What is a Coach Credential?

Are you wondering what all the acronyms are around coaching? It can be confusing understanding the differences, and what it means to you when trying to choose a Coach to work with.

All our Coaches at The Coach Directory are professionally trained and accredited by a professional body. Today we’ll start with one of those professional bodies – the International Coach Federation (ICF) – one of the largest Coaching Membership Organisations, with chapters in almost every country in the world.

There are 3 levels of Coaching accreditation or “credential” that can be obtained from the ICF, and all 3 take time, effort and a big focus on personal development as well as experience. To get to the first level of accreditation with the ICF it can take a lot of commitment and effort.

Associate Certified Coach – ACC

This is the first level in ICF certification. To achieve this level your Coach will have had to have completed the following as a MINIMUM: 

• 60 hours coach-specific training on a recognised coach training programme
• 10 hours of mentoring by a recognised coach mentor
• Over 100 hours of logged coaching experience 
• Passed the 3 hour Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA)
• Submission of 1 coach-client recording

Professional Certified Coach – PCC

PCC is the second level of Coaching certification with the ICF, and one level further on than the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) accreditation. To have achieved PCC Certification, you have to complete as a minimum: 

• at least 125 hours of coach-specific training on a recognised coach training programme
• 10 hours of Mentor Coaching
• More than 500 hours of logged coaching experience (at least 25 clients)
• Passed the 3 hour Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA). 
• Submission of 2 coach-client recordings

Master Certified Coach – MCC

MCC is the highest level of Coaching certification with the ICF, and another level again over the PCC. To achieve the MCC Certification your coach will have completed the following as a minimum:

• at least 200 hours of coach-specific training on a recognised coach training programme
• 10 hours of Mentor Coaching
• More than 2,500 hours of logged coaching experience (at least 35 clients)
• Previously passed the 3 hour Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA). 
• Submission of 2 (two) coach-client recordings

So as you can see, it takes serious commitment from any coach with a credential to have gained that badge from the ICF. 

Want to know more? Comment here and we’ll try and help.

The Coach Directory is a one-stop shop for coaches and their clients – a place where you will find coaches of many different types, across the world.  All our coaches are authenticated via a combination of their training, their credentials, their experience and their professional insurance. Get in touch if you need help matching with one of our listed coaches.

If you are a coach wanting to be listed, click here, and we’ll get you started.