The implementation of the ISO 9000 international quality management system in education has become a debated trend. Building on the literature, this study did not attempt to end the debate over ISO 9000 in education but looked at the problem with a new perspective. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that relate to the time required to obtain successful ISO 9000 registration, which may assist administrators in deciding if ISO 9000 may be appropriate for their school, college, or university. As an international issue, the study was based on data collected via telephone interviews with individuals leading ISO 9000 implementation efforts at 30 education institutions in the USA and England that had obtained ISO 9000 registration. The results indicate that there are 7 factors related to the time to ISO 9000 registration. (Contains 3 tables.)