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Accelerated Process for Initial Accreditation

An institution may be eligible to seek accreditation with HLC through the Accelerated Process for Initial Accreditation if it meets certain requirements, including being currently accredited by a historically regional accrediting agency or a state entity recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an institutional accreditor of degree-granting institutions of higher education.

The institution also must not have been placed on sanction, been issued a show-cause order or experienced other similar negative action by its institutional accreditor for at least the past five years, and it must meet other requirements. The process allows the institution to apply for initial accreditation with HLC on an accelerated timeline, without serving a period of Candidacy.

Documents and Forms

Accelerated Process for Initial Accreditation: Process Overview

Demonstrating “Reasonable Cause” to Change Accrediting Agencies

Forms

HLC Systems

In 2025, HLC is streamlining the online systems that support our accreditation processes. The stand-alone Assurance System will be sunset during fall 2025, and institutions and peer reviewers will conduct their work for preliminary peer reviews and comprehensive evaluations in HLC’s Canopy system.

Assurance System

For reviews taking place before September 1, 2025

Canopy

For reviews taking place on or after September 1, 2025

Process at a Glance

Institution submits an application for HLC membership

An institution begins the accelerated process for initial accreditation by submitting an application along with required Accelerated Process Application Evidence to demonstrate that it meets the qualifications for the process and that it meets other specific HLC requirements.

HLC staff assess the institution’s application to determine whether the institution meets the qualifications for the Accelerated Process for Initial Accreditation and whether it can demonstrate that it has certain essential characteristics that would make it eligible for HLC membership. This includes the opportunity for interaction with HLC staff through a combination of email, phone, or video-enabled conversations as needed.

This step culminates in a decision regarding whether the institution may proceed to the preliminary peer review.

Time Frame: HLC staff will typically respond to the institution within one month.

Institutional submits narrative and evidence regarding HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements

The preliminary peer review includes the following components:

  • Abbreviated Assurance Filing demonstrating that the institution has provided sufficient narrative and evidence regarding each of HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation to proceed
  • Institutional Data Form
  • Compliance With Eligibility Requirements Form
  • Compliance With Assumed Practices Form

Peer reviewers preliminarily evaluate the narrative and evidence provided by the institution. There is no in-person visit or other interaction between the institution and peer reviewers.

This step culminates in a decision regarding whether the institution may proceed to a comprehensive evaluation for initial accreditation. If the institution continues, it is assigned an HLC staff liaison at the conclusion of this step.

Time Frame: HLC anticipates that institutions will prepare and submit the required narrative and evidence within approximately three months following HLC’s response to the institution’s application (step 1). Institutions must submit these materials within no more than one year following HLC’s response to the institution’s application.

Upon submission of materials required for the preliminary peer review, the peer review panel takes approximately one month to evaluate the materials and determine the institution’s ability to continue with the process.

Institution demonstrates that it meets HLC’s Criteria and other HLC requirements

The institution submits its comprehensive evaluation materials and hosts an on-site visit by a peer review team.

The evaluation includes the following components:

  • Full Assurance Filing demonstrating the institution’s compliance with the Criteria for Accreditation and all Core Components
  • Institutional Data Form
  • Compliance with Eligibility Requirements Form
  • Compliance with Assumed Practices Form
  • Federal Compliance Filing
  • On-site visit, including if applicable, a Multi-Campus Visit
  • Student Opinion Survey
  • IAC Hearing
  • HLC Board decision

Time Frame: Institutions should prepare for a comprehensive evaluation within approximately nine months after being informed by HLC that the institution may do so and must undergo the comprehensive evaluation within no more than one year from that time.

Visit timing will be coordinated with the institution to proceed on as accelerated a timeline as the institution desires, and as is practical, inclusive of the timing for the necessary IAC Hearing and Board meeting where the Board will consider the institution for initial accreditation.

Questions?

Complete HLC’s Seeking Accreditation Inquiry Form.