2023 SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

CANDIDACY FEE

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

Fee for each nursing program - $2,500.00

A one-time fee per program, charged after eligibility has been confirmed through the submission of the required Candidacy Eligibility Application. Covers the entire candidacy mentoring program and the entire candidacy period.

INITIAL ACCREDITATION FEES

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

Initial Accreditation Fees

Charged only when the service is performed.

Initial accreditation fee - $1,250.00

A one-time fee per program, charged after the submission of the required Information Form.

Site visit fee (per peer evaluator, per day) - $875.00

Charged upon approval and scheduling of the initial accreditation site visit. Programs should expect a minimum of three (3) peer evaluators (additional peer evaluators may be needed depending on the complexity of the nursing program).

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) - $2,875.00

= x% of $2,875 for that calendar year only.

Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) - $1,200.00

= x% of $1,200 for that calendar year only.

CONTINUING ACCREDITATION FEES

Once a 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 nursing program (within the same nursing education unit) - $2,875.00 per calendar year

Charged on an annual basis for first/only program.

Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) - $1,200.00 per calendar year

Charged on an annual basis for each additional program.

Periodic Fees

Continuing Accreditation Review Fee - $1,250.00 per calendar year

A one-time fee per program, charged one (1) year in advance of the continuing accreditation site visit.

Site visit fee (per peer evaluator, per day) - $875.00 per calendar year

Charged upon approval and scheduling of the continuing accreditation site visit. Programs should expect a minimum of three (3) peer evaluators (additional peer evaluators may be needed depending on the complexity of the nursing program).

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 programs.

Focused Visit

Focused visit fee - $2,350.00 (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 accredited nursing program as a result of one (1) or more program changes.*

* (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; (f) Information received from the U.S. Department of Education regarding a program’s compliance responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education Act such as information related to a program’s most recent student loan default rates, the results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information that may be provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Follow-Up Visit

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

Continuing accreditation review fee - $1,250.00

A one-time fee per program, charged in advance of the follow-up visit; invoice date TBA.

Site visit fee (per peer evaluator per day) - $875.00

Charged upon approval and scheduling of the follow-up visit

Reprocessing/Scheduling Site Visit Fee

Reprocessing/Rescheduling site visit fee - $1,250.00

Fee is charged for rescheduling any already scheduled site visit – initial accreditation visit, continuing accreditation visit, focused visit, or follow-up visit.

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.

Advisory review fee (video/tele-conference) – $1,000.00
Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) – $500.00

Advisory review fee* (on site) – $3,000.00
Fee for each additional program (within the same nursing education unit) – $500.00

* 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.

Appeal Fee

The Appeal Fee applies only to programs denied initial accreditation or continuing accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners and the program chooses to appeal the Board’s decision.

Notice of intent to appeal fee (per program) – $5,000.00

Appeal process fee (per program) – $10,000.00

Administrative appeal fee – $2,500.00

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.

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; (f) Information received from the U.S. Department of Education regarding a program’s compliance responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education Act such ad information related to a program’s most recent student loan default rates, the results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information that may be provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

– 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.