APA Accreditation Process

What it takes to become APA-accredited.

To become APA-accredited, programs must go through a multi-step process that helps the APA Commission on Accreditation ensure that each accredited program is meeting the Standards of Accreditation. To get started with the accreditation process, or to maintain your existing APA accreditation, follow the steps below.

1. Register in CoA Portal

To begin the APA accreditation process, your program must first register as an applicant in the CoA Portal. After submitting your registration, OPCA staff will review and approve it. Once approved, you will receive an email notifying you that you have access to the Self-Study tab of the CoA Portal.
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2. Self-Study

The accreditation process begins when a program submits a self-study via the online Commission on Accreditation (CoA) Portal.
    After submission, your self-study will undergo an initial review, resulting in either approval or denial of a site visit.

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    3. Site Visit

    If you are approved for a site visit, a team of professional colleagues will conduct an on-site review of your program. The site visit team submits a report to the CoA, and your program has an opportunity to review and comment on that report. After this process is complete, the program is placed on the CoA's next program review agenda.


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    4. Program Review

    Once the site visit is complete, the CoA will review your program to make sure it meets the rigorous standards set forth in the SoA. The CoA awards accreditation to those programs judged to be in accordance with the SoA. The CoA can also deny accreditation to applicant programs if the program does not meet the SoA.


    Requirements for Accreditation

    Master’s Programs

    Accredited, on Contingency
    Clinical experience data and any available profession-wide competency or discipline-specific knowledge data must be provided. Proposed alumni surveys must also be provided, but complete proximal data and distal data are not required.

    Full Accreditation
    Complete proximal and distal data must be submitted, consistent with Implementing Regulations (IR) Section C-18 M.
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    Doctoral Programs

    Accredited, on Contingency
    Practicum data and any available profession-wide competency or discipline-specific knowledge data must be provided. Proposed alumni surveys must also be provided, but complete proximal data and distal data are not required.

    Full Accreditation
    Complete proximal and distal data must be submitted, consistent with IR C-18 D.
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    Doctoral Internships

    Accredited, on Contingency
    No data must be submitted, but the program must have a fully-articulated plan for collecting proximal and distal data consistent with IR C-16 I.

    Full Accreditation
    Complete proximal and distal data must be submitted, consistent with IR C-16 I.

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    Postdoctoral Residencies

    Accredited, on Contingency
    No data must be submitted, but the program must have a fully-articulated plan for collecting proximal and distal data consistent with IR C-18 P.

    Full Accreditation
    Complete proximal and distal data must be submitted, consistent with IR C-18 P.

    Accreditation Consultation Training Program

    This online training system provided by the Commission on Accreditation and the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation is designed to help health service psychology 
    training programs gain knowledge of accreditation policies, procedures and processes.

    Check out our 31 self-paced modules!
    Start Learning

    Applicant Programs Seeking “Intent To Apply” Status

    Doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral residency programs can seek public notification of “intent to apply” prior to seeking accreditation. This declaration does not constitute a judgment by the CoA regarding the quality of the program; rather, it serves as public notice of the program’s intent to see accreditation soon. Declaration of “intent to apply” is not a requirement for an application for “accredited, on contingency” or full accreditation.

    To apply for this declaration, programs are asked to submit documentation in accordance with the provisions outlined in the relevant Intent to Apply Instructions:



    Accreditation Process FAQ

    • How long does the accreditation process take?

      The timeline varies depending on a variety of factors. The CoA cannot guarantee a specific timeframe for the site visit or final decision. Please contact the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation for additional information on expected timelines and variables.

    • What happens when a decision has not been reached?

      The Commission on Accreditation (CoA) may defer a program on its agenda prior to making a decision. The CoA may defer programs for the following reasons:


      Deferral for information

      The CoA may defer making a decision about a program in order to obtain more information. Further, when in the CoA's judgment, information is incomplete or a significant disparity exists between the site visit report and information provided in the program's response to that report, the CoA may defer making a decision and seek additional information to resolve the difference. When a decision is deferred, the CoA will notify the program in writing and specify what additional information is needed to determine the program's consistency with the SoA.


      Deferral for cause

      When the CoA has concerns which may result in a decision to deny a site visit upon application, deny accreditation, place an accredited program on probation or revoke accreditation, it will defer its final decision, give written notice to the program of its concerns and thereby provide opportunity to supplement the information provided by the program, before the final decision is made.


      When the CoA has deferred a program, either for information or for cause, the program continues to hold its current accreditation status until a final decision has been reached. 

    • How do I submit the self-study and other materials?

      See the FAQs on self-study submission.

    • Why is the accreditation process confidential? What information can the office provide?

      The Commission on Accreditation conducts all of its final accreditation reviews and decision making sessions in a closed meeting. In the end, only the accreditation decision is released to the public. Accreditation is meant to be a process of peer review and a forum for honest, ongoing self-evaluation. Accrediting bodies must strike a balance between the public's right to information and the programs' need for honest self-evaluation. The purpose of this confidentiality throughout the accreditation process is for the programs' protection.


      Effective July 1, 2005, the Accreditation Operating Procedures changed to allow the office to provide the public with a list of programs that have applied for initial accreditation. If prospective students call to confirm a program’s application and progress in seeking accreditation, the staff can only confirm whether or not a program has submitted its initial application. Staff members do not have the ability to tell prospective students if or when a program might become accredited. In addition, staff will neither be able to confirm nor deny whether a program ever applied for initial accreditation prior to July 1, 2005.


    Related Pages

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    Programs Applying for Initial Accreditation

    Important Accreditation Dates
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    Programs Seeking Intent to Apply Status

    Accreditation Fees
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