ICF, ACC, MCC, and PCC explained
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession and provides the only worldwide recognized coaching credential. After receiving your CPC coach training certificate, you may choose to get a credential from the ICF. The ICF offers three credentials: ACC, PCC, and MCC, which stands for Associate, Professional, or Master Certified Coach, respectively. This is completely optional; some coaches find that an ICF credential adds visibility and credibility. Once you are certified through iPEC, you will have all the training hour requirements necessary to apply for your ICF credential at the PCC level. You will also need to take the Coach Knowledge Assessment and accrue a number of coaching hours with a certain number of clients.
There are three paths to apply for your ACC or PCC. As an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, you can follow the path for ACTP. ACTP stands for Accredited Coach Training Program, which is the accreditation that iPEC holds. The ICF is a dynamic organization that is always enhancing their processes to keep up with the fast pace of the ever-changing coaching profession. As requirements change from time to time, you’ll need to consult the ICF website at www.coachingfederation.org. Look for the “ICF Credential” information/link at the time of your application.