If you hold an ACC, PCC, or MCC and you mentor - or want to mentor - credentialing candidates, this page walks through what the new ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS, formerly Mentor Coach Qualification or MCQ) requires, how the Standard Path and Credit for Prior Learning compare, and how to earn your MCS before the deadline. Built from ICF's April 2026 announcement and the Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook.
The Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) is a new individual specialization from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), announced in April 2026 and effective January 1, 2027. It formally recognizes coaches who are qualified to provide mentor coaching to ICF credential candidates at a specific level - ACC, PCC, or MCC.
Before the MCS, mentor coaches were required to meet minimum credential requirements at each level of service (for example, an active PCC or MCC to mentor PCC candidates) - but there was no formal training specialization. The MCS replaces that informality with a recognized standard: a defined competency framework published in September 2024, a structured evaluation methodology, and two application pathways for experienced coaches to qualify.
Mentor coaching isn't simply an extension of great coaching. It's a discipline of its own. It requires skilled observation, thoughtful feedback, and a deep understanding of how coaching competence develops over time. - International Coaching Federation, Mentor Coach Specialization launch announcement, April 2026
The 2024 Mentor Coaching Competencies document defines mentor coaching as a collaborative learning process through which coaches receive feedback based on observed or recorded sessions to support them in further developing their unique coaching style and coaching skills in alignment with the ICF Core Competencies.
The Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook adds a sharper boundary: mentor coaching supports the mentor coaching client to develop specifically in their coaching skills, rather than on practice building, life balance, or other topics beyond the development of coaching skills. That distinction matters for every downstream question on this page.
Renewed ACC, PCC, or MCC coaches who need to qualify by January 1, 2027 via the Standard Path or Credit for Prior Learning.
Leaders of ICF-accredited Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 programs planning for the enhanced mentor coaching rollout and the new formative evaluation model.
If you are a candidate looking to receive 10 hours of mentor coaching as part of your ACC, PCC, or MCC application, this page is not the fit. Start with our candidate mentor coaching service.
ICF offers two application paths, and where you start depends on your situation - not just your credential. Pick the one that sounds like you, and we will point you to the right next step.
You hold an active PCC, MCC, or renewed ACC, and you have mentored five or more coaches to their credential in the past three years - or you can get an attestation letter from an accredited program. Credit for Prior Learning is your fastest route: 10 hours of education plus your evidence of practice.
Whether you are new to mentor coaching or you simply prefer guided, observed practice, the Standard Path takes you from foundations through a two-part capstone in one live cohort - built to the ICF AAMC standard and led by two MCC mentor coaches.
Not sure if the 2027 requirement affects you, which level you would serve, or which path fits your history? Start with the free 2027 Decision Guide, then compare the two paths side by side further down this page.
Both Tandem programs are built and taught by two MCC mentor coaches, Cherie Silas and Alex Kudinov. Compare the two paths in full →
Two dates matter - and they do different things. The January 1, 2027 date is about who can mentor credential candidates. The April 1, 2027 date is about how credential candidates are evaluated.
Six competencies across four domains - Foundation, Process Management, Client Development, and Group Mentor Coaching - establish the framework the MCS evaluates against.
ICF publishes the Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook with two application pathways, confirms the January 1, 2027 compliance date, and previews the Session Observation and Competency Review forms used for formative evaluation.
Applications are expected to open for the Advanced Accreditation in Mentor Coaching and the Advanced Accreditation in Coaching Supervision - separate from the individual MCS and from standard program accreditation. ICF has not yet announced a specific date.
Beginning January 1, 2027, all ICF credential candidates must work with a mentor coach who has earned the MCS designation at the appropriate level. The MCS must be at the credential level matching the candidate's target.
By April 1, 2027, skills validation from qualified mentor coaches replaces the ICF Performance Evaluation recording and transcript previously required for ACC and PCC Portfolio candidates. The shift is implemented through enhanced mentor coaching - a Session Observation Form per 1:1 session where a coaching recording is reviewed, plus a cumulative Competency Review Form at the end of the engagement.
Sources: ICF Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook (2026) and ICF Mentor Coach Specialization launch announcement (April 13, 2026).
The MCS is issued at three levels, matched to the ICF credential level of the candidate being mentored. You can hold one level, two, or all three. One application fee covers multiple levels, but evaluation training is required separately for each level.
Coaches pursuing or renewing the Associate Certified Coach credential.
ICF ACC BARS (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales) course.
Coaches pursuing or renewing the Professional Certified Coach credential - and coaches pursuing ACC.
ICF PCC Markers training (typically 40 hours, taken separately through ICF).
Coaches pursuing or renewing the Master Certified Coach credential.
ICF MCC BARS course.
Through March 2027, the MCS application fee is $50 USD for ICF members and $125 USD for non-members - and one fee covers all levels you apply for simultaneously (ACC, PCC, MCC). Evaluation training (BARS or Markers) is still completed separately for each level.
ICF offers two application paths. Both lead to the same MCS designation with the same standing. The difference is how you demonstrate readiness - through coursework (Standard Path) or through a combination of shorter coursework plus evidence of prior mentor coaching practice (Credit for Prior Learning, or CPL).
| Requirement | Standard Path | Credit for Prior Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Credential prerequisite | Active PCC, MCC, or renewed ACC | Active PCC, MCC, or renewed ACC |
| Mentor coaching education hours | Minimum 41 hours aligned to the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies | Minimum 10 hours aligned to the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies |
| Synchronous requirement | At least 50% should be synchronous learning | No synchronous minimum (may be 100% asynchronous) |
| Evaluation training (BARS / Markers) | May be embedded within the 41 hours | Separate and additional - does not count toward the 10 hours |
| Evidence of prior practice | Not required - education plus credential is sufficient | Five mentor coaching clients who earned credentials in past 3 years OR a letter from an ICF accredited provider verifying ≥5 mentored students in past 3 years |
| Best fit | Coaches building a mentor coaching practice from scratch - or preferring structured, synchronous training | Experienced mentor coaches who can document practice - or coaches short on time who need the fastest route |
Not sure which path is yours? Tandem has both covered. We run the live Standard Path cohort and the 10-hour Credit for Prior Learning program - both built and taught by two MCC mentor coaches.
See both Tandem programs →Per ICF, the attestation letter is written by an ICF-accredited coaching education provider and verifies that you have provided mentor coaching to at least five students in the past three years - ICF's stated requirement for this path.
If you have mentored five or more coaches through a Tandem Coaching Academy program in the past three years, we provide the attestation letter on request once your MCS application is submitted.
| Fee window | ICF member | Non-member | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through March 31, 2027 (introductory) | $50 USD | $125 USD | Both pathways - one fee covers all levels applied for simultaneously |
| From April 1, 2027 onward | $125 USD | $200 USD | Both pathways - same rule |
| MCS renewal (every 3 years) | $100 USD | $200 USD | Plus 10 hours of MC-aligned continuing education |
One application fee covers all levels applied for simultaneously (ACC, PCC, MCC). Evaluation training (BARS / Markers) is completed separately for each level. Source: ICF Mentor Coach Specialization launch announcement, April 2026.
The MCS evaluates mentor coaches against six competencies published by ICF in September 2024. ICF organizes them into four domains - Foundation, Process Management, Client Development, and Group Mentor Coaching. Together they define what skilled mentor coaching looks like in practice.
The ethical and contractual groundwork every mentor coaching engagement rests on.
How the mentor coach creates the learning environment and manages the engagement over time.
The evaluation and feedback work that distinguishes mentor coaching from coaching.
The specific skills required for mentor coaching in group settings.
Models ethical standards and encourages the mentor coaching client to do the same.
Partners with the mentor coaching client to create clear agreements about the mentor coaching relationship, process, plans and goals. Establishes agreements for the overall mentor coaching engagement as well as those for each mentor coaching session.
Co-creates the learning environment, process and development plans to facilitate the mentor coaching process.
Evaluates the degree to which the mentor coaching client's coaching aligns with ICF Core Competencies or the skill level required for a specific credential level.
Supports the mentor coaching client's development of coaching skills and unique coaching style.
Effectively manages the group mentor coaching process. Note: Relevant for mentor coaches who offer group mentor coaching services.
Verbatim from the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies document, September 2024, and the Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook 2026. Expand any competency above to read the full sub-competency list.
The MCS replaces a one-moment snapshot - the ICF Performance Evaluation recording and transcript - with a pattern of observations and feedback over time. ICF describes this as a shift to formative evaluation through "enhanced mentor coaching." Two standardized forms structure the process.
The specialization centers on formative evaluation - multiple observations with feedback over time - increasing fairness, equity, rigor, and transparency in how coaching skills are assessed. This method provides a more accurate and equitable validation of competence than any single recording, as with the current Performance Evaluation requirement. - International Coaching Federation, Mentor Coach Specialization launch announcement, April 2026
Used after each 1:1 mentor coaching session where a coaching recording is reviewed.
The form captures, per session:
Each 1:1 mentor coaching session where a coaching recording is reviewed is documented with this form. Group mentor coaching sessions do not require Session Observation Forms.
Used once, at the end of the mentor coaching engagement, as a cumulative review.
The form captures, across sessions:
The Competency Review Form is what validates the credential candidate's readiness for the credential-level competence standard. Submitting this form, together with the Session Observation Forms from the engagement, replaces the previously required Performance Evaluation recording and transcript for ACC and PCC Portfolio candidates.
The 10-hour / 3-month / level-matching rules that govern a mentor coaching engagement for ICF credentialing have not changed under the MCS. What has changed is who can provide that mentor coaching - a qualified mentor coach holding MCS at the matching level.
ICF requires the 10 hours to span at least 3 months (12 weeks first to last session) because mentor coaching is a learning cycle, not a volume transfer. The mentor coaching client needs time between sessions to practice new approaches with real coaching clients, reflect on what happened, and integrate the learning before the next feedback cycle. ICF cites best practice as separating sessions by at least two weeks.
| Credential candidate | MCS level required | Safe harbor |
|---|---|---|
| ACC candidate (new or renewing) | MCS-ACC | Yes: MCS-PCC mentor coach may also provide mentor coaching to an ACC candidate. |
| PCC candidate | MCS-PCC | MCS-PCC only. MCS-ACC is insufficient. |
| MCC candidate | MCS-MCC | MCS-MCC only. |
Source: ICF Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook (2026), sections on engagement requirements and level-matching. For full detail on running a compliant engagement as a mentor coach - intake, development planning, session structure, closing - see our ICF mentor coaching guide.
Every MCS level requires ICF evaluation training for the credential level involved. ICF uses Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) for ACC and MCC, and Markers for PCC. The rules differ between the Standard Path and Credit for Prior Learning.
| MCS Level | Required evaluation training | Provided by | Standard Path | Credit for Prior Learning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCS-ACC | ACC BARS | ICF | May be embedded within the 41 hours The 41-hour education requirement can include your BARS or Markers training time. | Always separate and additional Evaluation training does not count toward the 10 hours. You complete the 10 hours of MC-aligned education and the BARS / Markers course for each level you seek to qualify for. |
| MCS-PCC | PCC Markers | ICF | ||
| MCS-MCC | MCC BARS | ICF |
Source: ICF Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook (2026) and ICF Mentor Coach Specialization launch announcement, April 2026. Our 10-hour Mentor Coaching Foundations program aligns with the 6 Mentor Coaching Competencies and is designed to serve the Credit for Prior Learning path. Evaluation tool training (ACC BARS, PCC Markers, MCC BARS) is provided by ICF through the ICF Learning Portal.
The MCS is valid for three years. Renewal is lighter than the initial specialization - but it is not automatic, and it requires continuing education aligned with the Mentor Coaching Competencies, not just your regular ICF credential continuing education.
ACC, PCC, or MCC - whichever you originally qualified at or higher. A lapsed credential means the MCS cannot be renewed at that level.
The 10 hours must be aligned with the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies - not general coach continuing education. Completed within the three-year window since your MCS was last awarded or renewed.
Coaching supervision hours dedicated to your mentor coaching practice can be used to fulfill the 10-hour continuing education requirement for MCS renewal.
$100 USD for ICF members, $200 USD for non-members. If you hold the MCS at multiple levels (ACC, PCC, MCC), all levels renew automatically when you meet the renewal requirements above.
Mentor Coaching Foundations counts for renewal. Our 10-hour program is built against the 2024 ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies framework. A graduate can use it once for the initial MCS application via Credit for Prior Learning, then re-take an updated version three years later for renewal - or combine it with supervision hours to meet the 10-hour renewal requirement.
A live cohort built to the new ICF Advanced Accreditation in Mentor Coaching (AAMC) standard, and an asynchronous Foundations program for Credit for Prior Learning. Created by two MCC mentor coaches, Cherie Silas and Alex Kudinov.
The 70-hour live cohort built to the new ICF Advanced Accreditation in Mentor Coaching (AAMC) standard. Foundations + Practicum + evaluation training in a single 12-week cohort.
The 10-hour asynchronous program built for the Credit for Prior Learning path. Standalone enrollment available through September 30, 2026.
A working document for every credentialed coach asking the same question this year - the AAMC cohort or Credit for Prior Learning, and what to actually do between now and January 2027.
Thirteen questions that come up most often from credentialed coaches, coach educators, and program directors navigating the MCS transition.
The MCS is an individual specialization from the International Coaching Federation announced in April 2026 and effective January 1, 2027. It formally recognizes coaches who are qualified to provide mentor coaching to ICF credential candidates at a specific level - ACC, PCC, or MCC. The MCS is evaluated against the 2024 ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies framework and is separate from a coach's own ACC, PCC, or MCC credential.
Two dates matter. On January 1, 2027, every mentor coach serving ICF credential candidates must hold the MCS at the matching credential level. On April 1, 2027, the ICF Performance Evaluation (SPE) recording-and-transcript requirement for ACC and PCC Portfolio candidates is replaced by formative evaluation through enhanced mentor coaching - using the new Session Observation and Competency Review forms.
If your mentoring does not count toward an ICF credential application - for example, peer coaching, collegial feedback, or mentoring inside a non-credentialing context - MCS is not required. If you currently sign off on any 10 hours of mentor coaching that goes into a credential application, or plan to after January 1, 2027, you need the MCS at the candidate's credential level.
Both paths lead to the same MCS designation with the same standing. The Standard Path specifies 41+ hours of MC-aligned education with at least 50% synchronous learning. The Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) path specifies 10 hours of MC-aligned education (synchronous or asynchronous) plus evidence of prior mentor coaching practice - either five mentor coaching clients who earned credentials in the past three years, or a letter from an ICF accredited coaching education provider verifying mentor coaching to at least five students in the past three years.
The Advanced Accreditation in Mentor Coaching (AAMC) is an ICF accreditation that organizations apply for to deliver Standard Path mentor coaching programs. ICF published the AAMC standards on May 27, 2026 and is opening applications mid-June 2026. Tandem is preparing to submit in the first window. Until accreditation is granted, our Mentor Coach Training cohort is offered as a rigorous coach-education program built to the AAMC standard, led by an MCC instructor of record; certificates of completion document the 70 program hours and the components delivered (5 observed mentor coaching sessions with written feedback on 3, two-part capstone, ICF Facilitator Guide-led ACC BARS and PCC Markers training).
It depends on the path. For the Standard Path, BARS and Markers training may be embedded within the 41 hours. For Credit for Prior Learning, evaluation training is always separate and additional - it does not count toward the 10 hours. Either way, you complete the evaluation training for each level you want MCS at (ACC BARS, PCC Markers, MCC BARS) through ICF directly.
The attestation letter is accepted as evidence of prior mentor coaching practice under the CPL path - in lieu of documenting five specific candidates who earned credentials. Per ICF, any ICF accredited coaching education provider can write it, verifying that you have provided mentor coaching to at least five students in the past three years. Graduates of Tandem Coaching Academy who meet the threshold can request the attestation letter on submission of their MCS application.
Generally yes. A PCC candidate must be mentored by an MCS-PCC holder; an MCC candidate must be mentored by an MCS-MCC holder. One safe harbor applies: ACC candidates may be mentored by either an MCS-ACC or an MCS-PCC holder. This means Level 2 (PCC) program students cannot use leftover Level 1 mentor coaching hours that were provided by an ACC-level mentor - they need new 1:1 sessions with an MCS-PCC holder.
Starting April 1, 2027, the single-recording, single-moment SPE is replaced by formative evaluation over time. Instead of submitting one recording with a transcript, ACC and PCC Portfolio candidates submit documentation from their qualified mentor coach - Session Observation Forms (one per 1:1 session where a coaching recording is reviewed) plus a final Competency Review Form summarizing readiness across sessions. The ICF assessor role for ACC and PCC will be retired.
Two standardized ICF forms used by qualified mentor coaches to document formative evaluation. The Session Observation Form captures level of mentor coaching, observed performance against the credential-level minimum skill requirements, mentor coach feedback, and reflection prompts - completed per 1:1 session where a coaching recording is reviewed. The Competency Review Form is a cumulative summary at the end of the engagement covering proficiency (skills demonstrated, remaining gaps, ethics verification), mentor coach feedback, and client reflection. Per ICF's published description, both forms apply to 1:1 mentor coaching.
Through March 31, 2027, the introductory application fee is $50 USD for ICF members and $125 USD for non-members. One fee covers all MCS levels you apply for simultaneously (ACC, PCC, MCC). From April 1, 2027, the fee rises to $125 for members and $200 for non-members. Evaluation training (BARS or Markers) is still completed separately for each level and is a separate cost.
The MCS is valid for three years. Renewal requires: (1) maintaining an active ICF credential at the appropriate level, (2) completing 10 hours of MC-aligned continuing education within the three-year window, and (3) paying the renewal fee ($100 USD for members, $200 USD for non-members). Coaching supervision hours dedicated to your mentor coaching practice can count toward the 10-hour CE requirement. If you hold the MCS at multiple levels, all levels renew automatically when you meet the requirements.
1:1 sessions only. In a qualifying engagement, each 1:1 session where a coaching recording is reviewed is documented with the Session Observation Form. Group mentor coaching sessions (up to 7 of the 10 hours in a credentialing engagement) are not covered by the new documentation model per ICF's published description of the forms. Group dynamics still count under Competency 6 of the MC framework, but without the new paperwork.
Everything on this page is built from ICF's own published materials - the Mentor Coach Specialization Handbook, the April 2026 announcement blog, and the 2024 Mentor Coaching Competencies document. Go to the sources directly if you need primary-source language for a program document, accreditation submission, or chapter presentation.
Every MCS conversation is different. If the pathway math or the 2027 timeline still feels unclear for your situation, reach out to the Tandem Coaching Academy team. Cherie Silas, MCC and Alex Kudinov, MCC personally answer MCS questions - and neither of us works on commission.
CPL eligibility, Program A fit, attestation letter requests, MCS renewal planning.
Enhanced mentor coaching rollout, mentor coach staffing, faculty partnerships.
Co-branded info sessions on MCS for your members - we travel (virtually) to chapters.
