MEMBERSHIP & AFFILIATION REQUIREMENTS American Council on Higher Education and Federal Government Accreditation (ACHEA)
To be considered for affiliation with the American Council on Higher Education and Federal Government Accreditation, a candidate institution must demonstrate full compliance with the following foundational requirements. Institutions seeking accredited status fulfill these requirements by satisfying ACHEA’s Standards for Accreditation in their entirety.
The institution must demonstrate that it:
1. Institutional Mission Has formally adopted a clear and comprehensive mission statement affirming that its fundamental purposes are educational in nature, appropriate to a degree-granting institution, and aligned with the societal needs it is designed to serve.
2. Collegiate-Level Programs Offers one or more collegiate-level academic programs, consistent with its institutional mission, leading to degrees in recognized fields of study and requiring a minimum of one academic year to complete.
3. Degree Authorization Confers bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees. Institutions that award only the associate’s degree must offer programs in liberal arts, general studies, or fields widely available at the baccalaureate level among regionally accredited colleges and universities.
4. Defined Educational Objectives Maintains, for each program offered, clearly defined and publicly accessible learning objectives appropriate to higher education in level, rigor, and quality — including a structured course of studies, adequate academic advising, and rigorous grading and evaluation procedures.
5. Academic Integrity in Degree Conferral Awards only those degrees that are commensurate with each graduate’s demonstrated level of academic attainment.
6. Liberal Studies Foundation Requires, as either a prerequisite to or an integrated component of its principal programs, a coherent and substantive program of liberal studies at the postsecondary level, ensuring graduates receive a broad and humanistic academic foundation.
7. Admissions Standards Has adopted and published a formal admissions policy identifying the student population it seeks to serve, admitting qualified candidates through procedures consistent with institutional mission and program requirements.
8. Active Enrollment Maintains an active student body enrolled in and actively pursuing its principal educational programs at the time of ACHEA’s evaluation.
9. Transparent Public Disclosure Provides students and the general public with a current, accurate, and comprehensive institutional website and official catalog or equivalent publication — encompassing institutional purposes, admission requirements and procedures, student conduct regulations, academic programs and courses, degree completion requirements, faculty credentials, tuition and fees, refund policies, and withdrawal procedures.
10. Legal Authority and Operational Compliance Holds a valid charter and all required authorizations from the appropriate governmental agencies to confer the degrees it awards, maintains the necessary operating authority in each jurisdiction where it conducts activities, and operates strictly within the scope of that authority.
11. Institutional Independence Maintains sufficient organizational and operational independence to be fully and directly accountable for meeting ACHEA’s accreditation standards.
12. Governing Board Has in place a governing board that reflects the public interest, provides institutional oversight, and ensures that fewer than one-half of its members hold any financial interest in the institution — whether as employees, shareholders, or corporate officers.
13. Chief Executive Leadership Is led by a chief executive officer appointed by and directly accountable to the governing board, whose primary and substantial professional responsibility is to the institution, and who holds the requisite authority to fulfill that role.
14. Qualified Faculty Employs a faculty sufficient in number, academic qualifications, and professional experience to fully support the programs offered — including a critical mass of faculty whose commitment to the institution ensures fulfillment of both instructional and broader academic responsibilities essential to institutional mission.
15. Qualified Administrative Staff Maintains an administrative staff of appropriate size, preparation, and experience to provide the institutional services necessary to support its mission and educational purposes.
16. Educational Commitment of Resources Dedicates all, or substantially all, of its gross income to the direct support of its educational mission, programs, and purposes.
17. Financial Sustainability Documents a sound funding base, adequate financial resources, and a credible financial development plan sufficient to carry out its stated institutional purposes over the long term.
18. Financial Accountability and Auditing Maintains financial records clearly aligned with institutional educational activities, subject to annual independent audit by an external auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards for colleges and universities, as adopted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
19. Demonstrated Academic Output Has conferred degrees to at least one graduating class in its principal educational programs prior to ACHEA’s evaluation for accredited status. Where an institution has graduated its first class no more than one year before evaluation, the effective date of accreditation shall be established as the date of that first graduating class.
These requirements constitute the foundational threshold for institutional eligibility. Full accreditation is contingent upon comprehensive compliance with all ACHEA Standards for Accreditation as assessed through formal review.
