The ACEN supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by the functions of accreditation. Accreditation is a self-regulatory process by which non-governmental associations recognize educational institutions or programs that have been found to meet or exceed standards and criteria for educational quality. Accreditation also assists in the further improvement of the institutions or programs as related to resource invested, processes followed, and results achieved. The monitoring of certificate, diploma, and degree offerings is tied closely to state examination and licensing rules and to the oversight of preparation for work in the profession. You can also access the ACEN mission, purpose, and goals at https://www.acenursing.org/about/mission-purpose-goals/.

Accreditation is a non-governmental, external peer-review process that promotes institutions and academic programs embracing quality assurance and quality improvement to become stronger and better institutions and programs by setting standards of educational quality specific to nursing education. There are three different types of accreditation used for institutional and academic programs; (1) Regional, (2) National or Institutional, and (3) Specialized.

Specialized accreditation normally applies to the evaluation of programs, departments, or schools which usually are a part of a total collegiate or other postsecondary institution. The unit accredited may be as large as a college or school within a university or as small as a curriculum within a discipline. Most of the specialized accrediting agencies review units within a postsecondary institution which is accredited by one of the regional accrediting commissions. However, certain of the specialized accrediting agencies accredit professional schools and other specialized or vocational or other postsecondary institutions which are free-standing in their operations. Thus, a “specialized” or “programmatic” accrediting agency may also function in the capacity of an “institutional” accrediting agency. In addition, a number of specialized accrediting agencies accredit educational programs within non-educational settings, such as hospitals (USDE).

ACEN is a specialized professional accreditor for practical, diploma, associate, baccalaureate, master’s including post master’s certificate, and clinical doctorate including DNP specialist certificate nursing programs. ACEN also functions in the capacity of being an “institutional” accrediting agency and as such the nursing program offered by the “institution” can be eligible for Title IV funds.

Currently, specialized accreditation for pre-licensure nursing programs is voluntary in some states; however, many states mandate that a nursing program be accredited. Most states where specialized accreditation for nursing programs is required mandate that the accrediting agency is recognized by the USDE. ACEN is recognized by the USDE and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and is the only USDE and CHEA-recognized accrediting agency that accredits all types of nursing programs – practical, diploma, associate, baccalaureate, master’s including post master’s certificate, and clinical doctorate including DNP specialist certificate nursing programs.

Specialized accreditation is mandatory for nursing programs preparing students for an advanced practice role (e.g., nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, or clinical nurse specialist) in order for graduates to take the licensing/certification examination in the advance practice role. The agencies that offer the various licensing/certification examinations in the advance practice roles mandate that the accrediting agency is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE).

Participating in the ACEN accreditation process gives a program the opportunity to validate that it is committed to providing a quality nursing program and – through the review of the program by peers – the extent to which the program meets expected standards of educational quality specific to nursing education. ACEN accreditation requires that a nursing program continually assesses and make improvements in the educational quality of the nursing program based on data. This is done by evaluating specific Standards and Criteria, which include administrative capacity and resources, faculty, students, curriculum, and outcomes.

In short, ACEN accreditation signifies quality in nursing education by fostering program excellence though the peer review process, which benefits students, faculty, and the community.

Student benefits:

• Provides useful information for students’ career and education decision making.
• Enables student eligibility for funding support from federal and state agencies, and foundations.
• Facilitates transfer of credits.
• Fulfills admission requirements for some graduate level nursing programs.
• Fulfills authorization to test and licensure requirements in some states as well as certification examinations at the graduate level.
• Fulfills employment requirements for some employers (e.g., U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and branches of the U.S. Armed Forces).

Faculty and Community Benefits:

• Fosters ongoing, self-examination, re-evaluation, and focus on the future for continuous improvement.
• Heightens faculty members’ and administrators’ awareness and responsiveness to program effectiveness.
• Assists employers seeking graduates who are competent practitioners.
• Aids in student recruitment.

It can and often does impact students when they graduate from a non-accredited program in several ways:

• The graduate may not qualify for employment if the employer requires nurses to have graduated from an accredited program. For example, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and many other public and private employers require nurses to have graduated from an accredited program.
• The graduate may not be able to join the U.S. Armed Forces as a nurse.
• The student may not qualify for federal financial aid or other forms of financial aid (e.g., scholarships from foundations, HRSA).
• The student may not be able to transfer nursing credits to another nursing program.
• The graduate may not qualify for admission to further their nursing education (e.g., RN-BSN programs; graduate programs)
• The graduate may not be able to be licensed as a nurse in some states, either initially or by reciprocity/endorsement.

Specialized accreditation and institutional accreditation are different. It is possible that a school/institution is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency and that the nursing program is not. The ACEN requires accredited programs to indicate accreditation status clearly to the public when it is an ACEN accredited program and when it is an ACEN candidate program. The accreditation status is usually noted in publications such as the college catalog, website, and nursing brochures. See the “Search Programs” tab on ACEN website for more information on accredited and candidate programs.

ACEN accreditation is voluntary and ensures that the nursing program meets standards of educational quality specific to nursing education. A nursing program must apply for ACEN accreditation and complete the application and peer review process in order to become accredited. The state regulatory agency for nursing process is usually not voluntary but required for a program to operate in the state, depending on state laws and/or regulations. A nursing program’s status with the state regulatory agency for nursing can affect licensure and a graduate’s ability to take the licensure examination. Please contact the state regulatory agency for nursing for information on a program’s status with the agency (e.g., Board of Nursing). Please contact the ACEN for information on a program’s status with the ACEN.

The governing body of the program must first have required approval from all state agencies and provide evidence of institutional accreditation from an ACEN-recognized agency; see ACEN Policy #3 Eligibility for Accreditation. The ACEN Standards and Criteria are located on the ACEN website. Programs must be able to demonstrate through the candidacy, self-study, and the peer review process its ability to meet the standards of educational quality specific to nursing education requirements set in the Standards and Criteria.

An Advisory Review is a one-time opportunity for an ACEN accredited program to receive feedback from an ACEN professional staff member regarding draft accreditation documents as selected by the respective program’s nurse administrator (e.g., SSR, faculty profile table, SPE, etc.) as the program prepares for continuing accreditation.

An Advisory Review is a 100% optional resource for currently accredited programs and is not a requirement for continuing accreditation. Professional staff feedback indicates the staff member’s best judgment but does not guarantee that the ACEN Board of Commissioners will determine that the program complies with the ACEN Standards and Criteria.

The purpose of an Advisory Review is to assist an ACEN accredited program in preparation for the continuing accreditation process.

The recommended timeframe for an Advisory Review is during the 6th or 7th year of the program’s continuing accreditation or during the 3rd or 4th year following the program’s initial accreditation. Actual date and time will be mutually agreed upon between the professional staff member assigned to the Advisory Review and the program’s respective nurse administrator. The Advisory Review agenda must be set by the nurse administrator.

The Advisory Review may be conducted in one (1) of three (3) formats: (1) teleconference, (2) video conference, or (3) in-person on a case-by-case basis.

The fee for an advisory review varies depending upon whether the program elects to have a teleconference/video conference or an in-person review. See the ACEN Fee Schedule. The fees include the assigned professional staff member’s preparation time required to necessitate the Advisory Review. The fees do not include travel expenses (e.g., travel, food, lodging, etc.) for an in-person review. A face-to-face Advisory Review is not a mock visit.

Complete the online Request for Advisory Review Form and e-mail it to [email protected].  A staff member will contact you to discuss the Advisory Review.

An Observer on a site visit team is a representative from a nursing program beginning its initial or continuing accreditation review process. The Observer accompanies the peer evaluators on a site visit team during the review of a nursing program’s continuing accreditation site visit. The Observer may attend meetings with college administrators, faculty, staff, and students; review documents in the evidence room; tour educational and clinical facilities; and observe the site visit team’s interactions. However, Observers are not permitted to ask questions during interviews nor interfere with the site visit team’s agenda.

The purpose of the Observer experience is to broaden the program representative’s knowledge of the site visit experience through immersive engagement in site visit activities including pre-visit functions and post-visit team and program responsibilities.

The individual accompanying the peer evaluators on a site visit team as an Observer will need to complete the ACEN Peer Evaluator online training prior to going on the visit. The person will be provided a login and will earn continuing education credits for completing the online training. In addition, the Observer should read the program’s Self-Study Report prior to the site visit to gain a better understanding of the program.

The Observer is responsible for all expenses associated with a site visit (e.g., travel, lodging, meals, etc.). The Observer is expected to make his/her own travel arrangements and to inform the host nursing program and site visit Team Chair regarding those arrangements. It is customary for the host nursing program to meet the peer evaluators at the prearranged airport, train station, or bus station and transport the peer evaluators to the place of lodging. Typically, it is possible to include the Observer in these arrangements.

The prospective Observer should complete the Observer Intake Form. In addition, the prospective Observer must include his/her curriculum vitae with the submission of the Observer Intake Form. Both documents must be emailed to [email protected]. Upon receipt of the Observer Intake Form and the prospective Observer’s curriculum vitae, the ACEN staff will review the documents and contact the prospective Observer within four (4) weeks of submission.

All programs seeking initial accreditation must first apply and be approved as a Candidate for ACEN accreditation. A program with ACEN Candidate status has two (2) years to host an initial accreditation visit. However, a program sets its own timeline and may request an onsite visit for any cycle after becoming a Candidate. This means the nursing program may complete the Candidacy process sooner than two (2) years. The ACEN accreditation process includes the following:

• Program preparation of the Self-Study Report
• A site visit for evaluation of the program by peer evaluators
• Review of the program by peer evaluators on the Evaluation Review Panel
• Review of the program by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, which also makes the accreditation decision

Accreditation decisions made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Spring and Fall accreditation cycles can be found under the Commission Actions > Accreditation Cycles tab.

Candidacy is not accreditation. It is the first step for a nursing program seeking initial accreditation. Candidacy means that, based upon the review of the Candidacy Presentation, the nursing program (a) demonstrated it is currently compliant with selected ACEN Standards and Criteria or demonstrated the potential to be compliant with selected ACEN Standards and Criteria within two (2) years of notification of achieving Candidacy, and (b) the potential to achieve ACEN accreditation based upon the selected ACEN Standards and Criteria reviewed in the Candidacy Presentation. Candidate programs need to complete the Candidacy process within two (2) years of notification of achieving Candidacy. Completion of the Candidacy process includes writing the complete Self-Study Report and hosting an initial accreditation site visit. Approval of Candidacy does not guarantee that the program will achieve initial accreditation.

A list of nursing programs with upcoming review is available under the “Accreditation Actions” tab on the ACEN website. When a program is granted initial accreditation, then the program is added to the list of ACEN-accredited programs on the ACEN website. The ACEN Board of Commissioners makes initial accreditation decisions in spring and fall (e.g., March/April and September) of each year for programs who have been reviewed during the Fall or Spring accreditation cycle, respectively. A program is notified within 30 calendar days of the ACEN Board of Commissioners making an accreditation decision.

Candidate programs being reviewed for initial accreditation must be in compliance with all the Accreditation Standards. The ACEN website is updated at the completion of each accreditation cycle following the notification of the programs that were reviewed during that particular cycle. For programs reviewed during the Fall Cycle, the results are posted in April/May. For programs reviewed during the Spring Cycle, the results are posted in October.

Students enrolled in a nursing program during the initial site visit would be graduates of an ACEN accredited program IF the program is granted ACEN accreditation at the ACEN Board of Commissioners meeting following the site visit. For programs visited during the Fall Cycle, the ACEN Board of Commissioners will make an accreditation decision during its spring meeting; for programs visited during the Spring Cycle, the ACEN Board of Commissioners will make an accreditation decision during its fall meeting. If initial accreditation is not granted, then students would not be graduates of an ACEN accredited program. Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a Candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation.

A program is reviewed five (5) years after initial accreditation is granted. Once continuing accreditation has been granted, the program is reviewed every eight (8) years. In addition, a program is surveyed every year through an annual reporting process and could be reviewed periodically through the substantive change process.

Programs pursuing Candidacy and initial accreditation with the ACEN must notify the ACEN of changes that occur in the program during the entire candidacy process, since both eligibility for Candidacy as well as Candidate status is based upon the information provided in the Candidacy Application Form or the Candidacy Presentation. Changes that occur can affect the program’s eligibility to pursue the process and/or achieve initial accreditation with the ACEN. Therefore, programs must notify the ACEN of changes, which include but are not limited to: changes in nurse administrator, change in status with the state regulatory agency or the accrediting body of the governing organization, changes in curriculum/options, potential addition of a new location, or implementation of distance education.

The ACEN should be notified of these changes no less than four (4) months prior to the change or as soon as possible for any unexpected changes. The notification should be in writing and should address the selected Criteria from the Candidacy presentation related to the change (e.g., all of the Standard 4 Criteria for a change in the curriculum and/or new option). Failure to notify the ACEN of changes could result in an unsuccessful initial accreditation visit or the changes that have been made are not considered in the initial accreditation review.

Contact your ACEN mentor for guidance related to any other changes and the need to potential report those changes.

No, the ACEN website provides the list of programs that are currently accredited by the ACEN. For programs not listed on the website, contact the nursing program directly to determine by what agency(ies) they are accredited.

The ACEN website lists programs that are currently accredited by the ACEN, displaying the program’s current accreditation period. For information or verification of accreditation requests for programs not currently accredited by ACEN but that may have been accredited previously, or for possible historic accreditation periods not listed on our website, please use the “Verification of Accreditation Status” form for accreditation verification requests. Requests are processed in the order received; please allow up to 3 business days for research and response.

Nursing programs must demonstrate compliance with the Accreditation Standards in order to be accredited by the ACEN. Continuing accreditation with conditions is granted when a program is found to be in non-compliance with one or two accreditation standards. The program’s next review and follow-up action(s) are determined by the Board of Commissioners. Continuing accreditation with warning is granted when a program is found to be in non-compliance with three or more accreditation standards. Continuing accreditation with warning for good cause could be granted when a program has not remedied deficiencies at the conclusion of its maximum monitoring period for Conditions or Warning and the program meets all three principles for good cause. The program’s next review and follow-up action(s) are determined by the Board of Commissioners. See Policy #4.

To find an accredited international nursing program, please use the “Search Programs” feature of our website. In the field for “Select by State or Country,” filter by the search criteria under “International and U.S. Territories.”

The ACEN accredits practical, diploma, associate, baccalaureate, master’s including post-master’s certificate, and clinical doctorate including DNP specialist certificate nursing programs. ACEN accredits the entire nursing education program at the degree or certificate level; in other words, all program options, locations where the program is offered, and the method of delivery such as online or distance education are included in the accreditation. For example, if a nursing program is accredited for its associate degree, then that associate degree nursing program is accredited regardless of method of delivery (in person, hybrid, videoconferencing, synchronous/asynchronous) or program options (e.g., PN-to-RN, pre-licensure). For more information regarding an online nursing program, it is best to contact the program directly.

The ACEN website is updated at the completion of each accreditation cycle following the notification of the programs that were reviewed during that particular cycle. For programs reviewed during the Fall Cycle, the results are posted in April/May. For programs reviewed during the Spring Cycle, the results are posted in October. A list of programs with upcoming review is available under the “Site Visits” tab on the ACEN website. Additional updates related to policies and documents contained on the website are updated on an as-needed basis. The list of Candidate programs is also updated on a regular basis.

The ACEN accredits practical, diploma, associate, baccalaureate, master’s including post-master’s certificate, and clinical doctorate including DNP specialist certificate nursing programs. ACEN does not accredit CNA or Medical Assistant programs.

Notify us online by completing a Nurse Administrator Change substantive change report. You may also benefit from attending our Workshop for the New Program Administrator. If you have specific questions, please contact the Substantive Change Coordinator.

Review the process for reporting your substantive change on our website at https://www.acenursing.org/for-programs/resources-reporting-substantive-change/ and submit your report through the Substantive Change Portal.

Yes! Substantive changes must be submitted using the templates provided on the ACEN website. Templates for each substantive change listed in Policy #14 can be found here: Templates for Reporting Substantive Change. Please note that the changes listed in the policy are not exhaustive and may not represent all the changes the ACEN will review. For additional information, see Reporting Substantive Change or contact the ACEN at (404) 975-5000.

The substantive change templates may also be used by programs in Candidacy; however, these reports are not submitted through the sub-change portal. Contact your assigned Mentor to find out how to submit substantive changes during Candidacy in accordance with Policy #34.

The deadline for submission is specific to the type of substantive change.  Changes in approval status or program outcomes must be reported within 60 days, changes in nurse administrator must be reported within 30 days, and most other changes must be reported four (4) months prior to implementation. If the plans for the change are far enough along that you can put together the appropriate materials, we would encourage you to submit sooner rather than later. This will allow our staff to review the change and provide feedback in advance of implementation. Please see Policy #14 for all submission deadlines.

The categories in Policy #14 are not meant to be exhaustive. If you aren’t sure how to categorize your change or whether the change is considered substantive, we’ll be happy to help you. You can write a short email or letter describing the change or simply give us a call; our staff can help determine whether a submission is necessary and/or inform you as to what information the ACEN will require to complete the review of the change.

A significant departure from the established curriculum is defined as increasing, decreasing, or substituting 25% or more of the content in nursing credit hours or clock hours required for completion OR increasing or decreasing the total number of credits or clock hours in the program of study by 20% or greater. For changes that do not meet the requirements for reporting a curriculum substantive change, it is the responsibility of the program to ensure that the program remains in compliance with all of the 2017 ACEN Standards and Criteria.

Minor changes in course sequencing not impacting program length, changes to course titles, course call numbers, or course prefixes, or slight alterations of content within an established course are not considered substantive. These credit hours would not be included when calculating the percentage of credits being changed.

See Changes in Curriculum for more information. If you are still unsure, visit the Substantive Change Portal to send us a description of the changes and side-by-side comparison of the programs of study. We’ll work with you to determine the level of reporting required for your change.

Some changes won’t impact every Standard or Criterion. You can state that no impact is expected and move on to the next Standard or Criterion for these cases.

Not necessarily. To finalize the review of the substantive change, all appropriate approvals will be required. However, we understand that the approval process with state and institutional accrediting agencies may be time consuming. If approvals will not be available in the immediate future, we would encourage you to send the otherwise completed substantive change with verifications of notifications to the appropriate agencies and a timeline for the expected approval, if possible.

The ACEN Board of Commissioners Substantive Change Committee meets on a monthly basis to review changes and make a recommendation for the entire ACEN Board of Commissioners. The entire ACEN Board of Commissioners will vote on the Substantive Change Committee’s recommendation, and letters will be sent within 30 calendar days of the Board’s meeting.

The ACEN serves as a Title IV gatekeeper for many of our nursing programs. With this responsibility, the ACEN is required to adhere to the U.S. Department of Education’s regulations regarding substantive changes. This responsibility extends to all of our accredited nursing programs, even if the ACEN is not the Title IV gatekeeper for the particular program.

Substantive changes must be submitted through the ACEN website using the appropriate template. Information about the submission of a substantive change is available at: https://www.acenursing.org/for-programs/resources-reporting-substantive-change/

No, this would not be distance education since the faculty member and the students are in the same physical location, and the students will have easy “in-person” access to the faculty member. However, if the faculty member and any students are not at the same physical location (e.g., the college’s main campus), then this is distance education.

Yes, this is distance education since a portion of the students are not in the same physical location as the faculty member.

No, if the distance education courses are not in any way required for graduation, this would not need to be submitted per ACEN Policy #14.

No, you will not get “in trouble” with the ACEN. As soon as the program is aware that it must change the planned method of delivery, it should first ensure that students are notified and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that student learning is disrupted as little as possible. Once the immediate adjustments are made at the program level, the ACEN will need to be notified per ACEN Policy #14 Reporting Substantive Changes.

If the US Department of Education grants accrediting agencies continued “temporary flexibility” as it did in Spring and Fall 2020, ACEN-accredited programs will be notified and advised regarding any reporting requirement.

Please review the Distance Education page under Reporting Substantive Change for information on how to determine if you need to submit a substantive change for the implementation of distance education. If you determine that you meet the requirement for submission, and you are planning to permanently adopt distance education delivery methods for your program; then yes, absolutely submit the substantive change per ACEN Policy #14 now.

A hybrid course is when a portion of the traditional in-class time is replaced by distance education modalities. A flipped-classroom would not be a hybrid course, unless a percentage of the traditional in-class time is replaced by distance education modalities.

A web-enhanced course is when the faculty and students use a learning management system or web-platform to augment in-class learning and communication between and among faculty and students. A web-enhanced course would not be a hybrid course, unless a percentage of the traditional in-class time is replaced by distance education modalities.

This would be considered distance education and may need to be reported per ACEN Policy #14. Please review the Distance Education page under Reporting Substantive Change for more information.

The ACEN wants to ensure that nursing faculty engage in an intentional decision-making process regarding the method of delivery. Teaching and learning can effectively occur through a variety of delivery methods, and nursing faculty should implement distance education if it is the best method of delivery for the program’s students. Regardless of how a nursing course is delivered, faculty must be able to effectively deliver the instruction; and students and faculty must have access to the resources they need for success. To maintain the quality of the nursing education program, the ACEN defines any teaching/learning experience that occurs when the faculty and the students are not in the same physical location (e.g., on the college’s main campus) as distance education. This approach ensures that the program’s policies, learning resources, student support services, and faculty development efforts are inclusive of all methods of delivery, even if only one nursing course is offered using some form of distance education.

A hybrid course is when a portion of the traditional in-class time is replaced by distance education modalities. A flipped-classroom would not be a hybrid course, unless a percentage of the traditional in-class time is replaced by distance education modalities.

A web-enhanced course is when the faculty and students use a learning management system or web-platform to augment in-class learning and communication between and among faculty and students. A web-enhanced course would not be a hybrid course, unless a percentage of the traditional in-class time is replaced by distance education modalities.

No, you would not need to submit a substantive change to the ACEN. Once one program or program option within a nursing education unit has been approved by the ACEN, approval of subsequent nursing programs or program options (in the same nursing education unit) is not required.

No, a focused visit is not required if a program implements distance education per ACEN Policy #14 Reporting Substantive Changes; however, a focused visit is possible. Only the ACEN Board of Commissioners or the Chief Executive Officer has the authority to authorize a focused visit. A determination about the need for a focused visit is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s substantive change submission, including program outcomes. When authorized, the purpose of a focused visit is to ensure that the program is in compliance with select ACEN Standards and Criteria related to the substantive change, and to ensure that the student learning needs are being met.

No. Just complete the appropriate template for the substantive change being submitted. Complete all applicable sections of the template and if something does not apply, simply indicate this. Keep responses clear, concise, and consistent; there are no hidden agendas in the templates. Attach all required supporting documents (listed on the template), and remember that the goal is to ensure that the program is in compliance with the selected ACEN Standards and Criteria and to ensure that student learning and faculty teaching needs are met after the implementation of distance education.

Please refer to Policy #20 Complaints Against an Accredited Program in the ACEN accreditation manual on the ACEN website for information on how to submit a complaint against an ACEN accredited program and the ACEN procedure for processing complaints.

Attending a nursing program to advance your education and become a nurse is a big decision. You will invest significant time and resources in this process. The nursing program you choose will significantly inform and shape the nurse you will become. The following questions may be helpful to you as you seek a nursing program that matches your personal, professional, and career goals. You are encouraged to ask questions about the nursing program you are considering before you enroll to determine if the nursing program is a good fit for you.

1. Is the institution offering the nursing program regionally or nationally accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education?
2. Is the nursing program accredited by a programmatic or specialized nursing accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education?
3. What is the most recent graduation rate for this nursing program?
4. What percentage of the most recent nursing program graduates have passed the national licensing exam (NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN) or certification examination(s) the first time they took the examination in each of the last 3–5 years?
5. What is the most recent employment rate in nursing jobs for which the program prepared the graduates from the nursing program?
6. How many of the graduates from this nursing program pursue further education?
7. How much does this nursing program cost from beginning to end? Does the cost include all tuition, fees, and educational supplies (e.g., books, uniform, etc.)
8. What types of federal, state and/or private financial aid and/or scholarships am I eligible to receive if I attend this nursing program? Of the types of financial aid that I am eligible to receive, which of these financial resources must I repay? How much debt will I incur if I enroll in this nursing program?
9. What experience and/or expertise in nursing practice and nursing education do the nursing faculty have who teach in the nursing program?
10. What is the mission and/or philosophy of the nursing education program and does it fit with my personal belief system and worldview?

The ACEN is a specialized accrediting agency and has no licensing functions. In most states, licensure examination pass rates may be found on a state regulatory agency for nursing website and the pass rates should also be available from the nursing program. Contact information for a state regulatory agency for nursing can be found on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website.

All students should contact the college/university for information on transferring credits.

It is necessary to contact the nursing program and/or the college or university for information on scholarships.

All students should contact the nursing program or the state regulatory agency for nursing for information regarding criminal convictions, or review the laws of each state on the state licensing website. General information about the Nurse Licensure Compact and Uniform Licensure Requirements for a multistate license is available at: https://www.ncsbn.org/compacts.htm