CCNE Accreditation Process

CCNE accredits baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice programs, post-graduate advanced practice registered nurse certificate programs, entry-to-practice nurse residency programs, and nurse practitioner fellowship/residency programs. CCNE serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. Accreditation by CCNE is an indication of confidence in the ability of the parent institution to offer a program of quality, deserving of public approbation. The length of the accreditation process varies by program. These resources provide more detailed information about what to expect at each step along the way:

Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs

Entry-to-Practice Nurse Residency Programs

Nurse Practitioner Fellowship/Residency Programs

A program begins the accreditation review process by requesting new applicant status. Programs requesting new applicant status are located at institutions that have no CCNE-accredited nursing programs. New applicants for accreditation are eligible for a maximum accreditation term of 5 years. New applicant status signifies an affiliation with CCNE; it is not a status of accreditation. CCNE accreditation actions are effective as of the program’s most recent CCNE on-site evaluation. New applicants should schedule accreditation reviews accordingly. If an invoice is required by the institution, please email a request for an invoice to ccneinvoice@ccneaccreditation.org and attach the completed Program Information Form (Baccalaureate and GraduateEntry-to-Practice Nurse ResidencyNurse Practitioner Fellowship/Residency). A program must submit its application as a single PDF document to applicants@ccneaccreditation.org.

Baccalaureate & Graduate Programs

Entry-to-Practice Nurse Residency Programs

Nurse Practitioner Fellowship/Residency Programs

A new program seeking initial accreditation is located at an institution with one or more nursing programs that are already CCNE-accredited. A new program is the addition of a program at a different degree or certificate level than the already accredited program(s) at the institution. To inform CCNE of the need to add a new program for a future on-site evaluation for initial accreditation, a letter of intent and new program fee payment must be submitted concurrently. The letter must include the type of program seeking initial accreditation, the start date of the program (i.e., when students/residents enrolled), and the cycle during which the institution would like to host an on-site evaluation (e.g., Fall 2021). All on-site evaluations must be scheduled at least a year in advance of the accreditation term in which the program wishes to host, and students/residents must be enrolled in the program for the equivalent of one academic year prior to the institution hosting an on-site evaluation.

Please note that CCNE cannot complete the request of scheduling an on-site evaluation without receiving the letter of intent and new program fee payment described above.

Letters of intent must be emailed as a PDF document to applicants@ccneaccreditation.org.

For information about the new program fee, including amount, please see the section above on fees. If you require an invoice, please contact ccneinvoice@ccneaccreditation.org. There are instructions on how to submit a new program payment available.

Everything needed for an on-site evaluation is found in the CCNE Online Community. This website provides a centralized location for programs affiliated with CCNE to access and provide information related to upcoming on-site evaluations.

If you are a chief nurse administrator/chief nursing officer seeking your log in credentials, please contact CCNE staff at 202-887-6791 x256.

Baccalaureate & Graduate Programs

Entry-to-Practice Nurse Residency Programs

Nurse Practitioner Fellowship/Residency Programs