2023 Schedule of Fees for International Programs

2023 SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Effective January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. All fees are in U.S. Funds

INTERNATIONAL CANDIDACY FEE

Candidacy is the beginning process for an international nursing program seeking accreditation with the ACEN.

Fee for each international nursing program - $3,500.00

A one-time fee per international program, after the submission of the required Candidacy Eligibility Application. The Candidacy Eligibility Application will not be processed until the fee is paid. The fee covers the entire candidacy mentoring program and the entire candidacy period.

International Candidacy Advisory Visit Fee (per representative, per day ) - $1,000.00 plus all direct expenses related to visit*

International nursing education programs determined to be eligible for International Candidacy will be scheduled for a mandatory onsite advisory visit. Programs are billed for any expenses incurred prior to, and in preparation for, the visit (e.g., visa processing, airfare, etc.), which must be paid prior to ACEN conducting the advisory visit. Additionally, programs are billed for any remaining expenses after the visit and will not receive the advisory visit report from the ACEN until the bill is paid. Lack of payment prior to the scheduled visit will automatically result in the visit being canceled, plus a cancellation fee equal to 10% of the expenses incurred. International programs should expect two ACEN representatives. The total number of days for the visit will be determined by the ACEN staff, based on the scope of the visit.

*An advisory visit is mandatory for all international governing organizations without an ACEN-accredited program. Refundable business class fares; ACEN will book flights for all representatives/peer evaluators.

INTERNATIONAL INITIAL ACCREDITATION FEES

Initial accreditation is the first review process for an international candidate nursing program seeking accreditation with the ACEN.

Initial Accreditation Fees

Charged only when the service is performed.

Initial accreditation fee - $3,500.00

A one-time fee per international program, charged after the submission of the required Information Form. Site visit will not be scheduled until initial accreditation fee is paid.

Site visit fee (per peer evaluator, per day) - $1,000.00 plus all direct expenses related to visit*

Charged upon approval and scheduling of the initial accreditation site visit. Programs are billed for any expenses incurred prior to the visit (e.g., visa processing, airfare, etc.), which must be paid prior to ACEN conducting the initial accreditation visit. Additionally, programs are billed for any remaining expenses after the visit and will not receive the site visit report from the ACEN until the bill is paid. Lack of payment prior to the scheduled visit will automatically result in the visit being canceled, plus a cancellation fee equal to 10% of the expenses incurred. International programs should expect a minimum of three peer evaluators (additional peer evaluators may be needed depending on the complexity of the nursing program). The total number of days for the visit is typically 3-4 days, dependent upon the number of program(s), the number of locations, and the size of the program(s).

*Refundable business class fares; ACEN will book flights for all representatives/peer evaluators.

Accreditation Fee

Prorated, as appropriate, based on date initial accreditation is granted.

Accreditation fee for first/only nursing program (within the same nursing education unit) - $3,000.00

= x% of $3,000 for that calendar year only.

Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) - $1,250.00

= x% of $1,250 for that calendar year only.

INTERNATIONAL CONTINUING ACCREDITATION FEES

Once an international program has been granted initial accreditation, continuing accreditation is the cyclical review process for an accredited nursing program to maintain accreditation with the ACEN.

Accreditation Fee

Accreditation fee for first/only international nursing program (within the same nursing education unit) - $3,000.00 per calendar year

Charged on an annual basis for first/only international program.

Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) - $1,250.00 per calendar year

Charged on an annual basis for each additional program.

Periodic Fees

Continuing accreditation review fee - $3,000.00 per calendar year

A one-time fee per international program, charged one year in advance of the continuing accreditation site visit. Site visit will not be scheduled until continuing accreditation fee is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

Site visit fee (per peer evaluator, per day) - $1,000.00 plus all direct expenses related to the visit*

Charged upon approval and scheduling of the continuing accreditation site visit. Programs are billed for any expenses incurred prior to the visit (e.g., visa processing, airfare, etc.), which must be paid prior to ACEN conducting the continuing accreditation visit. Additionally, programs are billed for any remaining expenses after the visit and will not receive the site visit report from the ACEN until the bill is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee. International programs should expect a minimum of three peer evaluators (additional peer evaluators may be needed depending on the complexity of the nursing program). The total number of days for the visit is typically 3-4 days, dependent upon the number of program(s), the number of locations, and the size of the program(s).

*Refundable business class fares; ACEN will book flights for all representatives/peer evaluators.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE FEES

Additional service fees which may be incurred during initial accreditation or continuing accreditation processes. Charged only if and when a service is performed. Not applicable to all international programs.

Focused Visit

Focused visit fee - $3,500.00 plus all direct expenses related to the visit*

A focused visit is a site visit authorized by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to review significant accreditation-related information disclosed about an internationally accredited nursing program as a result of one or more program changes.**

Programs are billed for any expenses incurred prior to the visit (e.g., visa processing, airfare, etc.), which must be paid prior to ACEN conducting the focused visit. Additionally, programs are billed for any remaining expenses after the visit and will not receive the focused site visit report from the ACEN until the bill is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

*Refundable business class fares; ACEN will book flights for all representatives/peer evaluators.

**(a) A substantive change; (b) Information revealed about a program between periods of scheduled review; (c) Information received from the governing organization’s accrediting body related to an adverse action; (d) Information received from the program’s state regulatory agency for nursing related to a change in its status; (e) Information revealed by a program during the Evaluation Review Panel process.

Follow-Up Visit

A follow-up visit is a site visit authorized by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to review an internationally accredited nursing program when the program is granted one of the following: (a) Continuing Accreditation with Warning, (b) Continuing Accreditation for Good Cause, and in selected cases (c) Continuing Accreditation with Conditions.

Continuing accreditation review fee - $3,500.00

A one-time fee per international program, charged in advance of the follow-up visit; invoice date to be assessed. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

Site visit fee (per peer evaluator per day) - $1,000.00 plus all direct expenses related to the visit*

The total number of days for the visit will be determined by the ACEN Staff. Programs are billed for any expenses incurred prior to the visit (e.g., visa processing, airfare, etc.), which must be paid prior to ACEN conducting the follow-up visit. Additionally, programs are billed for any remaining expenses after the visit and will not receive the follow-up site visit report from the ACEN until the bill is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

*Refundable business class fares; ACEN will book flights for all representatives/peer evaluators.

Reprocessing/Scheduling Fee

Reprocessing/Rescheduling site visit fee - $1,500.00

Fee is charged for rescheduling any already scheduled site visit – initial accreditation visit, continuing accreditation visit, focused visit, or follow-up visit. Visit will not be rescheduled until reprocessing/scheduling fee is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

International Optional Advisory Review Fee

An Advisory Review is an optional service for an ACEN-accredited program to receive feedback from an ACEN professional staff member regarding draft accreditation documents as the program prepares for continuing accreditation. Charged only if and when a service is performed. Not applicable to all programs.

Optional advisory review fee (video/tele-conference) – $1,500.00
Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) – $750.00 plus all direct expenses

An advisory review will not be scheduled for an ACEN-accredited program until the advisory review fee is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

Optional Advisory review fee* (on site) – $4,000.00
Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) – $750.00 plus all direct expenses related to the visit**

An advisory review will not be scheduled for an ACEN-accredited program until the advisory review fee is paid. Programs are billed for any expenses incurred prior to the visit (e.g., visa processing, airfare, etc.), which must be paid prior to ACEN conducting the advisory review visit. Additionally, programs are billed for any remaining expenses after the visit and will not receive the follow-up site visit report from the ACEN until the bill is paid. See Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation for failure to pay this fee.

*Optional advisory review is only available to ACEN-accredited programs. Fees include the assigned professional staff member’s preparation time required to necessitate the Advisory Review. Fees do not include travel expenses (e.g., travel, food, lodging, etc.), which will be invoiced separately. The total number of days per visit is determined by the ACEN Staff.

**Refundable business class fares; ACEN will book flights for all representatives/peer evaluators.

Appeal Fee

The Appeal Fee applies only to an international program denied initial accreditation or continuing accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners and the program chooses to appeal the Board’s decision. See Policy #10 Appeal Process and Submission and Review of New Financial Information Subsequent to Adverse Action.

Notice of intent to appeal fee (per program) – $10,000.00

Appeal process fee (per program) – $20,000.00

Administrative appeal fee – $5,000.00

Arbitration Fee

The Arbitration Fee applies only to a program denied initial accreditation or continuing accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that have been fully and finally determined by a written decision of the Appeal Committee and the program chooses to appeal the Board’s decision. See Policy #38 Arbitration.

Arbitration Fee (per program) – $35,000.00

*(a) A substantive change; (b) Information revealed about a program between periods of scheduled review; (c) Information received from the governing organization’s accrediting body related to an adverse action; (d) Information received from the program’s state regulatory agency for nursing related to a change in its status; (e) Information revealed by a program during the Evaluation Review Panel process.

– Payment of fees to the ACEN is an obligation for recognition as an accredited program. Payment of fees to the ACEN is an obligation for recognition as a candidate program.
– The ACEN invoices programs for all evaluation processes and an annual accreditation fee.
– Per Policy #7 Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation, the ACEN will deem as a voluntary withdrawal from accreditation any refusal or failure of an accredited program to pay its fees and expenses when due.
– Membership with another organization (i.e., NLN, OADN, etc.) is NOT required to be accredited by the ACEN.