Is Health Coach Institute Accredited? What Its Approvals Mean

Short answer: Partly, depending on what you mean by "accredited." Health Coach Institute's Advanced Health Coach Certification is an NBHWC-approved training program, so graduates can qualify to sit for the national board exam if they also meet NBHWC's other requirements. [S02] [S03] [S04] HCI's other coaching certifications carry International Coaching Federation (ICF) continuing education hours and recognition from industry groups. [S01] Those are useful, but they aren't college accreditation and they aren't ICF's full coach training accreditation levels. [S05] [S06]

"Accredited" is used loosely in coaching. This guide sorts out which HCI programs carry which approvals, and what each one does and doesn't mean. For a wider look at the field, see our guide to NBHWC-approved programs.

What Health Coach Institute says

HCI's FAQ says the school is accredited by leading coaching and wellness organizations. [S01] When you look closer, that claim covers several different things, tied to specific programs: [S01] [S02]

The Board-Ready Health and Life Coach program bundles the Advanced Health Coach Certification with the Life Coach Certification. [S01] [S02]

NBHWC approval: the one tied to board certification

The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) reviews and approves coach training programs. [S03] HCI states that its Advanced Health Coach Certification is its NBHWC Approved Training Program, and NBHWC's public directory lists the program as "Health Coach Institute powered by ISSA," Advanced Health Coach Certification. [S02] [S03]

Completing an approved program is only the first step toward the NBC-HWC credential. Before applying for the board exam, NBHWC also requires: [S04]

• An associate's degree or higher in any field, 60 college credits with an attestation form, or 4,000 hours of work experience
• 50 coaching sessions that meet NBHWC's logging rules, done after passing a skills assessment in your program

HCI says the advanced track runs 12 weeks online at about 7 to 9 hours a week, with required live sessions. [S01] Plan for the coaching sessions on top of that.

Two caveats from NBHWC itself. Approval means a program met NBHWC's educational standards, but it is not an endorsement of the program's business practices, products or affiliations. [S03] And NBHWC says it's each student's responsibility to confirm a program's approval status before enrolling, so check the directory yourself. [S03] Our guide to certificates vs. board certification explains the difference in more detail.

What NBHWC-approved training covers

NBHWC-approved programs range from certificates to master's degrees, and many are offered online; NBHWC says there are more than 138 of them. [S04] Approved programs teach five NBHWC content areas: [S04]

• Coaching presence, relationships and sessions
• Theories, models and approaches to behavior change
• Skills, tools and strategies
• Ethics and professional practice
• Health and wellness

HCI says its advanced program includes required live sessions, one-on-one mentorship and coaching labs, and that its instructors include NBHWC board-certified coaches. [S01] Because NBHWC sets the standards for every approved program, comparing HCI with other approved options comes down to format, schedule, support and cost rather than the approval itself. [S03] [S04]

ICF CCE hours: continuing education, not full accreditation

HCI says its Health Coach and Life Coach certifications provide ICF Continuing Coach Education (CCE) hours you can apply toward renewing an ICF credential. [S01]

ICF offers several kinds of education accreditation. Level 1 (60+ hours), Level 2 (125+ hours) and Level 3 (75+ hours) are designed as pathways to ICF's ACC, PCC and MCC credentials. [S05] CCE covers 1 to 40 hours and is described as supplemental and continuing education, including for coaches renewing an ICF credential. [S05] HCI's FAQ describes CCE hours, not Level 1 or Level 2 accreditation. [S01] If an ICF credential is your goal, ask HCI directly which ICF accreditation type applies to the program you're considering.

Other recognitions

HCI also lists the Health Coach Alliance, which it says makes Health and Life Coach graduates eligible for the Registered Clinical Health Coach (HCA-RCHC) credential, and three wellness practitioner associations for its functional nutrition program. [S01] These are private industry organizations. Before relying on one, look up what its credential requires and whether employers in your area recognize it.

Is HCI accredited like a college?

Not as far as HCI's own materials say. In the US, colleges and degree programs are accredited by private organizations recognized by CHEA or the US Department of Education: 19 institutional accreditors and about 63 programmatic ones. [S06] The Department of Education doesn't accredit schools itself; it recognizes accreditors. [S07] HCI's FAQ and program pages list coaching and wellness bodies, not a recognized institutional accreditor. [S01] [S02]

That alone doesn't mean a program is poor. It does matter in some situations, for example if you hope to transfer credits or need a program from an accredited institution. CHEA's site also has guidance on spotting accreditation mills. [S07]

Which HCI program matches which goal

• You want the NBC-HWC board credential: the Advanced Health Coach Certification, alone or inside the Board-Ready Health and Life Coach program, is the HCI option tied to board exam eligibility. [S01] [S02]
• You already hold an ICF credential: the Health Coach and Life Coach certifications list CCE hours you can apply toward renewal. [S01]
• You want a functional nutrition credential: the Functional Nutrition Professional program lists AADP, AANWP and AANWC recognition. [S01]
• You want a college degree or transferable credits: look for a program at an institution with a recognized accreditor. [S06]

HCI has also changed how it runs. It says it was founded in 2015 and later formed partnerships with ISSA and FxNA, and students now log in through an ISSA student portal. [S01] [S02] NBHWC's directory lists the program under the name "Health Coach Institute powered by ISSA." [S03] If you find older reviews that use different program names, check the current program page and the NBHWC directory before you decide.

How to check any program's accreditation claims

1. Ask "accredited by whom, for which program?" Recognitions often apply to one program, not the whole school. [S01]
2. Check the source directly. Search NBHWC's approved program directory rather than relying on a seal on a sales page. [S03]
3. Match the recognition to your goal. Board certification needs NBHWC approval; an ICF credential needs the right ICF accreditation type; college credit needs a recognized accreditor. [S04] [S05] [S06]
4. Read guarantee terms. HCI's Job Guarantee, for example, applies to the Advanced Health Coach Certification and has conditions, including passing the board exam and applying to at least three employers within six months. [S01]

For costs and timelines across programs, see our guides to health coach certification costs and wellness coach certification options.