CORE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA). CORE accredits graduate programs which provide academic preparation for a variety of professional rehabilitation counseling positions.

CORE changed the scope of its accreditation in 2008 to include undergraduate programs. The Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE) became the Commission on Undergraduate Standards and Accreditation (CUSA). Accreditation is afforded to programs within the United States. CORE does not accredit programs outside the United States and Puerto Rico.

Effective July 1, 2012, CORE will no longer accept applications to the undergraduate Registry from programs within the United States and Puerto Rico. Programs currently on the Registry will be afforded the opportunity to apply for accreditation status and become accredited by October 1, 2017 or they will
be removed from the Registry. Rehabilitation education programs outside the United States will remain on the Registry.

The tab titled “difference between registry and accreditation” distinguishes between programs on the registry and those that are accredited.

• the effective delivery of rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities
• continuing review and improvement of master's degree level RCE Programs
• program self-improvement based on outcome- oriented data obtained from feedback from graduates, students, and employers
• meeting the personnel needs of both public and private rehabilitation agencies
• providing graduates who have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to provide rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities.