Complete the initial application self-assessment checklist. This checklist will help you determine if your institution qualifies as an independent college that can be accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Eligibility includes being a qualified educational entity and being licensed by the educational agency for post-secondary institutions in your state. Your school must have a primary mission of providing students the tools necessary to develop skills and competencies to enhance their career. Your school must also have provided educational services for a minimum of two years immediately prior to applying. There should be graduates from the school so that the effectiveness of the school can be tested, and the school must comply with all laws and regulations. The school should be a limited liability company, a limited partnership or a corporation. The chief executive officer must approve the school becoming accredited and the owners should not be debarred by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges (ACICS).
Register the institution, corporation and individuals of the college. You must provide the school's demographics, structure, the number of students enrolled, personnel information and mission statement at the time of registration. Submit the ACICS Program Enrollment and Graduation Data Sheet. This sheet must be completed for each main campus and branch of the school. This document must be submitted by email with the subject line "Initial Application," followed by whether the application is for the main campus or a branch.
Purchase the initial accreditation application from ACICS. You will need your user name and password from your account registration to purchase the application. The fee for your application will vary based on the information provided on your registration.
Submit your school documentation for part one of the initial application process. These documents include your authorization to operate provided by your state, the completed initial annual institute report document, your official college catalog, your ownership disclosure and the most recent copy of your audited financial information. This document must be printed from the ACICS website and completed.
Schedule a resource visit with an ACICS employee. ACICS will review your application and if it is found to be in order and your college qualifies for accreditation, a visit will be scheduled with your CEO or campus president. Prior to the resource visit, ACICS will request an institutional effectiveness plan for review. ACICS will also mail an invoice for the resource visit. This invoice must be paid through your ACICS online account.
Submit part two of your initial application. Part two of your application must be completed through your online ACICS account. In this process you must submit an explanation of your school's program and goals, information on the future plans for the school, the institutional effectiveness plan, your current course catalog, you academic credit analysis, an inventory of your school's equipment, the faculty and administrative staff summary form and a self-study narrative.
Schedule the initial grant visit. The grant visit is with a team of ACICS staff members and the institution. You must have all your self-study documents uploaded to the ACICS system prior to the scheduled visit. ACICS will send an invoice for the grant visit, which can be paid by credit card.
Wait for your report from the ACICS team regarding your grant visit. The report will provide information on all citations and concerns. You will have the opportunity to correct these issues and to address any items with which you do not agree.
Wait for all materials and documents to be reviewed by ACICS. This review could take from two to three weeks to complete after your grant visit. The intermediate review council will provide a recommendation to the ACICS based on the information provided in both parts of your application. The possible recommendations include award of an "Initial Grant of Accreditation" for a specific period of time, deferred action until the next meeting between ACICS and your institution or denial of your application.
Wait for the ACICS Council to review your application and the recommendation of the review council. The council is made of 15 commissioners who meet in April, August and December of each year as of 2011. The council will take action on your account and send a notice in writing within 30 days.