The accreditation timeline runs from the online application to the certificate and the public listing, and its stages depend on the service. For Full and Online Accreditation, the stages are application and Application Fee, eligibility decision, Accreditation Fee, evaluation and grading, an interview or visit if needed, Commission review of 30 days, endorsement by the President and the decision. For Program and Course Accreditation, the stages are shorter: application, documents, payment, review and result. EAHEA does not publish fixed durations for the review, so the timeline is a sequence, not a calendar.
This guide lays out the stages in order, marks the periods that are fixed by the rules and shows what an applicant controls at each stage. It complements how long university accreditation takes and is based on the published pages of the European Association for Higher Education Advancement (EAHEA).
Institutional Accreditation
| Stage | What Happens | Who Acts |
|---|---|---|
| 0. Preparation | Self-assessment, documents, Self-Study Report | Institution |
| 1. Application | Online application, proof files, Application Fee | Institution |
| 2. Eligibility | Preliminary decision. Letter of acceptance or rejection | EAHEA Secretary |
| 3. Accreditation Fee | Paid after eligibility is confirmed | Institution |
| 4. Evaluation | Application and attachments graded 0 to 4 per standard | Secretariat |
| 5. Interview or visit | If needed, online or in person | Commission member |
| 6. Commission review | 30 days to review and amend conclusions | Commission members |
| 7. Endorsement | President endorses final grades | President |
| 8. Decision | Secretary informs the institution. Certificate and files for accreditation | Secretary |
| 9. Listing | Directory listing, seal and badges | EAHEA |
Possible decisions are accreditation (average 3.0 to 4.0), Conditional Accreditation for one year (2.0 to 2.9) and denial (0.0 to 1.9, with reapplication after 12 months). See the accreditation process step by step.
Program and Course Accreditation
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 0. Preparation | Self-assessment, program or course documents |
| 1. Application | Online form |
| 2. Documents | Upload proof files |
| 3. Payment | Whole price online, by card or bank transfer |
| 4. Review | EAHEA reviews and confirms eligible options |
| 5. Result | Certificate and files, directory listing, seal and badges |
Further steps are on the Accreditation Process page.
Fixed Periods
- 30 days: Commission review of the initial results.
- 15 days: expected time for the institution to answer EAHEA requests.
- 30 days: time to request reconsideration in writing after the decision notice.
- 12 months: period for the re-accreditation review after Conditional Accreditation, and the wait before reapplying after denial.
- One year: validity of every accreditation.
Everything else depends on the case. Membership applications are normally processed within one to two working days, and longer before the annual conference.
What the Applicant Controls
| Stage | Applicant Influence |
|---|---|
| Preparation | High: the quality and completeness of documents, the timing of submission |
| Application and eligibility | High: complete, consistent data and clear ownership and finance evidence |
| Fee payment | High: prompt payment after eligibility is confirmed |
| Evaluation | Moderate: speed of answers to requests |
| Interview or visit | Moderate: availability and preparation of the representative |
| Commission review and decision | Low: set by the process |
See common reasons a university accreditation application is delayed and answering a missing documents request efficiently.
After the Certificate
The certificate starts a cycle: validity of one year, annual renewal, a re-accreditation review in every fifth service year for institutions, duties to report changes and to keep public statements accurate. Accredited Membership follows for Full and Online Accreditation. See the accreditation certificate: what it shows and how to display it and renewing accreditation and membership.
Planning
Work backward from the date by which a decision is useful, such as a recruitment season, and leave margins for questions, for a possible interview and for the Commission’s 30 days. Do not promise a date to students or partners, and do not describe an application under review as accreditation. Fees follow the World Bank country income classification and are listed on the Service Fees page. Apply online or contact the Secretariat.
Services This Guide Covers
Frequently Asked Questions
Application and Application Fee, eligibility decision, Accreditation Fee, evaluation, interview or visit if needed, Commission review, President’s endorsement and decision, then certificate and listing.
No. The duration depends on the case. Only some periods are fixed, such as the 30-day Commission review.
They are shorter: application, documents, payment of the whole price, review and result.
EAHEA expects institutions to answer within 15 days.
The institution may reapply after 12 months, and the Accreditation Fee is not refunded.
One year, renewed annually.