The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)1 is a U.S. Department of Education-recognized national accreditation body that has upheld quality standards in nursing education for over 80 years, with roots dating back to 1893.
What Is the Purpose of ACEN?
The purpose of ACEN is to identify and accredit educational institutions that emulate its commitment to excellence in all levels of nursing education.
What Are ACEN’s Goals?
ACEN’s goal is to encourage peer review, cultivate equity and opportunity across the nursing profession, and continually update standards to meet the evolving realities of the healthcare industry. Each of these goals supports ACEN’s primary commitment to advancing nursing education, ultimately ensuring that patients receive optimal care from qualified nurses.
How are these goals met in practice? ACEN develops standards and criteria to assess an institution’s ability to develop students’ aptitude for problem-solving and analytical thinking and their ability to pair good judgment with medical knowledge.
Why Is ACEN Accreditation Important?
ACEN accreditation ensures that select nursing programs meet the rigorous educational requirements necessary to safeguard quality in the nursing profession. Programs granted ACEN accreditation are regularly reviewed to ensure that they continue to meet ACEN standards and criteria, and produce qualified nursing students.
Furthermore, state boards of nursing typically mandate that students have graduated from accredited nursing programs to be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX®). Students who attend non-accredited programs are placed in a precarious professional position, which may result in obstacles down the road, especially when seeking admission to programs for advanced practice roles. ACEN accreditation alleviates these concerns by ensuring that students receive a quality nursing education grounded in well-established principles.
In short, educational institutions only stand to benefit from accreditation by emphasizing the rigor and quality of their curriculum.
*ACEN should not be confused with the role of the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which accredits graduate programs and fellowships.
ACEN-Accreditation Process for Nursing Schools
Before a program can begin its process toward ACEN accreditation, it must submit a Candidacy Eligibility Application (CEA) and Candidacy Presentation (a mini self-study). If a program is deemed eligible, a 4-step accreditation process begins as follows:
- Self-Study Report: A program must conduct a self-evaluation to determine how it meets ACEN Accreditation and Criteria.
- Site Visit: Peer evaluators visit the program site to weigh their first-hand observations against claims made in the self-study report.
- Evaluation Review Panel (ERP): A program-specific ERP makes an independent judgment after evaluating documentation from steps 1 and 2.
- Commission Decision: The ACEN Board of Commissioners (BOC) conducts a final review of the entire process and reaches an independent decision on the program’s qualifications for ACEN accreditation.
It’s important to note that students who have graduated from a program before it gained accreditation will not retroactively receive ACEN program status. Instead, a program’s initial accreditation status is effective from the date its candidacy was approved by ACEN (assuming its accreditation was granted).
How Does ACEN Accreditation Differ from Licensing?
ACEN plays no part in administering or renewing nursing licenses. Instead, the commission works to ensure that the nursing programs it accredits meet certain standards and criteria.
How Long Is the ACEN Accreditation Process?
ACEN-accredited programs must be reviewed 5 years following initial accreditation. If they continue to meet ACEN standards and criteria, they will be granted continuing accreditation and reviewed every 8 years. Programs are also surveyed annually and may undergo additional review should any significant changes occur within the nursing program, such as a significant decline in NCLEX pass rates.
How Much Does It Cost to Have an ACEN-Accredited Program?
Costs for ACEN accreditation include fees for both initial and continuing accreditation, a candidacy fee, and a number of case-by-case service fees. The tables below detail fees for ACEN 2026 accreditation.2
ACEN Accreditation Fees
| Accreditation Fee | Details | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Candidacy | 1-time fee following eligibility confirmation via Candidacy Eligibility Application | $2,700 |
| Initial Accreditation | 1-time fee following submission of the Information Form | $3,500 |
| Each Additional Program* | Charged annually | $1,445 |
| Initial Accreditation Site Visit | Per day, per evaluator (expect 3 minimum); charged following the scheduling of a site visit | $950 |
*Accreditation fees for additional programs are for programs within the same nursing education unit.
ACEN Continuing Accreditation Fees
| Continuing Fee | Details | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing Accreditation Review | 1-time fee charged 1 year in advance of the site visit | $1,335 |
| Continuing Accreditation Site Visit | Per day, per evaluator (expect 3 minimum); charged following the scheduling of a site visit | $950 |
| Continuing Accreditation for First/Only Nursing Program | Charged annually | $3,195 |
| Each Additional Program | Charged annually | $1,285 |
ACEN Accreditation Service Fees
| Service Fee* | Details | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Focused Visit | Site visit to review accreditation-related information following 1 or more program changes | $1,335 |
| Follow-Up Site Visit | Per day, per evaluator (expect 3 minimum); charged following the scheduling of a site visit | $950 |
| Reprocessing/ Rescheduling | Charged upon rescheduling any site visit | $1,335 |
| Notice of Intent to Appeal | Charged for appealing a denial of initial or continuing accreditation (per program) | $5,250 |
| Appeal Process | Charged for appealing a denial of initial or continuing accreditation (per program) | $10,500 |
| Administrative Appeal | Charged for appealing a denial of initial or continuing accreditation | $2,625 |
| Binding Arbitration Fee | Charged for appealing a denial of initial or continuation accreditation by the ACEN BOC | $36,750 |
*Service fees are only charged when a service is used. They do not apply to all programs.
What Is the ACEN Accreditation Manual3?
The ACEN Accreditation Manual** features general information about the ACEN accreditation process and procedures. It is broken down into 3 sections.
- Section 1: General Information provides an overview of ACEN’s organizational structure, accreditation standards and criteria, and accreditation processes and procedures.
- Section 2: Policies details ACEN’s 39 policies, with #39 (High-Stakes Testing Policy) effective September 2026.
- Section 3: ACEN Standards and Criteria outlines ACEN’s official standards and each of their corresponding criteria.
- A glossary breaks down industry jargon and provides clear legal definitions.
**Note that as of 2026, the 2023 ACEN Accreditation Manual is the most comprehensive version available.
ACEN Standards and Criteria
Section 3 of the ACEN Accreditation Manual outlines ACEN’s accreditation standards and criteria. The 5 standards measure the quality of a nursing program, while the criteria enumerate how each standard must be evaluated.
Standard 1: Administrative Capacity and Resources
Nursing programs must facilitate student learning outcomes while aligning with the mission, goals, and values of the governing organization. The criteria to meet this standard include providing students and communities of interest the opportunity to participate in decision-making and employing a qualified nurse administrator to lead the nursing program.
Standard 2: Faculty
Faculty must be able to help students achieve optimal learning outcomes as assigned by the governing body. The criteria to meet this standard include employing qualified, regularly evaluated nurse and non-nurse faculty.
Standard 3: Students
Policies and services must align with student learning outcomes. The criteria for meeting this standard include public access to nursing programs and governing body policies, ACEN accreditation status, and ACEN contact information. Additionally, formal complaints must be resolved with evidence of due process and timely resolution, student records must be maintained, and students must be notified of policy changes.
Standard 4: Curriculum
The curriculum must support student learning outcomes and maintain up-to-date safe practices. The criteria for meeting this standard include ensuring that the curriculum is developed and regularly reviewed by qualified faculty, simulates laboratory environments when necessary, employs teaching strategies that accommodate various learning styles, and reflects evidence-based nursing practices.
Standard 5: Outcomes
Using a systematic plan for evaluation (SPE), program assessments must demonstrate that students have achieved, or are approaching, competency in student learning outcomes. The criteria to meet this standard include a faculty-developed SPE that describes the assessment of student learning outcomes, nursing program completion rate, exam pass rate, licensure, and job placement.
Nursing education continues to evolve. High-quality education technology (EdTech) resources integrate cutting-edge pedagogical science with digital technology, enabling faculty to track student progress, predict exam performance, and manage classrooms more efficiently. Moreover, the ability to hone in on a student’s weaknesses and introduce them to resources that provide detailed explanations for correct and incorrect answers improves cohort and individual student learning outcomes.
References
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. (n.d.). ACEN accreditation. ACEN.https://www.acenursing.org/accreditation
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. (2026). Accreditation schedule of fees. ACEN. Retrieved Feb. 5, 2026, from https://www.acenursing.org/accreditation/schedule-of-fees
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. (2023). 2023 Accreditation Manual for Nursing Education Programs. ACEN. https://www.acenursing.org/accreditation/accred-manual/accreditation-manual
