Accreditation Standards, Fees and Policies

The United States Department of Education requires ACEND to publish its accreditation standards, fees, and policies for public access. The ACEND 2022 Standards and Templates are the current standards in place for ACEND-accredited programs. The Future Education Model Standards and Templates are based on a competency-based education model and are optional standards for those programs who apply to become demonstration programs. These standards and documents outline accreditation requirements for current programs, as well as provide the templates needed to demonstrate compliance with these standards. Prospective programs can visit the Candidacy for Accreditation page or the Candidacy for Non-U.S. Based Programs page to access specific templates for candidacies.

ACEND’s Policies and Procedures outline ACEND’s structure and provide guidance to programs and staff. The U.S. Department of Education requires ACEND to monitor and approve substantive changes that have the potential to affect the ability of an ACEND-accredited program to meet the Accreditation Standards. The Substantive Change Guidelines were developed to explain the requirements for submitting a substantive program change. Various templates and other guidance documents are included in this section as well.

The ACEND board reviews programs based on the timing of site visits or other report submissions. The ACEND Decision Calendars outlines due dates and timelines for this process. The Fee Schedule outlines payments due for annual accreditation as well as intermittent activities throughout the calendar year and for candidacy applications.