Accreditation is a voluntary quality assurance process for educational institutions, wherein a comprehensive and objective process of outside peer review is used to determine whether an institution or program meets the standards of the accrediting body in institutional and/or educational quality and effectiveness. ACCET provides institutional accreditation for its members. For more information, please refer to ACCET Document 1 – The Accreditation Process.

Please refer to our Benefits of Accreditation page.

Institutional accreditation (for institutions not already accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) is the process that evaluates and attests to the institution’s compliance with the standards of the accrediting agency in all areas of the organization, including goals and planning, management, finances, curricula, instructional staff and delivery, admissions and student services, and evaluation. Institutions that are already accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may also seek programmatic accreditation for certain programs, in order for the graduates of these programs to be eligible, upon graduation, to sit for nationally recognized programmatic certification. Programmatic accreditation is offered by some agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. ACCET does not offer programmatic accreditation to its members; however, institutions accredited by ACCET may offer programs that have programmatic accreditation through another accrediting agency.

ACCET accredits institutions that offer vocational and/or avocational programs that may include short courses, programs offered at the certificate, diploma, and degree levels, as well as courses and programs offered via interactive distance learning. ACCET does not accredit institutions that offer programs longer than an Associate’s Degree, or institutions that offer cosmetology programs. The following are types of institutions that may be eligible for ACCET accreditation:

• Trade and professional associations
• Private career schools
• Corporate training departments
• Intensive English programs (IEPs)
• Social service, volunteer, and personal development organizations

Please refer to our Accreditation Eligibility page for more information.

While there is no fixed, definitive timeframe for completing the accreditation review process, twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months is a reasonable estimate for an institution committed to a serious investment of the necessary effort and resources. An initial application expires one year from the date of receipt at ACCET, unless officially accepted along with the subsequent receipt of an ASER/BASER, request for on-site visit and fees within that timeframe. Applicants scheduled for an on-site evaluation during a specified review cycle (April, August, or December) are required to timely submit the appropriate documentation and fees. ACCET’s workload and logistical factors may necessitate the rescheduling of the visit(s) for a subsequent review cycle. Please refer to our Schedule of Review for more information.

Please refer to our Accreditation Process page for more information.

The overall cost of the initial application process is determined by the scope of the institution’s programs and the number of its locations. The on-site visit team requires a curriculum specialist for each of the various types of programs offered by the institution, and offering more than one type of program and additional locations will raise the cost of the site visit fees. Please refer to ACCET Document 10 – Fee Schedule for more information.

Costs include the initial inquiry, initial application, workshop attendance, readiness visit, and on-site visit. A member of the ACCET Application Review Committee can help you estimate the total cost more accurately. Please contact us to arrange a time to speak.

Final determination of an institution’s accreditation status is made by the ACCET Accrediting Commission at the end of each accreditation cycle, following review of the site visit team report and any additional information submitted in response to the team report by the institution. At that time, the Commission may vote to approve, defer (until such time as the Commission determines that the institution meets all ACCET requirements), or deny accreditation for the institution.

Attendance at an Accreditation Workshop by a member of the institution is a requirement for those undergoing initial accreditation and for accredited institutions that are in a reaccreditation cycle. During initial accreditation, the applicant cannot attend a workshop until the Initial Inquiry has been approved. It is recommended that the applicant attend prior to the submission of the Application for Accreditation, and attendance is required before the ASER is submitted. Institutions that are undergoing reaccreditation must send a representative from that institution to a workshop prior to the submission of their ASER. The workshops are designed to provide a review of any recent updates to ACCET’s policies and procedures and an in-depth study of the ACCET accreditation process in order to assist the institution in the preparation of the ASER, the on-site evaluation, and the actions of the Commission.

The Analytical Self Evaluation Report (ASER) is a self-study report and part of both the initial accreditation and reaccreditation processes. It is completed by the institution and based on one or more templates (institutional and programmatic) provided by ACCET. The ASER addresses specific questions related to ACCET’s standards and serves as a structured resume on the institution’s history, mission, management, coursework, admissions, academic policies, and quality measures, along with plans for continued improvement and growth. As responses to each of the questions that follow the standards in this guideline are addressed, it should be apparent that the process purposefully provokes a critical self-evaluation that the subsequent on-site review team will be required to verify and/or challenge on the basis of actual operational activities and observable results. During this process, issues may arise that mandate some revision to policies, procedures, and/or practices; this should be viewed as a positive attribute of the accreditation process to inspire self-analysis and improvement. Further, it is designed to be a team effort among all institutional members, requiring a high level of commitment, input, and interaction across a broad cross-section of staff and faculty; questions, ideas, and proposals raised in the course of preparing the ASER are team development opportunities.

No. “Candidate” status is made available by some accrediting agencies for institutions that offer degree-granting programs that are two years or longer in length, and when the length of the accreditation process may be two years or more. These agencies may offer the institution a “candidate” or “pre-accreditation” status with some of the recognition of accreditation, without having completed the accreditation process. ACCET does not recognize “candidate” status or any “pre-accreditation” status that would allow applicants any of the recognition or benefits of accreditation prior to Commission approval and the granting of accreditation.

Prior to the submission of the ASER, any revisions to the information contained in the Application must be accompanied by an addendum to Document 4 – Application for Accreditation, with appropriate exhibits and a narrative explanation accordingly. However, once the ASER has been submitted to ACCET, no substantive changes in the institution’s operations will be processed or further considered for ACCET approval until after the Accrediting Commission has met, reviewed, and taken final action upon the application for initial accreditation. Substantive changes include but are not limited to, new programs, major program/course modifications, additional sites, and relocations out of the general market area. Since the ASER presents a comprehensive picture at a given point in time, the Commission wishes to ensure that the accreditation process is accurately focused on a stable representation of the institution’s operations.

Yes. ACCET currently accredits institutions and their branches in North and South America, Puerto Rico, Europe, and the Middle East.

ACCET accredits institutions offering programs that are taught entirely or in part by interactive distance learning and do not exceed an Associate’s Degree in length.

The Accrediting Commission consists of no fewer than eleven or more than fifteen members. The Accrediting Commission manages the administrative and fiscal affairs of ACCET and serves as the judicial body with final authority to interpret and apply the Standards for Accreditation in determining whether or not an applicant meets the published criteria for accreditation. The Commission decides, based upon the eligibility criteria, whether it is competent to apply the ACCET Standards to specific educational programs. The Commission is responsible for submitting proposed changes in the eligibility requirements and the Standards for Accreditation, to the membership for review and approval. The Commission may adopt such policies and procedures as it deems necessary with regard to the accreditation process. Five members of the Accrediting Commission must be from the public, and unaffiliated with the ACCET membership. Additional public and consumer representatives may be appointed to advise the Commission. Commission meetings are held three times per year, in addition to an annual conference and such special meetings as approved by the Commission in accordance with the ACCET Bylaws.

The ACCET Standards for Accreditation are under constant monitoring and review by the Accrediting Commission and periodically, at intervals no greater than every five years, are submitted to the membership and to other interested parties for review and comment.

ACCET-accredited organizations are authorized to offer the Continuing Education Unit, which is commonly recognized as a standard unit of measure for attributing continuing education and training activities, particularly as it applies to the personal and professional development of adult learners in a formalized, educational setting.

Vocational institutions that are accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are eligible to seek approval for federal student aid monies, such as Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, and Guaranteed Student Loans, dependant upon the length and types of programs offered by the institution. For additional information on Title IV financial aid programs, institutional requirements, and application of a Program Participation Agreement (PPA) with the U.S. Department of Education, please visit their website at www.ed.gov.

The ongoing requirements for accreditation are the submission of annual reports as outlined in ACCET Document 12 – ACCET Annual Reporting Requirements, and the payment of annual sustaining fees as outlined in ACCET Document 10 – Fee Schedule. Please refer to our Maintaining Accreditation page for more information. 

Accreditation can be granted for a minimum of one year but cannot exceed five years. Following the initial grant of accreditation, institutions will be required to apply for reaccreditation by completing the full process, including an application, ASER/BASER(s), and on-site reexamination(s) prior to the expiration date cited in their letter of accreditation from ACCET. Reaccreditation applicants should refer to our Reaccreditation Process page for more information.

ACCET reserves the right to require an on-site examination at any time it determines that circumstances warrant such action.

Please refer to ACCET Document 10 – Fee Schedule for more information.

Please refer to our Reaccreditation Process page for more information.

Please refer to ACCET Document 12 – ACCET Annual Reporting Requirements for more information. 

The determination is made by the Commission, following review and analysis of the team report written following the team visit, and any additional information supplied by the institution in response to that report.

Yes. Accreditation is only granted in terms of one, three, or five years. At the end of an institution’s term of accreditation, it must apply for reaccreditation and repeat the accreditation process to maintain accredited status. An institution may resign its accreditation status at any time, or accreditation may be withdrawn by the Commission should the institution fall out of compliance with ACCET standards.

ACCET-accredited institutions may seek a waiver of part or all of an ACCET Standard, Policy or Procedure through a written request to the Accrediting Commission. Requests for special consideration are reviewed at a scheduled meeting of the Accrediting Commission or by the Executive Committee if needed.

Requests for special consideration must be addressed to the Accrediting Commission, care of the ACCET Executive Director, and must be received no later than 15 business days before the scheduled Commission meeting. They must include the required fee as indicated in ACCET Document 10 – Fee Schedule.

Requests for special consideration must be received no later than 15 business days before the scheduled Commission meeting.

The table below lists the deadlines for requests for special consideration at Commission meetings in 2024:

In a request for special consideration, an institution must provide a clear and compelling rationale as to why it should receive the waiver, along with any relevant documentation in support of its request. 

The request must also include the required fee as indicated in ACCET Document 10 – Fee Schedule.

The institution will be notified in writing of the decision no later than 30 days following the scheduled Commission meeting.