Process & timeline
From first contact to a published decision takes most programs nine to twelve months, and most of that time is yours: preparing the self-study. The review itself is a defined sequence with fixed turnaround commitments on our side.
What happens, in order
Eligibility review
A free, non-binding check that your program meets the seven threshold requirements. Send a curriculum outline, instructor list and student policies.
- Written response within 15 business days
- Three outcomes: ready to apply, ready for Candidacy, or a list of gaps
- Nothing is recorded or published
Application
Submit the application form, organizational documents and the application fee for your tier. Your program is assigned an accreditation coordinator and gains portal access.
- Application fee is non-refundable and fixed in advance
- Linked applications for additional programs are submitted together
- Portal opens with the self-study template for your discipline
Self-study
The core of the process. You document, standard by standard, how the program meets each requirement, with evidence: syllabi, instructor files, assessment instruments, policies, student outcomes.
- Template provided; most programs need 60–120 hours of staff time
- Coordinator answers questions throughout; two optional check-in calls
- Submitted electronically; no printing
Document review
Two trained reviewers, screened for conflicts, read the self-study independently and then together, scoring each standard and listing clarification requests.
- Reviewers never from your region or market where feasible
- One consolidated clarification list; you have 30 days to respond
- Reviewers may request a sample of student records and assessments
Site or virtual review
A structured review visit: interviews with leadership, instructors, current students and recent graduates; observation of instruction; inspection of records. Virtual by default; on-site when the program delivers in person and the standards require observation.
- One to two days
- Agenda shared three weeks in advance
- Travel for on-site reviews billed at cost, capped
Report & response
You receive the reviewers' full report, including any findings of non-compliance, and have 30 days to correct factual errors and submit a response or evidence of correction.
- Response becomes part of the record
- No new evidence after the response window closes
- The reviewers do not make the decision
Decision & publication
The Accreditation Review Committee decides on the written record and issues a decision letter with findings. Adverse decisions carry a 30-day appeal right. Outcomes are published in the directory and the actions register.
- Committee meets six times a year
- Decision letter within 15 business days of the meeting
- Accredited programs receive the mark, certificate and directory listing
A typical twelve months
Shaded by who is working. Your self-study preparation is the longest block and the one you control; our review stages have fixed turnaround commitments.
| Stage | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 | M7 | M8 | M9 | M10 | M11 | M12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility review | ||||||||||||
| Application & fee | ||||||||||||
| Self-study preparation | ||||||||||||
| Document review | ||||||||||||
| Clarification requests | ||||||||||||
| Site or virtual review | ||||||||||||
| Reviewer report | ||||||||||||
| Program response | ||||||||||||
| Committee decision | ||||||||||||
| Appeal window (if any) | ||||||||||||
| Publication |
Four possible decisions
Staying accredited
- Annual report. A short report each year on enrollment, completions, instructor changes, complaints received and any substantive changes. Due on the anniversary of accreditation.
- Substantive change. Changes to ownership, discipline, delivery format, lead instructors or instructional hours of more than 20% must be reported within 30 days and may trigger a focused review.
- Complaints. Anyone may file a complaint about an accredited program. The program is notified, given a chance to respond, and the matter is resolved under the published procedure.
- Reaccreditation. A full review every five years, lighter than the initial review where the record is clean. Begins in year four.
- Withdrawal. Programs may withdraw voluntarily at any time; the status change is published.
Who reviews your program
Reviewers are experienced practitioners, educators and evaluators who complete ICPCAS reviewer training, sign the conflict-of-interest policy and are screened for every assignment. At least one reviewer on each team practices or teaches in the discipline under review; where the program is taught in a language other than English, at least one reviewer is fluent in it.
Reviewers evaluate and report. They do not decide. Their honorarium is fixed and does not depend on the outcome.
About the process
Can we speed this up?
The parts we control have fixed maximum turnarounds and we meet them. The part you control, the self-study, can be done in six weeks by a well-documented program or take a year. The honest answer is that the fastest programs are the ones that read the standards before they apply.
Is the review virtual or on site?
Virtual by default. On-site review is required when the program delivers in person and the standards require direct observation of instruction or a practicum, or when the document review raises questions only a visit can resolve. Travel for on-site reviews is billed at cost and capped.
What if the reviewers get something wrong?
You see the full report before any decision and have 30 days to correct factual errors and respond. The Committee reads your response alongside the report. If the final decision is adverse, you may appeal to a panel with no prior involvement.
Who sees our self-study?
Your two assigned reviewers, your coordinator, the Accreditation Review Committee and, on appeal, the Appeals Panel. Self-studies are confidential; only the decision and findings summary are published.
What happens between decisions?
Accredited programs file a short annual report and notify us of substantive changes. There is no annual inspection unless a complaint, a reported change or the annual report triggers a focused review.
How often does the Committee meet?
Six times a year. Your file goes to the first meeting after your response window closes. Decision letters are issued within 15 business days of the meeting.