ACEN-RECOGNIZED INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCIES*
- Section A. All governing organizations administered by an academic institution that is part of a system of higher education or is supervised by a state education department/public school system/district must have an institutional accreditation relationship with one of the following agencies:
- Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools1
- Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges2
- Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges1
- Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training1
- Cognia2
- Council on Occupational Education1
- Distance Education Accrediting Commission1
- Higher Learning Commission1
- Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools1
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education1
- New England Commission of Higher Education1
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges Committee on Technical and Career Institutions2
- New York State Board of Regents, State Education Department, Office of Professions1 (Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, Practical Nursing)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities1
- Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education1
- Pennsylvania State Board for Vocational Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Education1
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges1
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges1
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission1
- Section B. Hospital sponsoring a nursing program have accreditation with one of the following:
- Accreditation Commission for Health Care3
- DNV Healthcare3
- Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program3
- The Joint Commission3
* Applies to governing organizations/nursing programs located in the United States and U.S. Territories
1 Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. ACEN serves solely as the programmatic accrediting agency.
Per Policy #3 eligibility for ACEN accreditation requires several mandatory parts; having accreditation with one of these agencies establishes one of the mandatory eligibility parts.
2 Not recognized by the USDE to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. ACEN serving as the institutional accrediting agency for the governing organization/institution establishes eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. Additionally, ACEN serves as the programmatic accrediting agency.
Per Policy #3 eligibility for ACEN accreditation requires several mandatory parts; having accreditation with one of these agencies plus ACEN serving as the institutional accreditation agency for the governing organization/institution establishes two of the mandatory eligibility parts. For public K-12 governing organizations/institutions that do not hold or are ineligible to hold governing organization/institutional accreditation with an agency in Section A, contact ACEN about approval by a supervisory state education department/public school system/district.
3 Must have institutional accreditation relationship with an agency listed in Section A or sponsoring hospital must have accreditation with an agency listed in Section B plus have institutional accreditation relationship with the ACEN.
ACEN serving as the institutional accrediting agency for the governing organization/institution establishes eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. Additionally, ACEN serves as the programmatic accrediting agency.
Per Policy #3 eligibility for ACEN accreditation requires several mandatory parts; having accreditation with an agency listed in:
- Section A establishes one of the mandatory eligibility parts; or
- Section B plus ACEN serving as the institutional accreditation agency for the governing organization/institution establishes two of the mandatory eligibility parts.