How to Get Your ICF ACC Credential: A Complete Guide

In this article:

• What are the specific requirements to apply for an ICF ACC credential?
• What is the value of an ICF Accreditation and is it worth it?
• Do I need an ICF Accreditation? 
• What is the difference between ICF Accredited and ICF credentialing?
• What is the difference between ACC, PCC and MCC?
• How long does it take to get ICF certified?
• Can I coach clients while I'm still training?
• How much does ICF certification cost?

What are the specific requirements to apply for an ICF ACC credential?

To apply for an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential you must fulfil several specific training and experience requirements.

There are a number of hurdles but The Nina Madden Academy provide a seamless and fully supported pathway to ICF ACC credentialing.

Step One Training and Mentoring: 

• Completion of an ICF-Accredited Training: You must complete an ICF-accredited training of minimum 60 accredited hours, such as the Diploma in Professional Life Coaching, which is recognized by the ICF as a Level 1 (ACC Pathway) program.

For a training provider it is a rigorous process to become accredited, often taking 18 months. An accredited training is very different from an aligned training.

The training will include 50% synchronous and 50% non-synchronous practice – meaning 50% in contact with the faculty, and 50% independent reading and coach practice.

The Nina Madden Academy is accredited at 76 hours with 50-50 split of synchronous and non-synchronous training.

• Complete ICF Coach Mentoring: You must participate in ten ICF coach mentoring sessions, run by an ICF approved mentor coach.  These are seven group sessions and three 1:1 sessions. This involves meeting in a group setting one hour every two weeks over a period of three months.

It cannot be done faster, and it cannot be done as pure 1:1 mentoring, and it cannot be done by a non-ICF mentor. During the group practice you will refine your ICF Core competencies in practice.

• Pass all assessment elements of your accredited training, including live coaching practice and a recorded performance review.

Nina Madden’s ICF Accredited Diploma in Coaching provides a seamless process to ICF credentialing.

At the Nina Madden Academy all steps are part of your programme fee - including training, coach-practice and ICF mentoring both the 7 group sessions and the three 1:1 sessions. There are no surprise fees.

Once you have completed this, with us, or any of our competitors, you should receive a certificate that states the hours you have completed and that clearly displays the ICF accredited logo.

Note: If your coach training is not ICF-accredited, you can still apply via the Portfolio path, but you will need to provide extensive documentation including proof of completion, list of hours delivered synchronously and asynchronously, evidence that the course was comprehensive and included the ICF framework, class outline or syllabus, and student materials and a video of you coaching at the ICF standards.

Choosing an ICF accredited training from the outset removes this burden and any large hidden or surprise costs entirely.

Step Two: Coaching Hours

• Coaching Hours: You are required to build up a total of 100 coaching hours and at least 75 of these hours should be paid. They must not be with other coaches or coach students.

At the Nina Madden Academy your assignments include 15 hours of coach practice. You may count these 15 hours towards your tally of 100 hours.

I've already been coaching can I count those hours towards my ACC credential? 

You can start counting your hours from the first day of your accredited coach training. If you have coached prior to your training, unfortunately you cannot count those towards your tally. 

Step Three: Application with the ICF

Applying for your credential with the ICF.

Once you have completed your requirements you go to the ICF website, pay the fee, and start your application.

ICF will ask you to tick a box with your training – and as an ICF accredited training provider our name will appear. You will also select the mentoring. Finally ICF will ask you to attest to having coached 100 hours.

Step Four: Passing The CKA exam

The ACC exam is 60 questions, 90 minutes, multiple choice, computer-based, taken through Pearson VUE either in-person or online. It’s a knowledge test centred around the core competencies in practice.

At the Nina Madden Academy your live training, your hands-on coach practice and your dedicated ICF coach mentoring and reading fully prepares you for this exam. 

Once you have completed the application, ICF states 14 weeks for review period.

What is the value of an ICF Accreditation and is it worth it?

On LinkedIn there are 5million coaches but only 1% have an ICF credential. That puts you in the top 1% immediately.

There are a lot of hurdles, but yes, it is definitely worth it.

At the Nina Madden Academy we provide a seamless process towards full ICF (ACC) credentialing.

Do I need an ICF Accreditation? 

Yes is the short answer.

To coach in any professional setting, such as corporate, executive, yes, you need an ICF accredited coach training. Companies know what the ICF stands for and with the proliferation of unaccredited and untrained coaches, very few HR departments would dare to hire an unaccredited coach. 

Coaching has gone more mainstream. 

To be credible, trusted and able to market yourself as a Life Coach you need an accredited coach training behind you.

There are an estimated 80-100,000 people claiming to be coaches in the UK, but only 2,900 hold an ICF credential. 

Perhaps you don't need an ICF credential. 

But an ICF credential is worth its weight in gold. 

What is the difference between ICF Accredited and ICF credentialing?

These are the technical terms.

The training school and programme is accredited. You, as a personal coach, get credentialled. You get ACC – we provide a Level 1 training which makes you eligible for ACC credentialing.

What is the difference between ICF ACC, PCC, and MCC?

• ACC requires 60 hours of training and 100 coaching hours
• PCC requires 125 hours training and 500 coaching hours
• MCC requires 200 hours training and 2,500 coaching hours

How long does it take to get ICF certified?

At The Nina Madden Academy the average time to get certified is 4-6 months including all elements of training, assignments, mentoring and assessment.

Many other programmes deliver training over a year or even 18 months. 

The 100 hours of coaching experience, of which 15 are completed as part of your assignments with us, depends entirely on you.

We can offer guidance in finding your first coaching clients, but this is of course up to you how long you take.

The ACC, PCC and MCC, are career milestones.

They are not entry points to market.

You are not prevented from working as a professional coach before gaining your ACC credential.

Can I coach clients while I'm still training?

Yes, and you are expected to! You can start coaching from the first day of your training and all those hours count towards your 100 hours for your ICF credentials.

How much does ICF certification cost?

Many coach training providers split the investment up into coach-training hours, client-practice hours, supervision or mentor coaching, performance assessments, exams, application and programme fees, plus renewal cycles.

This can quickly become very expensive and unpredictable and can range from £3,000 to £10,000 or more.

At the Nina Madden Academy everything is included in the publicly stated programme fee. 

If you'd like to discuss your coaching future with me feel free to book a discovery call.