Accredited, candidate, and preaccredited programs: what ACOTE, CAPTE, and CAA statuses mean
Each accreditor uses its own terms. ACOTE says graduates of a program in Candidacy Status are not eligible for the NBCOT exam until the program is granted Accreditation Status. CAPTE says credits and degrees from a program holding Candidate for Accreditation status are considered to be from an accredited program. ASHA accepts graduate work completed in a CAA-accredited program or a program with CAA candidacy status.
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)
ACOTE’s Program Status Definitions (PDF, checked November 10, 2026; the file sits in a 2020 upload folder) define these statuses:
- Applicant: “Until Candidacy Status has been granted by ACOTE, these programs cannot admit students into the OT or OTA program.”
- Candidacy Status: “The proposed program may admit its first class of students according to an approved timeline.”
- Preaccreditation Status: “Preaccreditation Status indicates that the proposed program would appear to meet the ACOTE Accreditation Standards if fully implemented in accordance with the plans of the sponsoring institution.”
- Accreditation Status: “The accreditation review process confirms that the program is in substantial compliance with the ACOTE Accreditation Standards.”
On exam eligibility, the definitions state:
The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an initial on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam.
They also state: “Students graduating from a program with Probationary Accreditation status are considered graduates of an accredited program.” NBCOT’s eligibility page states: “If you were educated in the United States, you must have graduated from an ACOTE accredited program.” Check status in ACOTE’s school directory.
CAPTE (physical therapy)
CAPTE’s Status & Action Definitions describe Developing Programs: “These programs are in the early stages of development; no students have been admitted to the technical (PTA) or professional (PT) phase.” For Candidate for Accreditation, they state: “Candidacy status indicates that a program is making satisfactory progress toward compliance with accreditation criteria, but it does not ensure that a program will achieve accreditation.” For accreditation: “A program is granted accreditation when CAPTE has determined that the program is in substantial compliance with the intent of the Standards and Required Elements.”
CAPTE’s Candidates for Accreditation page states: “All credits and degrees earned and issued by a program holding candidacy are considered to be from an accredited program.” It also says candidacy programs must submit a teach-out plan, and: “If a program has its initial accreditation withheld on reconsideration, the program will maintain its pre-accreditation status for currently enrolled students.”
FSBPT’s Eligibility Requirements page states that jurisdictions require the candidate to be “a graduate of or graduating from a PT or PTA program that meets the accreditation standards of CAPTE or has an education that has been determined to be substantially equivalent by a recognized credentialing agency.” Check status in CAPTE’s accredited program lists.
CAA (speech-language pathology)
The CAA Accreditation Handbook (PDF, “Last revised: August 2026”) calls candidacy a “preaccreditation” status with the CAA, “awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of 5 years.” It also states: “Candidacy status cannot be renewed or extended.”
ASHA’s degree and accreditation FAQ states: “All graduate level academic course work and clinical practicum submitted for ASHA certification must have been initiated and completed in a program that holds accreditation, or a program admitted to candidacy, by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA).” ASHA’s 2027 SLP certification standards state the same requirement for “a CAA-accredited program, a program with CAA candidacy status, or an internationally equivalent program.”
The CAA homepage 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.” Use the list of CAA accredited and candidate programs or ASHA’s EdFind.
What this page does not do
It lists no schools and does not say which status is better. A status can change; confirm it on the accreditor’s directory before you apply. For using the directories, see how to choose an accredited program.