business
URL: https://example.edu
Logo: https://example.edu/logo.png
Description: Leading business education provider in Wellington
Address: 123 Campus Road, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 123 4567
Email: info@example.edu
Social profiles: 
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/examplecollege
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/examplecollege

Follow Schema.org standards


Critical Watch-Outs: What Can Go Wrong


  1. Incorrect Date Formats

The problem: Schema requires ISO 8601 date format (YYYY-MM-DD or with time: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM).

Watch out for: AI generating dates like "March 15, 2026" instead of "2026-03-15"

How to check: Look for dates in the schema. They should look like: "2026-03-15" or "2026-03-15T10:00:00+13:00"


2. Missing Required Properties

The problem: Each schema type has required fields. Missing them means the schema won't validate.

Watch out for:

  • Course schema without "name" or "provider"

  • Event schema without "startDate" or "location"

  • Organization schema without "name" or "url"

  • BlogPosting without "headline", "author", or "datePublished"

  • EducationalOccupationalCredential without "name" or "credentialCategory"

How to check: Use the validation tool (see below) - it will flag missing required properties.


3. Wrong Schema Type

The problem: AI might suggest the wrong schema type for your content.

Watch out for:

  • Using "Course" when you should use "EducationalOccupationalCredential" (Course = the learning experience; Credential = the qualification awarded)

  • Using "Article" when "BlogPosting" is more specific

  • Using generic "Service" when "EducationalOccupationalProgram" might be better

How to fix: Be specific in your brief: "Create Course schema, not EducationalOccupationalProgram" or "Create BlogPosting schema, not generic Article"


4. Mixing Up Properties

The problem: AI might put information in the wrong property field.

Watch out for:

  • Course duration in wrong format (should be ISO 8601 duration like "P12W" for 12 weeks)

  • Price without currency code

  • URLs that aren't absolute (missing https://)

  • Blog images without proper ImageObject structure

  • Author information missing required properties (name, url)

How to check: Review the output carefully. Prices should look like "price": "1200", "priceCurrency": "NZD"


5. Nested Schema Errors

The problem: When schema references other schema (like a Course referencing an Organization as provider), the nested structure can get messy.

Watch out for: Incomplete or incorrectly formatted nested objects.

How to fix: In your brief, specify: "The provider should be a nested Organization object with name and URL"


6. BlogPosting-Specific Issues

The problem: Blog schema has several common pitfalls.

Watch out for:

  • Missing author information (required field)

  • No publisher organization details

  • Missing datePublished or dateModified

  • Image without proper dimensions (width/height)

  • Missing mainEntityOfPage property

How to fix: Always include complete author and publisher information in your brief. Specify image dimensions if known.


7. EducationalOccupationalCredential Confusion

The problem: This schema type is often confused with Course schema.

Watch out for:

  • Using this for short courses (use Course schema instead)

  • Missing credentialCategory (required: degree, certificate, diploma, badge, etc.)

  • Vague competency requirements

How to fix: Only use this for formal qualifications. Be specific: "This is a nationally recognized Bachelor's degree, not a short course"


How to Implement the Schema (No Coding Required)

Once AI generates your schema markup:

  1. Copy the entire JSON-LD code block (it starts with <script type="application/ld+json">)

  2. Paste it into your website's HTML in the <head> section, or:

    • If you use WordPress: Use a plugin like "Schema Pro" or "Rank Math" that has fields for custom schema

    • If you use a website builder: Most have a "Custom Code" or "Header Code" section in settings

  3. Place it on the relevant page:

    • Organization schema: Homepage

    • Course schema: Individual course pages

    • EducationalOccupationalCredential schema: Qualification/degree program pages

    • Service schema: Service description pages

    • BlogPosting schema: Individual blog post pages

    • Event schema: Individual event pages

    • FAQ schema: FAQ page or section


Validation: How to Check It's Working

Always validate your schema before publishing:

Use Google's Rich Results Test:
https://search.google.com/test/rich-results

How to use it:

  1. Paste your page URL (after you've added the schema), OR

  2. Paste the schema code directly

  3. Click "Test URL" or "Test Code"

  4. Check for errors or warnings

What you're looking for:

  • Green tick = Valid schema

  • Yellow warnings = Not critical, but should fix if possible

  • Red errors = Must fix before publishing

Need help? We’ve got this.
Schema markup is powerful, but between managing courses, events, and content, adding technical schema can quickly feel like one more thing on the list.

If you’d rather stay focused on strategy and leave the technical setup to someone else, get in touch. We’ll generate, implement, and validate your schema markup end-to-end — no coding required on your side.

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Making great digital marketing accessible when you can't do it all. We go above and beyond to get you results.

Navigation

Home

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About

About

Work

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Blog

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Social

Instagram

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© 2025 Sea. All rights reserved.

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