Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA)

CEA accredits English language programs in colleges and universities (public and private) and independent language schools in the United States and internationally. Programs and schools go through a rigorous quality review prior based on the CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions and must meet the standards in order to be accredited. The mission of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation is to promote excellence in the field of English language teaching and administration through accreditation of English language programs and institutions worldwide. CEA achieves its mission by using widely-held standards to foster continuous program development through a rigorous process of regular self-assessment and peer evaluation.CEA currently accredits 56 sites and another 42 are in the process of seeking accreditation, including 8 outside the U.S.

• CEA provides standards of best practice—the CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions—in the areas of mission, curriculum, faculty, facilities, administration, student achievement, student services, recruiting, length & structure of program, and student complaints. The standards form the basis for accreditation.
• CEA has met the U.S. federal regulations for accrediting agencies and is nationally recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. Such recognition allows accredited independent language schools in the U.S. to be certified to admit international students
• The rigorous CEA accreditation process requires a site to submit a comprehensive self-study and to undergo a site visit by a 3-person review team, followed by review by an elected Commission. Accreditation is granted for 1 or 5 years for initial accreditation and 1 or 10 years for re-accreditation.
• CEA trained reviewers conduct on-site visits.