ACEN-RECOGNIZED INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCIES*

1. 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

2. Section B.   Hospital sponsoring a nursing program have accreditation with one of the following:

• 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:

1. Section A establishes one of the mandatory eligibility parts; or
2. Section B plus ACEN serving as the institutional accreditation agency for the governing organization/institution establishes two of the mandatory eligibility parts.