How to Get ICF Accredited 

By Nina Madden, ICF Accredited Coach Trainer (PCC) | 

If you're starting from scratch and want a clear, supported pathway to your ICF ACC credential, here's exactly how the process works. 

If you already have some coach training and want support to apply to the ICF via the portfolio path, get in touch and we can help with a bespoke service to top up your training or mentoring. 

Step One: ICF-Accredited Training 

The ICF requires at least 60 hours of accredited training for an ACC credential, split roughly evenly between live learning with faculty and independent study and practice.

Life Changes - The Academy provides 74 hours of ICF accredited training, above the ICF minimum.

And in addition Life Changes - The Academy provides accredited NLP Practitioner training as part of the programme, and additional frameworks, such as metaphors, storytelling and the Hero's Journey. 

Step Two: ICF-Accredited Coach Mentoring

You'll also complete 10 ICF mentoring sessions with an ICF-approved mentor coach, designed to develop your ICF core competencies through practice.

Your ICF mentor coaching is included in the programme fee, and included in the accredited hours, with no additional cost.

Step Three: Coaching Hours

You'll need 100 coaching hours in total, at least 75 of which must be paid. You can start logging them from day one of your training with Nina Madden.

Step Four: Applying With the ICF via their website

Once your requirements are complete, you apply directly via the ICF website - the ACC route.

You'll select your accredited training provider from a dropdown (Life Changes - The Academy by Nina Madden will appear there), confirm your mentoring completion with your named mentor coach, and declare your 100 coaching hours.

Step Four: The CKA Exam

The exam is 60 multiple-choice questions, delivered over 90 minutes via Pearson VUE, either online or in person. It tests your understanding of the ICF core competencies in practice. Your training, coaching practice, and mentoring are all designed to prepare you for it.

Review time is typically around four weeks for coaches trained with an accredited provider like us. The portfolio route, for non-accredited training, takes around 14 weeks.

Learn more about our programme and how you can become a Life Coach with NLP here: Diploma in Life Coaching and Advanced NLP .

About Nina Madden

Nina Madden is an ICF Accredited Coach Trainer (PCC) and Accredited NLP Trainer (ABNLP/INLPTA). She is an NLP Master Coach and a qualified EMDR Therapist, and she has 19 years of experience in private practice in Kensington, London and globally.

She is the founder of Life Changes the Coaching Academy and the ICF & ABNLP Accredited Diploma in Life Coaching has been qualifying accredited coaches world-wide since 2017.