Last Updated: April 24, 2026
First Published: April 13, 2026
A global standard for mentor coaching excellence.
Table of Contents
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.
As the coaching profession continues to expand globally, the need for greater consistency, transparency, and shared standards in mentor coaching has never been stronger. Credential candidates and credentialed coaches rely on mentor coaching to grow their skills and deepen their practice.
While ICF has defined mentor coaching competencies, there has not yet been a formal specialization to recognize and validate mentor coaching expertise at a global level.
The ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) was created to change that.
Developed in collaboration with experienced mentor coaches, the MCS establishes a recognized standard for mentor coaching excellence — supporting coaches, strengthening the profession, and helping clients identify trusted mentor coaches.
The MCS application is expected to launch soon. Sign up to be notified when it becomes available.
About the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS)
Mentor coaching plays a critical role in how coaching skills develop over time. When mentor coaching is consistent, transparent, and grounded in clear standards, everyone benefits.
Coaches receive meaningful developmental support.
Mentor coaches gain recognition for their expertise.
And the coaching profession grows stronger.
The ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) represents an important step forward, elevating mentor coaching practice and supporting the continued evolution of coaching worldwide.
The MCS is a research-informed designation that enhances mentor coaching through robust training requirements, including instruction on:
- Evaluating coaching skills.
- Providing high-quality feedback.
- Supporting a client’s skill development in alignment with ICF’s credential level criteria (e.g., ACC, PCC, or MCC Minimum Skills Requirements).
The specialization centers on formative evaluation — multiple observations with feedback over time — increasing fairness, equity, rigor, and transparency in how coaching skills are assessed.
Why the MCS Matters to the Profession
The Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) strengthens trust across the coaching profession by bringing clarity, consistency, and recognition to mentor coaching.
For many years, mentor coaching has been a required part of the ICF credentialing process. Yet expectations for mentor coaching preparation and practice have not always been clearly defined, which has created challenges across the coaching ecosystem.
Coaches seeking mentor coaching often struggle to evaluate the qualifications and experience of mentor coaches. In a recent survey of mentor coach practitioners:
- 68% said clients struggle to understand what high-quality mentor coaching should look and feel like.
- 60% reported client confusion about the mentor coach’s role and responsibilities.
- 55% cited that clients have difficulty evaluating mentor coach qualifications.
Without clear standards, coaches may invest time and financial resources in mentor coaching experiences that fall short of expectations. At the same time, highly trained, experienced mentor coaches often struggle to differentiate their expertise in the marketplace.
The Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) provides the clarity the profession needs. Co-developed with mentor coaches, it establishes a globally recognized benchmark for mentor coaching preparation and practice, helping coaches confidently identify qualified professionals who meet ICF expectations for quality and integrity. For mentor coaches, the MCS offers clear recognition of the expertise required for this work.
What the MCS Means for Mentor Coaches
Earning the MCS communicates something powerful to the coaching community.
It signals that you’ve invested in developing the specialized skills required to guide other coaches toward mastery. It shows that your mentor coaching practice meets a recognized global standard for preparation, professionalism, and quality.
The MCS signals that you:
- Meet a globally recognized standard for mentor coaching practice.
- Bring specialized expertise in coaching observation, feedback, and competency development.
- Are committed to professional excellence and ongoing development.
- Provide mentor coaching that aligns with ICF standards and expectations.
- In a growing profession, clear standards help exceptional practitioners stand out. The MCS helps mentor coaches do exactly that.
Mentor coaches who earn the qualification will receive:
- A digital badge recognizing the achievement at each level of qualified service.
- Inclusion in the Mentor Coach Registry as a specialized mentor coach (you may opt out if desired).
These tools help mentor coaches promote their services with a visible mark of quality and make it easier for prospective clients to find qualified mentor coaches.
Changes to the ICF Credentialing Process
Because the MCS establishes a global standard for mentor coaching preparation and practice, we’re strengthening mentor coaching requirements within the credentialing process:
- Beginning January 1, 2027, all ICF credential candidates must work with a mentor coach who has earned the MCS designation.
- By April 1, 2027, skills validation from specialized mentor coaches will replace the performance evaluation recordings and transcripts required for ACC and PCC Portfolio candidates.
Learn more about the transition from performance evaluation to mentor coaching.
The Mentor Coach’s New Role in Session-Level Performance and Cumulative Growth
Through one-to-one sessions, qualified mentor coaches will conduct formative evaluations of a client’s coaching skills — observing multiple coaching sessions, calibrating against credential level criteria, providing actionable feedback that advances skill development session by session, and documenting the skills demonstrated over the mentor coaching engagement. This method provides a more accurate and equitable validation of competence than any single recording, as with the current Performance Evaluation requirement.
Specialized mentor coaches will use standardized ICF mentor coaching forms to ensure consistency and rigor in documenting client development.
Session Observation Form
Used for each one-to-one mentor coaching session to capture:
- Level of mentor coaching provided.
- Observed performance against credential-level minimum skill requirements.
- Mentor coach feedback.
- Prompts for client reflections.
Competency Review Form
Provides a cumulative review of a client’s skills across sessions, validating the client’s readiness for credential-level competence, including:
- Proficiency, including skills demonstrated with competence, remaining skills gaps, and ethics verification.
- Mentor coach feedback.
- Prompts for client reflections.
Who This Change Affects
Several groups across the coaching ecosystem will be impacted by this change. Additional details and timelines will be provided as implementation progresses.
Credential Applicants
Beginning January 1, 2027:
- Individuals preparing to apply for the ACC or PCC through the Portfolio path will need to complete any new mentor coaching hours with a mentor coach who has earned the MCS. Beginning April 2027, ACC and PCC Portfolio applicants will provide standard mentor coaching form(s) with their application, in place of the Performance Evaluation requirement. .
- All coaches preparing for an ACC, PCC, or MCC credential will need to complete the mentor coaching requirement with a mentor coach who has the MCS.
Learn more about these changes.
Renewing Credential-Holders
Beginning January 1, 2027, ACC renewal candidates, as well as any PCC or MCC renewal candidate using mentor coaching for professional development, must work with a qualified mentor coach.
This requirement adds transparency to the mentor coaching process and makes it easier for you to identify specialized mentor coaches through the Mentor Coach Registry.
Beginning in July, you will be able to search for mentor coaches with the MCS via the Mentor Coach Registry.
Mentor Coaches
Mentor coaching involves more than coaching conversations. It requires the ability to observe coaching sessions closely, provide meaningful competency-based feedback, and guide coaches through complex developmental learning. Rather than redefining mentor coaching, the MCS recognizes and elevates the depth of skill this work requires. It’s a signal to the global coaching community: This mentor coach meets a recognized standard of preparation and practice.
Earning the MCS empowers you to:
- Stand out as a leader, making a lasting impact in developing coaches’ journeys and contribute to the growth and integrity of the profession.
- Give back to the coaching community by supporting the development of emerging coaches.
- Strengthen trust and clarity for coaches seeking mentor coaching.
- Differentiate yourself in a growing marketplace.
- Expand your service offerings and revenue opportunities.
- Demonstrate a commitment to high standards and continuous professional development.
- Deepen mastery of ICF Core Competencies and ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies.
- Elevate your visibility via a listing on the Mentor Coach Registry. Only those with an MCS will appear on the registry after January 1, 2027.
Learn more about the MCS application paths.
Assessors
You have played a vital role in maintaining the quality and integrity of the credentialing process.
With the transition away from the Performance Evaluation requirement for the ACC and PCC, the assessor role for ACC and PCC will be retired.
Many program assessors will be well positioned to transition into the Specialized Mentor Coach role. In recognition of that expertise, ICF offers a Credit for Prior Learning pathway.
By obtaining the MCs, you can continue supporting coach development while bringing your expertise to mentor coaching practice, helping to continue shaping the future of credentialing and coaching excellence.
The MCS empowers you to:
- Continue to play a pivotal role in the development of future coaches and create a long-term impact within the profession.
- Be recognized as a leader within the coaching profession – seen as a trusted expert by ICF.
- Deepen your own practice as a coach and mentor coach through the process of evaluating and validating clients’ coaching skills.
- Have greater visibility via the Mentor Coach Registry.
- Differentiate yourself in the mentor coaching market — being seen as someone who has engaged in mentor coaching training, not just providing a service without understanding the competencies required.
- Seamlessly transition the skills you’ve honed as an assessor to support the development of coaches.
Coach Educators
Coaching education providers have long included mentor coaching in their programs. Yet limited guidance, training, and standardized criteria for identifying qualified mentor coaches have led to inconsistent practices and variability in quality across programs.
Beginning April 1, 2027, the performance evaluation requirement will no longer be required as part of your accreditation, but your program(s) must demonstrate a formative evaluation process.
Learn more about this requirement.
To better support individuals seeking the MCS, we are also launching an Advanced Accreditation in Mentor Coaching.
Application Paths and Requirements to Earn the MCS
The MCS will be available at three levels to match the three credential levels: ACC, PCC, and MCC. While there are three levels of the MCS, there will only be one application fee and one renewal fee, making it more seamless for you to earn and maintain the MCS at one, two, or all three levels, depending on your training and prerequisite credential.
Standard MCS Path
Apply using the Standard Path by meeting the following requirements:
- Credential: Hold an active PCC, MCC, or renewed ACC in good standing.
- Training: Complete at least 41 hours of mentor coaching education aligned to the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies, including formative evaluation methods, feedback practices, facilitation of client skill development, and training on level-specific skills evaluation criteria (e.g., ACC BARS, PCC Markers, MCC BARS). At least 50% should be synchronous learning.
Application Fee
Introductory Pricing (through March 2027)
ICF Member Price: $50 USD
Non-Member Price: $125 USD
Standard Pricing (Beginning April 2027)
ICF Member Price: $125 USD
Non-Member Price: $200 USD
Credit for Prior Learning Path
Long-term mentor coach practitioners can earn the mentor coach qualification through the Credit for Prior Learning Path. Apply through this path by meeting the following requirements:
- Hold an active PCC or MCC credential, or a renewed ACC.
- Complete at least 10 hours of mentor coaching education (synchronous or asynchronous) aligned with the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies.
- Complete the current ICF evaluation training courses (ACC BARS, PCC Markers, MCC BARS) or equivalent for each level of qualification you seek to earn.
- Note: ICF evaluation training does not count towards your 10 hours of mentor coaching education through this path.
- Provide evidence of five mentor coaching clients who have successfully earned a credential in the past three years or provide a letter from an ICF accredited coaching education provider verifying that you have provided mentor coaching to at least five students in the past three years.
Application Fee
Introductory Pricing (through March 2027)
ICF Member Price: $50 USD
Non-Member Price: $125 USD
Standard Pricing (Beginning April 2027)
ICF Member Price: $125 USD
Non-Member Price: $200 USD
MCS Renewal Requirements
An ICF Mentor Coach Specialization will be valid for a period of three years, after which it must be renewed. To renew the MCS, you must:
- Maintain an active ICF credential.
- Complete 10 hours of continuing education aligned with the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies within the three years since your MCS was awarded or last renewed.
- Coaching supervision hours dedicated to your mentor coaching practice can be used to fulfill continuing education credit requirements for MCS renewal.
If you have an MCS at multiple levels (ACC, PCC, MCC), all levels will automatically renew by meeting the renewal requirements listed above.
Application Fee
ICF Member Price: $100 USD
Non-Member Price: $200 USD
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