The accreditation process consists of three main steps. First, a college must engage in an extensive self-study and submit that study to an accreditor. Then, the college must prepare for and host an accrediting site visit team that interviews stakeholders at the college.

College accreditation is imparted by a group of evaluative bodies called accrediting agencies. They periodically examine each school's curricular offerings to confirm that each institution provides students with a quality education.

The federal government looks to accreditation to determine whether the education offered at an institution merits the tuition costs. In order for any student to receive and use federal aid, they must enroll in an accredited institution. This also applies to students who plan to use federal aid for members of the military.