ICF Level 1 Programs for ACC Certification

ACC Certification stands for “Associate Certified Coach.” It’s a certificate offered by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which is the global standard for accreditation of coach certification and training programs. Getting certified as an ACC means that coaching professionals have met stringent education and experience requirements. ACC certified coaches demonstrate a thorough understanding of core coaching competencies and follow the ethics and guidelines of the ICF.

To meet these ACC requirements, credential-holders must have:

• At least 60 training hours through an ICF accredited coach training program.
• Ten hours of mentor coaching with an ICF credentialed mentor.
• 100 Coaching Hours.
• A passing score on a coaching performance evaluation.
• A passing score on the ICF credentialing exam.

The one hundred hours of coaching experience must be gained following the start of your coach-specific training to become a certified professional.
All Level 1 courses provide opportunities for you to get coaching experience hours so you can meet the coaching requirements.

What Is the Difference Between ACC and PCC Certification?

Your coach training, as well as your level of coaching experience or amount of time coaching, is the main distinction between an ACC Certification and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) Certification. To earn your ACC, you need at least 60 training hours from an accredited program. For a PCC, you need 125 coach training hours. Similarly, for an ACC, you need at least one hundred client coaching hours. The PCC requires a minimum of 500 hours of coaching to qualify for the certificate.

ICF Level 1 training programs qualify you for an ACC credential. ICF Level 2 training programs qualify you for a PCC credential. The path you take will be dependent on your current experience hours and previous coach training.

Key Distinctions of Each Program

At the ACC level of credentialing, you focus on coaching the “what” of the person and their needs. As a life coach at this level, you focus on the problem or goal that the person is presenting. With this level of experience, you typically use minimal discovery questions when coaching each person.

When you reach the PCC accreditation level, your focus shifts from the “what,” and begins to incorporate the “who” of the client. Your training prepares you to mentor on client self-discovery, rather than immediate problem-solving.

What Is the ICF? 

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to professional coaching, setting professional standards, a core competencies code, and credentialing. ICF members have access to educational research, networking opportunities, and globally-recognized certifications to improve their coaching practice. ICF core training can help you create a customized pathway to help you establish your own coaching practice.

What an ICF Credential Says About You and Your Coaching

This professional certification program is designed to develop and refine your coaching skills. These education courses build your professional coaching portfolio and prepare you for the complex issues you will support clients through. Your credentials convey all this and more. At the end of course, you will take the exam and receive your certificate.

To clients, it conveys that you have the education and ethical standards required of a certified coach. To coaching peers and clients, it shows you are committed to the coaching industry and that you constantly strive to develop as a coaching professional. Receiving your ACC certificate can help you grow your practice and gain additional clients.

Is the International Coaching Federation Recognized Globally?

The ICF is the leading global organization for professional coaches and coaching. There are currently 143 chapters that serve local members in more than eighty countries and territories, proving that the reach of the ICF is far and wide with broad diversity. 

There are currently more than 50,000 credentialed coaches across the world. This legitimate certification allows members with the certification to be recognized and respected for their coaching craft. ICF has a long-standing track record of being trusted and setting the bar for quality life coaching. Research shows that 85% of life coach clients expect the professional coach they’re hiring to be ICF certified. ICF credentialing can set your coaching program apart from other practices.