Visit this page for periodic updates about ICF’s credentialing services program and ICF Credentials and Standards.
October 3, 2024 – ICF Credentials and Standards will release a new ACC Exam on November 18, 2024, to support coaches pursuing the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential.
As the initial credential in the ICF credential framework, the ACC demonstrates a coach’s fundamental knowledge and skills in the ICF Core Competencies, Code of Ethics, and definition of coaching. The ACC is a smart first step for any coach practitioner to validate their credibility and competence to their clients and peers.
The new ICF ACC Exam is designed specifically to assess the knowledge of ACC candidates at this stage in their coaching journey.
The 90-minute exam consists of 60 multiple-choice knowledge items and is delivered in two sections with an optional 10-minute break midway through the exam.
Beginning November 18, any ACC candidate with an active exam authorization will be able to sit for the new ACC Exam.
Visit the ACC Exam page for more information, including exam content and format details.
ACC Exam Format
August 20, 2024 – Earning an ICF credential is an important professional milestone. Maintaining a hard-earned credential is equally important. To better support credential-holders in renewing their ICF credential or taking the next step on their credentialing journey, ICF Credentials and Standards is pleased to announce several forthcoming policy updates.
These policy changes will go into effect on September 15, 2024.
What Are the Changes?
The new ICF Credential Upgrade Policy supports coaches who apply for a higher-level credential within one year of their current expiration date (before or after) by extending their active certification status up to 12 months. This new policy allows credential-holders to maintain their current credential while their new credential application is reviewed and processed — without having to submit a separate credential renewal application and accompanying fees.
August 1, 2024–Candidate feedback and industry changes have inspired upcoming updates to the ICF Credentialing Exam. These changes aim to improve the exam experience while maintaining our rigorous standards for assessment.
These updates will go into effect on August 20, 2024. Crafted and reviewed by coach practitioners worldwide, the ICF Credentialing Exam is truly an exam by coaches, for coaches.
What Are the Changes?
The updated exam will feature the following enhancements:
Included with the enhancements to the exam experience, ICF is pleased to announce a new ICF Credentialing Exam online tutorial. The tutorial is an interactive simulation of the Pearson VUE testing platform. Use this tutorial to become familiar with the exam platform features, practice the exam navigation functionality, and review and answer sample ICF Credentialing Exam questions in the testing platform environment at your own pace. This online tutorial will be available beginning August 20, 2024, at no cost.
December 2023 — The ICF Credentials and Standards Board has approved a policy to waive the ICF Credentialing Exam requirement for returning candidates. This new policy, designed to improve the candidate experience across credential levels, applies to credentialing candidates who apply for a credential upgrade within one year of passing the exam. Specifically, candidates who successfully pass the ICF Credentialing Exam for an initial credential and who apply for a higher-level credential within 12 months of earning the passing score, will not be required to re-sit the ICF Credentialing Exam. This policy change is effective immediately for ACC candidates upgrading to PCC and PCC upgrading to MCC.
January 30, 2023 – In an effort to support candidates in successfully completing the Credentialing process, ICF Credentials and Standards is extending the deadline to complete the Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA) for candidates who submitted a Credential application prior to July 27, 2022. The deadline to successfully complete and pass the CKA for these candidates is extended to May 31, 2023. In addition, candidates whose applications were submitted prior to July 27, 2022, and include a Performance Evaluation submission(s) will be assessed using the previous Performance Evaluation criteria through May 31, 2023.
This extension is designed to support candidates who applied for an ICF Credential prior to July 27, 2022, in successfully completing the Credentialing process.
January 18, 2023 — ICF Credentials and Standards is proud to announce the launch of the ICF Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC), allowing coach practitioners to build upon their competence as an ICF ACC, PCC, or MCC Credentialed coach and demonstrate their advanced knowledge, skills and abilities in the specialized discipline of team coaching.
Now available are two application paths to support coaches in earning their ICF ACTC. Eligibility requirements include: an active ICF credential (ACC, PCC, or MCC), 60 hours of team coaching education, five (5) hours of Coaching Supervision with a focus on team coaching, and five (5) team coaching engagements started within 5 years prior to the application date. To earn the ICF ACTC, eligible applicants must complete and successfully pass the ICF Team Coaching Certification Exam. Individuals who meet these requirements may apply through the ACTC application.
ICF Credentials and Standards also offers Credit for Prior Learning, allowing long-term team coach practitioners to apply for the ICF ACTC using prior team coaching experience. Team coaches who have more than five years of team coaching experience may fulfill 30 of the required 60 hours of by providing an additional five team coaching engagements (with at least three engagements completed more than five years prior to the application date), along with an additional five hours of Coaching Supervision.
To review the eligibility and requirements in full and to create an application, please visit the Advanced Certification in Team Coaching page.
To learn more about Team Coaching, please visit these resources:
December 8, 2022 — In today’s complex workplace, organizations increasingly recognize the power of teams to innovate and drive their business or mission forward. Team coaching is critical to harness teams’ collective expertise, energy and experience to accelerate performance and improve results. And it is now one of the fastest growing disciplines in the coaching profession.
To address this increasing demand, ICF will launch two new team coaching offerings in early 2023. These offerings will bring visibility to team coaching competencies, set standards of practice, and build value, trust and integrity among clients and coaches alike.
Education is an important component to any coach’s development. Team coaching requires a specific set of competencies and knowledge, and coaches should have access to specialized education that they can trust in to develop this practice. So, coaching education providers will soon be able to apply for ICF Advanced Accreditation in Team Coaching (AATC) through ICF Coaching Education.
Awareness of this accreditation will also be invaluable to coach practitioners pursuing the ACTC. You can trust in the fact that education with the AATC status aligns with requirements of the ACTC to ensure that coaches like you are well prepared for the complex discipline of team coaching.
April 7, 2022 — For ICF-credentialed coaches, earning a Credential is often a pivotal milestone in their coaching journey, a critical moment in the pursuit of coaching excellence. And for coaching clients, from individuals to organizations, an ICF Credential is a demonstration of quality, integrity and legitimacy.
Reflecting the commitment of ICF-credentialed coaches to the highest standards of professional and ethical practice, ICF Credentials and Standards continually strives to advance its Credentialing process to ensure it meets the highest standards in professional certification practice, supports and elevates ICF Credential holders, and offers an important quality assurance for coaching consumers.
As part of this commitment, ICF Credentials and Standards is pleased to announce several exciting updates to our Credentialing process. These exciting changes include:
These changes will be implemented simultaneously to ensure a smooth transition for ICF Credential candidates. To facilitate the changes, there will be pause in the acceptance of applications for the Associated Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC) Credentials.
July 27, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. EDT (New York): Final deadline to submit ICF Credential applications under the current application pathways.
August 1, 2022, at 12 p.m. Noon Eastern (New York): ICF Credentials and Standards will resume accepting applications for the ACC, PCC, and MCC using the updated application pathways.
ICF Credentials and Standards is excited to announce it will launch an updated ICF Credentialing exam. Originally scheduled to launch in late 2021, we have delayed the publication of this new exam to early 2022 due to the continued impacts of the pandemic across our global community.
The new ICF Credentialing exam comes after the completion of a global coaching job analysis, resulting in the first ever updates to the ICF Core Competencies, which serve as the global standard for professional and ethical practice in coaching, released in November 2019.
Exam questions are based on and reflect the updated ICF Core Competencies, including a critical new competency: Embodies a Coaching Mindset. Reflective of its mission “to elevate professional standards in coaching” and to serve as the global Gold Standard in Coach Credentialing, ICF Credentials and Standards has designed a high-quality, state-of-the-art Credentialing exam aligned with the highest standards in psychometric assessment and informed by ICF Credentialed coaches from around the world who served as Subject Matter Expert volunteers.
The updated exam will feature approximately 200 scenario-based, multiple choice questions designed to assess a coach’s knowledge and ability to apply the ICF Core Competencies.
Earning an ICF Credential requires hard work, dedication, and a commitment to excellence in professional and ethical practice. It is our responsibility at ICF Credentials and Standards to honor the efforts of ICF Credential holders by ensuring the Credential you worked so hard to achieve is aligned with the highest standards of certification practice and to maintain and increase the value of ICF Credentials for all who hold them and for the clients they serve.
That’s why the updated ICF Credentialing exam will be offered through a more secure delivery format that increases the credibility and integrity of the exam and meets global standards for professional certification. Candidates will have the option to take the new exam in-person at an authorized testing center or from the convenience of their home or office through live remote proctoring. Both options will be offered through our partnership with Pearson VUE, a global leader in the administration and delivery of professional, high-stakes certification exams.
Candidates applying for an initial ICF Credential or upgrading to a higher-level Credential will be required to complete the new Credentialing exam.
Individuals renewing their ICF Credential will not be required to complete the exam.
With updates to the exam content, candidates can demonstrate they possess the knowledge and skills needed to meet the rising challenges for coach practitioners in today’s world, giving Credentialed coaches the opportunity to SHINE in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.
Through these improvements, ICF Credentials and Standards is enhancing the quality of the ICF Credentialing process and preserving and increasing the value of ICF Credentials today and for years to come.
If you have any questions about the updated credentialing exam, please email support@coachingfederation.org.
ICF Credential Application Fees with Launch of Updated Exam (all fees in USD)*
*ICF has proudly maintained its Credentialing fees with no increases since 2015. As ICF Credentials and Standards integrates improvements to strengthen the integrity, security and value of the ICF Credentialing exam and the ICF Credentials, the updated fee structure will support our ability to maintain our high standards in the years to come
Given the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our communities, countries and world, the ICF Credentials and Standards Board met in August 2020 to evaluate the temporary measures and consider additional steps to support ICF Credential-holders and candidates during these times.
To continue to support coaches on their professional journey while also ensuring the highest standards for the credentialing process, the ICF Credentials and Standards Board approved the following measures to support coaches in 2021.
ICF values ongoing professional development for credentialed coaches, which is why we require ICF-credentialed coaches to renew their credential every three years. We acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt access to Continuing Coach Education opportunities, particularly for individuals required to submit additional CCE units to renew a lapsed ICF Credential.
If your ICF Credential’s expiration date is December 31, 2020 but you are unable to renew on or before that date, your credential will remain active until February 28, 2021, after which it will be considered lapsed. You may still apply to renew your lapsed credential through December 31, 2021 – your Continuing Coach Education requirement will be capped at 41.2 Continuing Coach Education units (an additional 1.2 instead of the former 1.2 additional units per month of lapse). 24.72 units in Core Competencies is still required for renewal, three (3) of which must be completed in coaching ethics.
The ICF Credentials and Standards Board extended a pair of temporary measures impacting initial credentialing applicants.
If a coach applies for their ACC or PCC by December 31, 2021, their recency requirement for experience hours will be extended from 18 to 24 months. This is an extension of the previously announced temporary measure, which was set to end December 31, 2020.
For ACC applicants, this means that at least 25 hours of coaching experience must have taken place within 24 months of submitting their application.
For PCC applicants, this means that at least 50 hours of coaching experience must have taken place within 24 months of submitting their application.
If a coach applies for their ACC, PCC or MCC by December 31, 2021, they will also be eligible to count a higher proportion of pro bono coaching hours toward their experience requirements. This is an extension of the previously announced temporary measure, which was set to end December 31, 2020.
We are increasing the proportion of eligible pro bono coaching hours by 20%.
This means:
As always, the ICF Credentials and Standards team is happy to answer any questions and support ICF coaches on their professional development journeys. You can contact the team by visiting the ICF Support page.
June 25, 2020, marked a tremendous milestone for ICF: There are now more than 30,000 ICF Credential-holders worldwide.
In 1998, ICF’s credentialing program launched with 34 coach practitioners receiving the first-ever ICF Credentials. From 34 to 30,000, ICF Credential-holders have demonstrated the importance of high standards in coaching practice and the value of professional coaching in our world. By pursuing, earning and maintaining an ICF Credential, these coaches demonstrate the value and integrity of their services and of the entire coaching profession.
To celebrate this milestone, ICF invites credentialed coaches to share their ICF Credentialing story on social media using the hashtag #CoachesthatCommit.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to impact how we all live and work, the ICF Credentials and Standards Global Board has approved three temporary measures to support coaches on their professional development journeys while continuing to ensure the highest standards for the credentialing process.
These changes go into effect April 9, 2020, and will remain in place through December 31, 2020.
ICF values ongoing professional development for credentialed coaches, which is why we require ICF-credentialed coaches to renew their credential every three years. We acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt access to Continuing Coach Education opportunities, particularly for individuals required to submit additional CCE units to renew a lapsed ICF Credential.
For coaches whose ICF Credentials expired December 31, 2019, we are capping the Continuing Coach Education requirement at 41.2 CCE units (at least 24.72 units in Core Competencies). This is the number of CCE units required to renew a credential after a one-month lapse. Coaches will still be required to complete at least three Core Competencies units in coaching ethics. They can obtain these hours by completing ICF’s free online course.
Upon renewal, December 31, 2022, will be the new expiration date for these coaches’ credentials. They will still be required to submit at least 40 Continuing Coach Education units (24 in Core Competencies), completed between December 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022, during their next renewal cycle.
We recognize that this crisis has had an enormous impact on coaches’ businesses and, for many, led to the cancellation of scheduled coaching sessions that they had planned to count toward their client coaching experience requirement. By temporarily extending the recency requirement for ACC and PCC applicants, we hope to enable many coaches to stay on track with their anticipated timeline to apply for an ICF Credential.
If a coach applies for their ACC or PCC by December 31, 2020, their recency requirement for experience hours will be extended from 18 to 24 months.
For ACC applicants, this means that at least 25 hours of coaching experience must have taken place within 24 months of submitting their application.
For PCC applicants, this means that at least 50 hours of coaching experience must have taken place within 24 months of submitting their application.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to all communities, including the global community of professional coaches. These times are also unprecedented in terms of opportunities for coaches to be in service to their communities, and we know that coaching is now more important than ever.
If a coach applies for their ACC, PCC or MCC by December 31, 2020, they will also be eligible to count a higher proportion of pro bono coaching hours toward their experience requirements.
We are increasing the proportion of eligible pro bono coaching hours by 20%.
This means:
As always, the ICF Credentials and Standards team is happy to answer any questions and support ICF coaches on their professional development journeys. You can contact the team by visiting the ICF Support page.
ICF Credential-holders who are planning their professional development may be concerned about how to fulfill Continuing Coach Education requirements considering the disruptions impacting the coaching and coach training communities.
We want to help ensure that all ICF Credential-holders remain on track with their professional development goals. We are pleased to offer information about free and lower-cost options for earning Continuing Coach Education units:
You can also continue to find ICF-approved sources of Continuing Coach Education at a variety of price points by visiting the Events Calendar or the Training Program Search Service.
You can learn more about all accepted sources of Continuing Coach Education, including Mentor Coaching and Coaching Supervision, by following the link below.
ICF is committed to ensuring fairness and integrity in our review process for credentialing performance evaluations. To this end, we are refining our existing transcript format requirements for credentialing candidates on the following pathways:
Currently, transcripts submitted for performance evaluations are subject to the following requirements:
Beginning July 1, 2020, at 12 Noon (New York), transcripts submitted for performance evaluations will be subject to the following requirements:
By refining our requirements for session transcripts, we’re demonstrating our continued commitment to positioning the ICF Credential as the gold standard for the coaching profession.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes, please feel free to contact our ICF Credentials and Standards team by visiting the ICF Support page.
As of July 1, 2020, there were 30,079 ICF Credential-holders worldwide.
Since 1998, the ICF Core Competencies have provided a vital foundation for the coaching profession.
When we first created the Core Competencies and developed the ICF Code of Ethics, we set the standard in the coaching field. The ICF Core Competencies were first identified and articulated by eight pioneers in our profession, all of whom were committed to creating greater understanding about the knowledge and skills needed for effective coaching. The groundbreaking ICF Core Competency model that emerged has provided a strong foundation for our accreditation and credentialing processes ever since.
In any profession, it is best practice to perform a job analysis regularly to ensure a competency model remains a valid and accurate reflection of professional practice. ICF last conducted a job analysis in 2008, and our profession has since grown and evolved significantly.
Over the past 24 months, we’ve been engaged in rigorous job analysis research. From start to finish, more than 1,300 coaches—both ICF Members and non-members—from around the globe have participated in this process. These coaches represented a diverse range of coaching disciplines, training backgrounds, coaching styles, and experience and credentialing levels. No other coaching certification body has undertaken this level of research, and we’re incredibly proud of the quality, integrity and validity of our evidence-based approach to credentialing and to the value it brings to ICF credential holders.
We are pleased to share with you an updated ICF Core Competency model, which reflects the collective insights and wisdom shared with us through this comprehensive research initiative.
While the empirical data we collected through the job analysis process validated that much of the original ICF Core Competency model remains relevant and reflected in current coaching practice, this new competency model offers a simpler, more streamlined structure and integrates consistent, clear language.
ICF has already begun the work to translate this updated model into priority languages for our community.
Ultimately, this updated Core Competency model will serve as the basis for the ICF Credentialing process through the launch of a new credentialing assessment reflecting the revised competencies. ICF anticipates a lengthy transition process, and we are targeting early 2021 for the launch of the new assessment. As we continue this work, we will be sure to keep coaches up to date and informed through regular, detailed and transparent communications.
On December 10, 2019, the ICF staff shared more about the updated Core Competency model and answered coaches’ questions during two webinars for our global coaching community.
ICF has launched a new application platform designed to make the ICF Credentialing application and renewal process easier for coaches.
We aim to deliver a best-in-class credentialing program for professional coaches. We do that through high standards for ethical and professional practice that inform the rigorous requirements for each credential level we offer.
A robust credentialing process, however, should not mean a complicated application process.
Over the years, we have requested feedback from credentialing candidates and we take that feedback seriously. That’s why we’ve designed this software to make the credentialing application process clearer, simpler and easier to navigate. With this new platform, candidates are able to:
Another important benefit of this new platform is that ICF Credential-holders can begin logging CCEs toward credential renewal at any time, instead of submitted all documentation once every three years.
Follow the link below to see examples of the new applications.
If you have questions regarding the new platform, please contact ICF’s Credentialing Services team by visiting the ICF Support page.
Following their January 2019 meeting in Mumbai, India, the ICF Global Board confirmed that there will be no announcement of new credentialing policy changes for 2019.
On February 28, 2019, ICF implemented the last of several credentialing policy changes announced in February 2018. Coaches are now required to hold or have previously held a Professional Certified Coach credential before they can apply for the Master Certified Coach credential.
ICF has made several improvements to the training verification form for ACC and PCC candidates on the Portfolio path.
These changes address feedback we’ve received from coaches since the initial form was released in August 2018. They will help ensure clear and efficient application experience for coaches who pursue an ACC or PCC on the Portfolio path.
Coaches who apply for the ACC or PCC Credential via the Portfolio path are required to demonstrate that they completed a comprehensive training program that includes the ICF definition of coaching, Code of Ethics and Core Competencies, and is organized in a scope and sequence that encourages the growth of the coach.
You can download a sample of the updated form below.
On May 24, 2018, ICF Assistant Executive Director George Rogers and Assistant Director of Credentialing and Accreditation Carrie Abner presented a webinar on 2018 changes to the ICF Credentialing program and processes.
It is ICF’s policy to set the standard in the coaching world, which translates to us serving our Members, Credential-holders, accredited programs and the coaching profession to the best of our ability. The International Coach Federation (ICF) is committed to protecting the privacy of all personal data that we encounter.
The forthcoming European Union General Data Privacy Regulation provides an opportunity for us to enhance our data privacy practices to benefit not only coaches who live and work in the EU, but every member of the ICF Global community. To this end, we are updating our credentialing application process to ensure compliance with GDPR and alignment with best practices for promoting data security.
Beginning May 24, 2018, at 12 Noon (New York), coaches will be required to complete an attestation of coaching experience included in the ICF Credential application. This will replace the submission of a coaching log and is intended to help protect the privacy of coaching clients.
To ensure the integrity of this updated process, ICF will conduct periodic audits to verify applicants’ coaching experience. This means that coaches should continue to obtain and document clients’ consent to store their information, have a policy on how that information will be protected and maintained, and have a system in place for tracking relevant data. (ICF will continue to provide a downloadable coaching log template on our website.) If an audit reveals that a coach has provided inaccurate or fraudulent information regarding their coaching experience, they may be subject to denial and/or revocation of their ICF Credential and may be prohibited from reapplying for an ICF Credential for up to five (5) years.
Also beginning May 24, initial and renewal credentialing applications will be amended to include additional fields asking applicants to consent to ICF collecting, storing and using the personal information you provide.
Finally, beginning this month, we are changing our data retention timeline for ICF Credential application materials. We will only retain your application materials for six (6) months after your application has been processed. At that time, all your application materials will be deleted from our systems.
Coaches with questions about the impact of GDPR on credentialing can contact the ICF Credentialing Services team by visiting the ICF Support page.
During the final quarter of 2017, the ICF Global Board of Directors approved a series of Credentialing and Accreditation policy changes that, once implemented, will promote continued excellence in the coaching profession and make it easier for individuals to navigate the process of becoming a coach and earning an ICF Credential.
First, the ICF Global Board and staff have agreed to change when and how Credentialing and Accreditation policy changes are communicated. Beginning in 2018, ICF is moving to an annual announcement schedule for Credentialing and Accreditation policy changes. All upcoming policy changes will be announced in February of each year.
The following changes will be implemented over the next 13 months:
The following changes impact individuals whose ICF Credentials expire on or after December 31, 2018.
As part of a self-regulating industry, ICF is committed to helping coaches provide consistent value to their clients. To ensure excellence among ICF Credential-holders, we encourage them to participate in a wide array of continuing professional development activities. These changes help encourage that diversity.
When it comes to enhancing performance, meaningful feedback matters. This is why we are redesigning the feedback report for Master Certified Coach candidates to increase clarity around assessment measures and provide concrete recommendations for next steps and further professional development.
If you have immediate questions about how the upcoming policy changes will impact you, please contact ICF’s Credentialing Services team by visiting the ICF Support page.
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