ICF Coaching Accreditation Explained: What Was ACSTH?
Updated: Oct 12
In a nutshell
ACSTH (Approved Coach Specific Training Hours) was an International Coaching Federation (ICF) accreditation for coach training programmes. The ICF has now retired it and replaced it with Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 accreditation. Hours completed under ACSTH can still count towards your ICF credential through the Portfolio Path.
Key takeaways
ACSTH stands for Approved Coach Specific Training Hours.
ICF lists ACSTH (and ACTP) as retired education types, which are no longer offered to new students.
ICF Level 1 accredited training (60-124 coach training hours) is now the entry route to the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential.
Level 1 includes 10 hours of mentor coaching and a final ACC-level assessment. ACSTH did not.
ACSTH graduates can still apply for the ACC through ICF's Portfolio Path.
If you're choosing a coaching course now, look for ICF Level 1 Accreditation or higher.
What did ACSTH mean?
ACSTH stands for Approved Coach Specific Training Hours. It was a stamp from ICF confirming that a programme's training hours were genuinely coach-specific and met the ICF standards.
In practice, ACSTH worked like a block of approved education. It gave you the training hours ICF required for an ACC credential, but it was not the full package. Graduates still had to arrange the other credential requirements themselves:
Mentor coaching: 10 hours with a qualified mentor coach, found and paid for separately
Performance evaluation: a recorded coaching session submitted directly to ICF for assessment
Coaching experience: logged hours with real clients
The ICF exam
ACSTH sat alongside a second, more complete accreditation called ACTP (Accredited Coach Training Programme). ACTP bundled everything into one programme, so graduates had a shorter route to their credential and because there were more coach training hours, it was a route to your PCC credential.
Why did ICF retire ACSTH?
ICF replaced the ACSTH and ACTP accreditations with a clearer, three-level system. Each level now maps directly to one ICF credential, so students know exactly where a programme leads. ACTP programmes began moving to Level 2 in 2022, and ACSTH is now listed by ICF as a retired education type no longer offered to new students.
The biggest change for students is that mentor coaching and performance evaluations are now built into accredited programmes. Under ACSTH, you sourced those yourself and submitted them directly to the ICF as part of your ACC application process. Under Level 1, your programme delivers them and assesses you against the ACC skill standard before you graduate.
In November 2025, ICF went a step further and simplified its credential application routes. Former ACSTH graduates were folded into the Portfolio Path, and Level 1 and Level 2 graduates now use a single, streamlined Level 1/Level 2 Path.
ACSTH and ACTP vs ICF Level 1, 2 and 3
According to ICF, accredited coach training now sits at three levels: Level 1 (60-124 hours, leading to the ACC credential), Level 2 (125-175 hours, leading to the PCC credential) and Level 3 (75+ advanced hours, leading to the MCC credential).
I already have an ACSTH qualification. Does it still count?
Yes. The ICF confirms that training completed under ACSTH can still be used to apply for the ACC, PCC and MCC credentials. ACSTH graduates now apply through the Portfolio Path. For the ACC, that means:
If your ACSTH programme was shorter than 60 hours, you can top up with further coach education, including ICF Continuing Coach Education (CCE) courses, which also count towards Portfolio Path hours.
How to choose an ICF coaching programme today
Skip any programme still marketing itself as "ACSTH" to new students. Instead, check for:
The right level for your goal. Level 1 for the ACC, Level 2 for the PCC.
Current ICF accreditation. Verify the programme on ICF's Education Search Service.
Mentor coaching included. It should be part of any Level 1 programme, not an extra cost.
Observed practice and feedback. Level 1 requires at least 5 observed sessions, with feedback.
A clear route to the credential. Ask how graduates apply, and how many have earned their ACC.
Learning that fits your life. Live online, in-person or blended, in your time zone.
Where North Point Academy's coach training programme fits
North Point Academy (NPA) is an ICF-accredited coaching school founded in Dubai in 2012. We opened a base in the UK in 2020 and are now based in both the UK and the UAE, with students across Europe, the Middle East and beyond. Our Certificate in Professional Coaching (CPC) is an ICF Level 1 accredited programme, the current-generation successor to ACSTH. The CPC was founded in 2016 as an ACSTH programme, and we updated it to meet the Level 1 criteria when ICF introduced them in 2022.
Mentor coaching, observed practice and the final skills assessment are built into the programme, so graduates apply for the ACC through ICF's streamlined Level 1/Level 2 Path.
CPC is designed for people who want more than technique. It develops personal and leadership maturity: the integration of who you are with how you coach. Cohorts serve coaches in Dubai and the wider UAE, as well as in the UK and across Europe. [INSERT: hours, format, next cohort date, time zone]
Frequently asked questions
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