Coaching Out of the Box® has been a leader in coach education since 1996 — 30 years of training confident, credential-ready coaches. What sets us apart:

• Over 55,000 coaches trained across 38 countries
• 95% first-attempt pass rate on the ICF Credentialing Exam and performance evaluation
• ICF Level 1 and Level 2 accredited
• Curriculum developed by Master Certified Coaches (MCCs)
• Embodiment-based learning — not information dumping
• Our proprietary 5.5.5™ methodology, taught from day one
• Fast Track graduates earn 76 coach-specific training hours — more than the 60 required for the ACC
• Flexible cohort or à la carte options, deferral, and student support including a peer-to-peer practice community
• Founded by a coach, for coaches

On successful completion, you receive a full completion certificate for a Level 1 ICF Accredited Coaching Education Program, 76 hours of ICF-accredited coach-specific education, and the Coaching Out of the Box® Certified Graduate Coach designation, including passing the ACC performance evaluation.

Program length depends on the path you choose. The 5.5.5 Coaching Skills Training Program runs 8 weeks; our Fast Track to ACC Certification runs 6+ months; and our Level 2 (ACC-to-PCC) program runs about 5 months. All live sessions are synchronous, as required by the ICF. The Fast Track can be slowed down with the help of a Program Advisor, as long as you finish within a total of 18 months to keep the bundle price.

Once you complete the program, you’ll have your graduate certificate for 76 coach-specific training hours, more than the 60 hours the ICF requires for the ACC, plus your Record of Mentor Coaching. With these, you’re ready to apply online with the ICF.

Training hours and coach experience hour requirements increase.

Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
Basic Requirements:
60+ hours of education and 100+ hours of coaching experience

Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
Basic Requirements:
125+ hours of education and 500+ hours of coaching experience

Master Certified Coach (MCC)
Basic Requirements:
200+ hours of education and 2500+ hours of coaching experience

Other than the training cost, you’ll have the cost of the ICF exam. For up-to-date Associate Certified Coach (ACC) Credential paths and costs check out the ICF website. 

The Coaching Out of the Box® Method is our proprietary approach to coaching, built around the 5.5.5™ Coaching Model. Rather than a collection of tools, it’s a way of thinking inside a coaching conversation, a decision-making framework you can rely on session after session. It integrates three things into one cohesive system: a 5-step coaching exchange (the process), 5 core coaching skills, and 5 guiding principles (the mindset). This sequencing reduces overwhelm, removes guesswork, and helps coaches think clearly when it matters most — making coaching consistent, ethical, and effective without becoming rigid or mechanical.

The ICG Signature Approach™ is our philosophy that great coaches aren’t built from templates. We help you first master the foundation, the ICF Core Competencies, transformational communication, human behaviour and behaviour change, emotional intelligence, coaching presence, neuroscience-informed coaching, and AI and coaching technology, and then develop your unique signature: your experience, values, passions, purpose, and perspective. Because your greatest differentiator isn’t a niche. It’s you.

We offer several ICF-aligned pathways so you can start exactly where you are:

• 5.5.5 Coaching Skills Training Program — 8 weeks, 16 education hours. A foundational skills course; take it on its own or as your first step toward a credential.
• ACC Credential Accelerator — 6 months, 60 education hours. For coaches with some experience moving toward the ACC.
• ACC Credential Completion Pathway — 3 months, 36 education hours. Targeted support to finalize your ACC requirements.
• Fast Track to ACC Certification — 6+ months, 76 education hours. Our fully turnkey path from your first coaching conversation to a credential-ready ACC.
• From ACC to PCC Path — 5+ months, 69.5 education hours. For ACC holders advancing to the PCC.
• Full PCC Path — 11+ months, 145 education hours. A single, seamless journey from your first conversation all the way to the PCC.

See each program page for current pricing and upcoming start dates, or book a call with a Program Advisor to find your fit.

Both lead to the ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential. The Full PCC Path (11+ months, 145 education hours) is our most comprehensive journey — it includes all Level 1 courses and carries you from your very first coaching conversation through to PCC, ideal if you’re starting fresh and want one seamless program. The From ACC to PCC Path (5+ months, 69.5 education hours) is for coaches who already hold an ACC credential or have completed an ICF Level 1 program and are ready to advance, it focuses on advanced mentor coaching, performance evaluation, and exam preparation.