ICF Changes for 2027: What Future Coaches Need to Know Before Choosing a Level 1 or Level 2 Programme

If you’re considering an ICF Level 1 or Level 2 coach training programme, the biggest thing to know is this: from 2027, ICF is changing how coach development is assessed. The focus is moving away from a single high-stakes final assessment and toward a more continuous, feedback-rich learning process.

Two major changes stand out.

First, the Final Performance Evaluation (FPE) is being removed from the accreditation requirements for Level 1 and Level 2 programmes. In its place, ICF is introducing enhanced ongoing mentor coaching and formative assessment.

Second, all Level 1 and Level 2 programmes will adopt the Enhanced Mentor Coaching structure. This means mentor coaching must be delivered by mentor coaches who hold the Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) credential.

For prospective students, this is important. It signals a shift in emphasis from proving yourself in one final recorded performance to developing your coaching skills steadily over time, with guided feedback and structured support.

Under the new structure, participants will complete at least 10 hours of mentor coaching, with a minimum of 3 hours as individual mentor coaching.

Those individual sessions will be more structured than before. They will include:

• The mentor coach reviewing the participant’s coaching session, either live or recorded
• Feedback on the ICF competencies demonstrated, including both strengths and areas for development
• Joint agreement on how the participant will practise the identified development areas
• Follow-up review in later sessions to track progress
• Written feedback captured in a Session Observation Form

In other words, feedback becomes an ongoing part of the learning journey rather than something that only happens at the very end.

This change reflects the difference between summative and formative evaluation.

A summative evaluation asks: Did this coach meet the standard? It usually comes at the end of training and often carries higher stakes. That is how the current Performance Evaluation has worked.

A formative evaluation asks: How is this coach developing? It happens while learning is still in progress, and the feedback is used to shape the coach’s next steps.

That distinction matters because coaching is not just about passing an assessment. It is about building judgment, presence, listening, and skill through practice, reflection, and feedback. A formative model supports that more directly.

If you are exploring an ICF Level 1 or Level 2 programme, this is good news in several ways.

First, your development will be supported in a more continuous and practical way. Rather than preparing for one final performance hurdle, you will receive feedback across multiple points in your learning.

Second, your mentor coaching experience should become more consistent. Because mentor coaches will need the MCS credential, participants can expect a more structured approach to observing coaching, assessing competencies, and giving useful developmental feedback.

Third, this may make the learning experience feel more aligned with how coaches actually grow. Most coaches improve through repeated practice, observation, reflection, and refinement, not through one isolated performance.

It is also worth noting what is not changing.

The underlying ICF competency framework remains the same. The expectations around what good coaching looks like do not fundamentally change. The requirement for 10 hours of mentor coaching, with at least 3 hours individual and spread over at least 3 months, also remains in place.

So the core message is simple: what coaches are being assessed on stays the same, but how they are being supported and assessed is changing.

Here is the timeline to take note:

• 1 January 2027: mentor coaches working with credential candidates must hold the MCS
• 1 April 2027: the new process takes effect, with the performance evaluation replaced by a formative mentor coaching model

If you are choosing between programmes, this is a good time to ask training providers some direct questions:

• How are you adapting your Level 1 or Level 2 programme for the 2027 ICF changes?
• Who will deliver the mentor coaching?
• Do your mentor coaches hold, or are they working toward, the Mentor Coach Specialization
• How will formative assessment and written feedback be built into the programme?
• How will participants be supported in developing their coaching skills over time, not just at the end?

These questions will help you understand whether a programme is simply meeting requirements or genuinely preparing students well under the new model.

For aspiring coaches, the 2027 ICF changes are more than an administrative update. They reflect a broader shift toward developmental learning. That is likely to benefit participants in Level 1 and Level 2 programmes, because strong coaches are not formed in one final assessment. They are formed through practice, reflection, and high-quality feedback over time.

If you are considering coach training, this is the moment to look closely at how a programme supports your growth, not just how it gets you through accreditation.

For more details, visit BP Coach Training or contact us for more details. 

BP Coach Training Pte Ltd

23 September 2026