ACEN publishes a schedule of fees for nursing education programs, with a separate set of figures for 2026 and 2027 and a domestic and an international column in each. This page lays out every line of that schedule and explains how the fees are triggered. The figures come from ACEN's own page, ACEN Schedule of Fees (page opened October 3, 2026). Verify current fees with ACEN.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
What ACEN publishes and where
The schedule sits on one ACEN page, headed by year. The 2026 section is marked effective January 1, 2026 through December 2026, and the 2027 section is marked effective January 1, 2027 through December 2027. All amounts are in US dollars. Most lines are priced per nursing education program type.
The ACEN fee schedule, 2026 and 2027
Each amount below is shown as the schedule lists it for that year. "No row" means the schedule has no line for that item in that year. Source: ACEN Schedule of Fees, page opened October 3, 2026. Verify current fees with ACEN.
| Fee line | 2026 domestic | 2026 international | 2027 domestic | 2027 international |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidacy, per nursing education program type | $2,700 | $3,785 | $2,780 | $3,895 |
| Site visit scheduling | $1,335 | $1,670 | $1,375 | $1,720 |
| Site visit evaluator, per evaluator per day | $950 | $1,080 | $980 | $1,115 |
| Initial accreditation, per program type | $3,500 | $3,665 | $3,605 | $3,775 |
| Initial accreditation, each additional program type in the same unit | $1,445 | $1,510 | $1,485 | $1,560 |
| Continuing accreditation, per program type | $3,195 | $3,245 | $3,290 | $3,340 |
| Continuing accreditation, each additional program type in the same unit | $1,285 | $1,300 | $1,325 | $1,340 |
| Advisory review, virtual, one Standard, single program type | $1,625 | $1,620 | $1,675 | $1,675 |
| Advisory review, virtual, each additional program type, same Standard | $540 | $800 | $560 | $825 |
| Advisory review, on-site, one Standard, single program type | $1,625 | $4,325 | $1,675 | $4,450 |
| Advisory review, on-site, each additional program type, same Standard | $540 | $800 | $560 | $825 |
| Site visit rescheduling or cancellation | $1,335 | $1,625 | No row | No row |
| Program of Distinction application, first program | No row | No row | $1,550 | $1,700 |
| Program of Distinction, each additional program in the unit | No row | No row | $930 | $1,020 |
| International candidacy visit, per evaluator per day, plus direct travel expenses | No row | No row | N/A | $1,115 |
| Notice of intent to appeal, per program type | $5,250 | $10,500 | $5,250 | $10,500 |
| Appeal process fee, first listed row, per program type | $10,500 | $21,000 | $10,500 | $21,000 |
| Appeal process fee, second listed row with the same label, per program type | $2,625 | $5,250 | $2,625 | $5,250 |
| Arbitration | $36,750 | $36,750 | $36,750 | $36,750 |
How the fee structure works
The fees fall into three groups: fees tied to a stage, fees tied to a visit, and fees tied to an event.
Stage fees follow the program through candidacy and accreditation. The Candidacy fee is the first stage fee on the schedule. You pay it once per program type, and it stays the same however long candidacy runs. A domestic program is billed after its eligibility is confirmed through the Candidacy Eligibility Application. An international program pays with the application itself. The Initial Accreditation fee comes next, and only if the Board of Commissioners grants initial accreditation. It is billed as one amount for the whole period from candidacy to the end of the grant year. After that, Continuing Accreditation is an annual charge for as long as the program stays accredited.
Every kind of site visit carries two charges: a scheduling fee and a per-evaluator, per-day fee. The visit types listed are initial, continuing, focused, follow-up and international candidacy. The scheduling fee cannot be refunded. It lands after the Site Visit Request Form for an initial visit, and a year before the visit for a continuing one. The evaluator charge starts once the visit is approved and on the calendar, and the total grows with each evaluator and each day.
Event fees apply only when something happens: an advisory review, a rescheduled or canceled visit, a Program of Distinction application in 2027, an appeal, or arbitration. An advisory review is a service an accredited program can choose before its continuing review, and the fee arrives when the review takes place. Arbitration comes after an appeal: the program needs a written appeal decision and still disagrees with the Board's decision.
What the schedule does not include
- Evaluator lodging and local transport on domestic visits. The program books and covers these itself.
- Evaluator travel on international visits. ACEN bills it to the program on top of the fee lines, airfare and business visas among the items.
- Travel for advisory reviews. It arrives as its own invoice.
- A 2027 rescheduling or cancellation fee. The 2027 section has no such line, so the 2026 amount should not be read across.
- A definition of the second Appeal Process Fee row. The schedule lists two rows with the same label and different amounts, and the lines we read do not say what separates them.
Reading the schedule
The arithmetic below uses only the published domestic figures for one program type, from the ACEN Schedule of Fees (page opened October 3, 2026). It is arithmetic on the published figures, not a quote or an estimate of any ACEN bill.
- Candidacy through initial accreditation, 2026 column. $2,700 candidacy plus $1,335 scheduling plus the initial fee of $3,500 is $7,535. Add evaluator fees at $950 per evaluator per day: three evaluators for three days is 9 evaluator-days, or $8,550, for a total of $16,085. Four evaluators for three days is 12 evaluator-days, or $11,400, for a total of $18,935.
- The same path, 2027 column. $2,780 plus $1,375 plus $3,605 is $7,760. Evaluator fees at $980 per evaluator per day come to $8,820 for 9 evaluator-days and $11,760 for 12, giving totals of $16,580 and $19,520.
- Year over year. Domestic Candidacy rises $80, Initial Accreditation $105, Continuing Accreditation $95, scheduling $40 and the evaluator day rate $30. Appeal and arbitration amounts are unchanged.
The schedule does not say which year applies to a given program's timeline. Ask ACEN. Verify current fees with ACEN before relying on any figure above.
Where this fits
This page covers one accreditor's published fees. For how CCNE and ACEN differ on program scope, first steps, timing and institutional base, and for the readiness work IHS does with nursing programs, see nursing program accreditation with CCNE and ACEN. CCNE fees are not covered here.
What this is not
- It is not a quote from ACEN and not a bill. ACEN bills programs itself, and the schedule on ACEN's site is the one to rely on.
- It is not IHS pricing. IHS does not set or collect accreditor fees. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
- It is not a recommendation to choose, or avoid, ACEN.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ACEN accreditation cost for a new nursing program?
ACEN's schedule lists 2026 domestic fees per program type of $2,700 for Candidacy and $3,500 for Initial Accreditation, plus $1,335 for site visit scheduling and $950 per evaluator per day. The total depends on the number of evaluators and program types. Verify current fees with ACEN.
Are ACEN fees charged once or every year?
Candidacy and Initial Accreditation are each paid once: Candidacy per program type, and Initial Accreditation when the Board of Commissioners grants it. Continuing Accreditation recurs every year while a program is accredited. Scheduling and evaluator fees come with each site visit.
What does a site visit cost beyond the scheduling fee?
The evaluator fee is counted per evaluator per day, and the schedule describes a typical visit as three or four evaluators for three days. On a domestic visit that fee already covers evaluator airfare and meals. Lodging and local transport are the program's own bookings and costs.
Do international programs pay different ACEN fees?
Yes. The schedule has a separate international column for each year. International programs are also billed for evaluator travel, and ACEN wants travel and site visit fees settled before the visit takes place. The 2027 section adds an International Candidacy Visit line priced per evaluator per day.
What does ACEN charge for each additional program type?
For Initial and Continuing Accreditation the schedule lists a lower fee for each additional program type within the same nursing education unit. In 2026 domestic figures that is $1,445 for initial and $1,285 for continuing, against $3,500 and $3,195 for the first program type.
What happens if a program does not pay ACEN fees?
An accredited program that does not pay on time risks losing its accreditation. The schedule's footnote points to ACEN Policy #7, Voluntary Withdrawal from ACEN Accreditation, as the rule that applies. Read that policy on ACEN's site for its exact terms.
Does IHS set or collect ACEN fees?
No. ACEN bills programs itself for site visits and for the yearly accreditation fee. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.