What Is Accreditation? Guide to Accreditation and Alternatives

Colleges and universities based in the United States operate on a system of accreditation, which helps ensure that your education is high-quality. Checking that a college has proper accreditation is one way to verify that it meets specific minimum quality assurance standards. Accreditation can look different in different countries—the standards and processes a college or university must follow may vary. Whilst the United Kingdom doesn’t use an accreditation-based system for its universities, the government approves the awarding of degrees, which is worth learning more about. This is especially true if you’re considering attending school in the US or taking US-based remote classes.

The US Department of Education doesn’t certify or accredited colleges and universities directly. Instead, it recognises several independent accreditation agencies to take on this role. Read on to learn more about what accreditation is, how US schools get accredited, how to verify accreditation, and why it should matter to you as you make decisions about your learning journey. 

Noun: accreditation

“The fact of being officially recognised, accepted, or approved of” [1].

Why choose an accredited program?

In the US, accreditors serve as quality enforcers, ensuring that colleges and educational programs meet specific standards regarding coursework, faculty, facilities, resources, and student services. Choosing an accredited school or programme can have other implications as well. Some of the ways accreditation may impact your education include:

• Financial aid: To be eligible for US federal financial aid, you’ll need to attend a college or university accredited by a recognised accrediting organisation. The US Department of Education and the nonprofit Council for Higher Education Accreditation oversee and review accrediting agencies.

• Credit transfer: Accreditation does not guarantee that college credits will transfer between institutions. However, many institutions with accreditation from the same agency have agreements in place to make transferring credits easier. If you plan to take classes at a community college before transferring to a four-year university, this could impact your ability to transfer those credits. Acceptance of credits is always at the sole discretion of the receiving institution, regardless of accreditation status.

• Certifications and exams: Graduates must come from schools or degree programmes accredited by recognised accreditors to qualify for some state licensing exams or certifications. 

• Jobs: When you’re applying for a job, recruiters and hiring managers may want to verify that you received your degree from a school accredited by a recognised accreditor—rather than an unaccredited school or company offering degrees for money, with little academic work involved. Known as diploma mills, these schools sometimes claim accreditation and may even create their own accrediting organisations, which official accrediting bodies do not recognise. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) maintains a national database of reputable "recognised" (by respective governments or industries) accreditors and institutions. The CHEA Directory links to the various global directories that they provide. 

Tip: When researching colleges, check for more than just accreditation status. Verify that the accreditation comes from an agency recognised by the US Department of Education.

Types of accreditation

Unlike some other countries where the government handles school accreditation, many different agencies contribute to the process in the US. Regional or national agencies may accredit schools, including the institution itself, individual programmes, or both. 

As you make decisions about your education, it can be helpful to have a general understanding of the different types of accreditation, what they mean to you, and how to check to confirm that the listed accreditor is appropriately recognised.

Regional vs. national

The national accrediting agencies recognised by the US Department of Education can accredit colleges and universities across the United States, including online colleges that enrol learners from many different parts of the country.

Regional accrediting agencies typically accredit institutions and programmes within their own regional domain, though some are starting to accredit nationally. You can find the latest full list of recognised accrediting organisations in the CHEA directory.

Programmatic accreditation

Some specific career fields have their own accrediting agencies, known as programmatic accreditors. These agencies accredit specific programmes and freestanding schools for professions like law, medicine, education, and engineering. 

For example, the National Architectural Accrediting Board accredits all professional degrees in architecture in the United States. The American Dental Association (ADA) and the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) are responsible for accrediting both predoctoral and advanced dental education programmes.

Credit Recommendation

The American Council on Education® (ACE) offers another option, Credit Recommendation. This programme connects workplace learning with colleges and universities. It helps adults access academic credit for formal courses and examinations outside traditional degree programmes.

Learners who successfully complete training with an ACE Credit Recommendation can join the ACE Credit Registry and Transcript System to request an official transcript [2]. Whilst ACE Credit Recommendation is not accreditation, it is an evaluation of formal education courses and programmes for college-level credit. This can serve as a signal of quality similar to accreditation.

When you take an ACE Credit Recommended course or programme outside of a traditional degree programme, you can earn college credit. For example, The Google IT Support Professional Certificate programme recently secured a credit recommendation from the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Credit Recommendation.

Learners can earn a recommendation of 12 college credits for completing the programme—the equivalent of four college courses at the associate degree level. This aims to help open up additional pathways to learners interested in higher education and prepare them for entry-level jobs.

Programmes with ACE Credit Recommendation

The following programmes on Coursera are ACE Credit Recommended and could count toward college credit:

 •Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate

• Google Project Management: Professional Certificate

• Google UX Design Professional Certificate

• Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate

• Google IT Support Professional Certificate

• IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate

• IBM Data Science Professional Certificate

• IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate

How are schools accredited?

Institutions and programmes must go through a series of steps before achieving accredited status. The accreditation process can vary depending on the accrediting agency but often involves:

• Presenting a written summary of performance measured against the standards of the accrediting organisation.

• Undergoing peer review by faculty and administrators who are members of the accrediting organisation.

• Bringing in accrediting body members (academics and non-academics) for a site visit.

• Completing periodic external review, which typically includes a revised summary of performance and another site visit. 

How do you know if a college, university, or programme is accredited?

When you invest time, money, and effort in your education, you want to be sure you’re investing wisely. The best way to ensure that a reputable agency accredits the school or programme you’re interested is to search the US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programmes. Each programme or institution in this list has been accredited by a regional, national, or programmatic agency recognised by the Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)