To earn the ASHA CCC-SLP, you need a graduate degree from a CAA-accredited speech-language pathology program, at least 400 hours of supervised clinical experience, a passing score of 162 on the Praxis 5331 exam, and a completed postgraduate Clinical Fellowship of 1,260 hours. The ASHA CCC-SLP requirements sit on top of specific coursework, mentor qualifications, and an online application with supporting documentation. Everything below walks through each piece in the order you complete it.
Graduate Degree and Required Coursework
The academic foundation is a graduate degree in speech-language pathology from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). A master’s is the common route; a doctoral degree also qualifies.
ASHA’s 2020 certification standards require standalone coursework in four foundational areas, taken before or during the graduate program:1American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2020 Standards and Implementation Procedures for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
- Biological sciences (biology, anatomy, physiology, or neuroanatomy)
- Chemistry or physics
- Social or behavioral sciences
- Statistics — and research methodology alone does not satisfy this one
Program directors compare course descriptions and syllabi to ASHA’s content standards. A course with the right title but insufficient content can leave a hole in your application that surfaces weeks into review, so confirm any prerequisites you took outside the graduate program with your director early.
Supervised Clinical Practicum Hours
Applicants must complete at least 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience. Of those, 25 must be guided clinical observation and 375 must involve direct contact with clients or patients.2American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2020 Standards and Implementation Procedures for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
At least 325 of the 400 hours must be earned at the graduate level. Up to 50 hours from an undergraduate speech-language pathology program or an SLP assistant program can count toward the 375-hour direct-contact requirement.3American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Frequently Asked Questions: Clinical Practicum All direct-contact hours must be supervised by someone who holds a current CCC-SLP, and your experience must span a variety of age groups and disorder types.
Your program tracks these hours and verifies them through a formal attestation signed by the program director. That signed verification travels with your application, so reconcile your records against the program’s before you apply.
Praxis 5331 Exam
The Praxis Speech-Language Pathology exam, Test 5331, is the required national exam. It is administered by ETS and covers screening, assessment, and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan.4Praxis. Speech-Language Pathology 5331
The passing score is 162 on a scale of 100 to 200.5American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. About the Speech-Language Pathology Praxis Exam You can test at designated centers or through proctored online sessions. Select ASHA as a score recipient when you register so your results flow directly to certification; otherwise you will pay for and wait on a separate score report later.
Scores stay valid for five years. If you have not applied for certification within that window, you retake the exam. A candidate who does not pass can retake after a 28-day waiting period.6ETS. The Praxis Tests Information Bulletin 2025-26
The Clinical Fellowship
After the graduate degree and a passing Praxis score, the Clinical Fellowship (CF) is the supervised postgraduate work experience that finishes the credential. The CF requires at least 1,260 hours completed over a minimum of 36 weeks, with at least five hours of work per week counting toward the total.7American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Completing the Clinical Fellowship Experience Full-time fellows typically finish in about a year; part-time takes longer.
Mentor Requirements
Your CF mentor must hold a current CCC-SLP, have at least nine months of full-time practice (or the part-time equivalent) after receiving certification, and have completed at least two hours of professional development in supervision or clinical instruction before serving as a mentor. Per fellowship segment, the mentor provides at least six hours of direct observation and six hours of indirect mentorship. Across all three segments, that is 18 hours of direct observation and 18 hours of indirect mentorship.8American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Supervision of Clinical Fellows
Evaluation and Passing the CF
The fellowship runs in three segments, each ending in a formal evaluation. Your mentor rates your clinical skills on the Clinical Fellowship Skills Inventory (CFSI). To pass, you must earn a rating of 2 or better on each core skill by the final segment.7American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Completing the Clinical Fellowship Experience
If a mentor believes a fellow will not meet requirements, the mentor must counsel the fellow in writing and keep records of all contacts and conferences. A mentor who does not recommend approval submits a letter of explanation and supporting documentation to the Council for Clinical Certification within 30 days. After a negative recommendation, the fellow can complete an entirely new fellowship, repeat one or more segments, or request an appeal.9American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. A Guide to the ASHA Clinical Fellowship Experience
Applying to ASHA
ASHA no longer accepts paper applications. Everything runs through the online portal, where you create an account and enter your education, employment, supervisors, and Praxis information.10American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Frequently Asked Questions: Forms and Documentation for Certification in Speech-Language Pathology
Documents You Need
- Official transcripts sent directly from your university to ASHA’s certification department
- A signed program director verification confirming completion of clinical practicum hours and academic coursework
- The Clinical Fellowship Skills Inventory (CFSI) completed jointly with your CF mentor, covering total hours, segment dates, and ratings on all 18 competencies
- Your Praxis score report (forwarded automatically if you selected ASHA as a recipient at registration)
- National Provider Identifier numbers for your clinical supervisors and CF mentor, used to verify eligibility
Background and Ethical Disclosures
The application requires disclosure of any felony conviction, any misdemeanor conviction involving dishonesty or physical harm, and any disciplinary action or license denial by a professional licensing authority or regulatory body.11American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Frequently Asked Questions: Certification Disclosure An affirmative disclosure does not automatically disqualify you, but it triggers a separate review that adds time.
Fees
Application fees depend on whether you are also joining ASHA as a member:12American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology CCC-SLP
- Certification with ASHA membership: $490
- Certification without ASHA membership: $446
- NSSLHA conversion discount: $240 for applicants who held National NSSLHA membership during their last two years of graduate school and apply by August 31 of the year after graduation13NSSLHA. Conversion Discount
The NSSLHA route is the best deal available to new graduates. Only national NSSLHA membership counts; chapter membership does not. Miss the August 31 deadline and the discount is gone.
How Long Review Takes
ASHA estimates about six weeks to review a completed application.10American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Frequently Asked Questions: Forms and Documentation for Certification in Speech-Language Pathology The word “completed” is doing real work. A missing transcript, unsigned verification, or pending Praxis score restarts the clock. Track document receipt through your online account.
The CCC-SLP Is Not a State License
The CCC-SLP is a voluntary national certification. Nearly every state requires a separate state license to work as a speech-language pathologist, whether or not you hold the CCC-SLP. Requirements overlap heavily with ASHA’s, but they are not identical. Some states require a jurisprudence exam on state practice laws, and initial state license application fees generally range from about $75 to $275.
Many states accept the CCC-SLP as partial or full fulfillment of licensure, which simplifies the state process, but holding the certification does not exempt you from applying. Practicing without a state license, even with a valid CCC-SLP, exposes you to disciplinary action. Check your state’s speech-language pathology licensing board before starting clinical work.
Keeping the Credential Active
Once you have the CCC-SLP, two things keep it active: annual fees and continuing education. The 2026 annual dues are $250 for certified ASHA members and $221 for certified nonmembers.14American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. ASHA Membership Dues Renewal
You also accumulate 30 professional development hours (PDHs) during each three-year maintenance interval, three of which must cover specific content areas designated by the Council for Clinical Certification.15American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Maintaining Your Certification That averages about 10 hours a year through conferences, online courses, and journal study. Missing PDHs or a dues payment puts your certification at risk of lapsing, and a lapse longer than five years past your Praxis date pulls the exam back into the reinstatement picture.