ACOTE, CAPTE, and CAA

Occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology use different official accreditors: ACOTE, CAPTE, and the CAA. Graduation from the right kind of accredited program is what the national exam agencies and ASHA describe as the usual U.S. route. This page explains the three accreditors. It is not a school directory, ranked list, or paid placement page.

Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.

ACOTE — occupational therapy

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) accredits occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs. Its U.S. school directory organizes programs as OTA Associate, OTA Baccalaureate, OT Masters, and OT Doctorate.

On its students and public page, ACOTE states:

• There is no mandate regarding OT doctoral-degree-level education. Institutions can transition to the doctoral level, remain at the master’s level, or offer both.
• There is no mandate regarding OTA associate-degree-level education. Institutions can transition to the baccalaureate level, remain at the associate’s degree level, or offer both.
• “One must graduate from an ACOTE-accredited program to be eligible to take the NBCOT certification examination.”
• During Probationary Accreditation, programs are accredited and graduates are eligible to take the NBCOT exam.
• There is risk in entering a program that is not fully accredited. If a developing program is not accredited before the first class graduates, those students are not eligible for the NBCOT exam unless they transfer and graduate from an ACOTE-accredited program.

ACOTE publishes its 2023 Standards and Interpretive Guide. As of November 10, 2026, that page labeled the document “2023 ACOTE Standards and Interpretive Guide (last updated April 26, 2026).”

CAPTE — physical therapy

The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) about page states that CAPTE is an accrediting agency nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and that it grants specialized accreditation status to qualified entry-level education programs for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. It also states that CAPTE does not accredit institutions.

That page further states that CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by USDE and CHEA to accredit entry-level physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs, and that it currently accredits over 300 physical therapist education programs and over 390 physical therapist assistant education programs in the U.S., plus one physical therapist education program in Scotland.

CAPTE’s accredited programs page links official listings of accredited PT programs and accredited PTA programs. It states: “CAPTE and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) are not responsible for the accuracy or timeliness of any accredited status representations on any other website.” That is why this site links those official listings instead of building its own school directory. CAPTE also describes PTA to PT bridge programs; see PTA to PT bridge programs on this site.

CAA — speech-language pathology

The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) homepage states: “The CAA serves the public by promoting excellence in the graduate education of audiologists and speech-language pathologists.” It also states: “Graduates of CAA-accredited and candidate programs are educated in a core set of skills and knowledge required for entry into independent professional practice.” It links a list of CAA accredited and candidate graduate programs, and ASHA’s EdFind searches programs. The CAA homepage also announced 2027 Standards for Accreditation “Effective August 1, 2027.”

ASHA’s student page states that the CCC-SLP requires graduate course work and a clinical practicum at a program accredited by the CAA. SLP assistant certification uses ASHA’s separate education pathways; see how to become an SLPA.

How this connects to exams

For people educated in the U.S., NBCOT requires graduation from an ACOTE-accredited OT or OTA program, matching the credential. FSBPT requires a degree appropriate for the NPTE level from a CAPTE-accredited institution, or an education determined to be substantially equivalent by a recognized credentialing agency, plus approval by the jurisdiction.

Choosing a program

Before you apply, confirm the program’s current status on the official directory and read what ACOTE’s status labels mean. See how to choose an accredited program. For how OT and PT paths differ beyond accreditation, see compare roles.

Program status

• Accreditation status

  What ACOTE, CAPTE, and CAA say candidate, preaccredited, and accredited statuses mean for exam and certification eligibility.

• Entry-level degrees

  Master’s or doctorate for OT, the DPT for PT, associate level for PTA, graduate degree for SLP, and ASHA’s SLPA pathways, in the accreditors’ words.

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness

  What StudentAid.gov’s PSLF form says about qualifying employers, direct employment, and full-time work.

• Federal loan repayment programs

  HRSA’s NHSC list and the IHS Loan Repayment Program’s eligible professions, in the agencies’ words.

Related pages

• Accreditation status
• Observation hours
• Fieldwork and clinical education
• Application services (OTCAS, PTCAS, CSDCAS)
• Choose a program
• How long each path takes
• How to become an OT
• How to become an OTA/COTA
• How to become a PT
• How to become a PTA
• How to become an SLP
• Exams
• Methodology & sources
• Entry-level degrees
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Federal loan repayment programs