ABHE — the Association for Biblical Higher Education — is the accreditor built specifically for Bible colleges. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA, which is what makes an ABHE accredited school eligible to award Pell Grants and federal student loans.
Below is a representative list of ABHE accredited institutions, what else they hold, and how to verify any school yourself. ABHE membership status changes, so treat this as a starting point and confirm in the ABHE member directory before you apply.
ABHE accredited Bible colleges
"Also" shows additional institutional accreditation. Dual accreditation — ABHE plus a regional agency — gives you the biblical core of a Bible college with the frictionless credit transfer of a regionally accredited university.
| School | Location | Also accredited by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moody Bible Institute | Chicago, IL | HLC | Dual ABHE and regional accreditation; large tuition-paid and online offerings. |
| Cairn University | Langhorne, PA | MSCHE | Bible core required of every undergraduate major. |
| Lancaster Bible College | Lancaster, PA | MSCHE | Capital Seminary handles graduate work. |
| Multnomah University | Portland, OR | NWCCU | Undergraduate biblical studies core plus an online campus. |
| Johnson University | Knoxville, TN | SACSCOC | Restoration Movement school with Florida and online campuses. |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | SACSCOC | Christian and Missionary Alliance affiliation. |
| Ozark Christian College | Joplin, MO | — | Preaching and biblical languages focus; low tuition. |
| Manhattan Christian College | Manhattan, KS | — | Partnership agreements with Kansas State University. |
| Central Christian College of the Bible | Moberly, MO | — | One of the lowest published tuition rates in the country. |
| Emmaus Bible College | Dubuque, IA | — | Plymouth Brethren heritage; strong Bible exposition track. |
| Calvary University | Kansas City, MO | — | Fully online degree options alongside the campus program. |
| Boyce College | Louisville, KY | SACSCOC | Undergraduate college of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. |
| Welch College | Gallatin, TN | SACSCOC | Free Will Baptist; teacher education and ministry programs. |
| Grace Christian University | Wyoming, MI | — | Adult and online degree completion programs. |
| Trinity Bible College and Graduate School | Ellendale, ND | — | Assemblies of God affiliation. |
| Crown College | St. Bonifacius, MN | HLC | Christian and Missionary Alliance; large online division. |
| Appalachian Bible College | Mount Hope, WV | — | Independent Baptist; the only Bible college of its kind in West Virginia. |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | Ankeny, IA | — | Undergraduate and seminary programs on one campus. |
| God's Bible School and College | Cincinnati, OH | — | Wesleyan-holiness tradition. |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | Hobe Sound, FL | — | Small holiness-tradition college. |
| College of Biblical Studies | Houston, TX | SACSCOC | Urban ministry focus; among the lowest per-credit rates for a dually accredited school. |
| Randall University | Moore, OK | — | Free Will Baptist; online and evening formats. |
| Baptist Bible College | Springfield, MO | — | Baptist Bible Fellowship International school. |
| Clear Creek Baptist Bible College | Pineville, KY | — | Southern Baptist; work-study model keeps costs very low. |
| Nyack College / Alliance University | New York, NY | MSCHE history | Confirm current institutional status before applying. |
This list is not exhaustive — ABHE accredits roughly 150 institutions. Accreditation status, including candidacy and sanctions, can change at any time; always confirm with ABHE directly.
What ABHE accreditation gets you
- Federal financial aid. ABHE recognition is the gateway to Title IV participation — Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and Federal Work-Study. See our financial aid hub.
- Graduate school admission. ATS-accredited seminaries routinely admit graduates of ABHE colleges into MDiv and MA programs.
- Denominational credentialing. Most Baptist, Pentecostal, and non-denominational ordination tracks accept an ABHE bachelor's degree.
- A real biblical core. ABHE requires substantive Scripture and theology coursework in every degree, which regional accreditation does not.
How to verify a school's ABHE status
- Search the ABHE member directory and check whether the school is listed as accredited rather than applicant or candidate.
- Cross-check in the Department of Education DAPIP database.
- Confirm the accreditation covers your degree level and, if you are studying remotely, online delivery.
If a school appears in neither database, treat it as unaccredited no matter what its website claims — our guide to checking any Bible college's accreditation walks through the red flags.
ABHE vs. ATS vs. regional
ABHE accredits primarily undergraduate Bible colleges. ATS accredits graduate seminaries and divinity schools. Regional accreditors (SACSCOC, HLC, MSCHE, NECHE, NWCCU, WSCUC) accredit comprehensive institutions of any kind. All three are federally recognized; the practical difference is transfer portability. Full comparison on the accreditation hub, and the deep dive on what ABHE accreditation means.
Studying at an ABHE school online
Many ABHE colleges — Moody, Multnomah, Crown, Calvary University, College of Biblical Studies — run full online degrees under the same accreditation as their campus programs. Compare them in our guide to accredited online Bible colleges, or browse Bible colleges by state.
Sources
Last reviewed: September 16, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- What does ABHE accredited mean?
- ABHE stands for the Association for Biblical Higher Education. An ABHE accredited school has been reviewed by ABHE's Commission on Accreditation — an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA — on governance, finances, faculty, student services, and learning outcomes, and requires a substantial biblical studies core in its degrees. ABHE accreditation makes a school eligible to award federal financial aid.
- How many ABHE accredited schools are there?
- ABHE has roughly 200 member institutions across the United States and Canada, of which about 150 hold full accredited status. The rest are applicants, candidates, or affiliates, which is why you should always confirm a school's exact status in the ABHE member directory rather than relying on a membership logo.
- Is ABHE the same as AABC?
- Yes. The Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC), founded in 1947, was renamed the Association for Biblical Higher Education in 2004. Older catalogs and school pages sometimes still say AABC accredited, which refers to the same agency.
- Do ABHE credits transfer to a state university?
- Sometimes, but never automatically. Regionally accredited universities evaluate ABHE credit case by case. If transfer is likely in your future, favor a school that holds both ABHE and regional accreditation, and get a written transfer evaluation from the receiving registrar before you enroll.
- Can I get Pell Grants at an ABHE accredited Bible college?
- Yes, if the school participates in Title IV federal student aid. ABHE accreditation is what makes participation possible, but it does not guarantee it, so confirm the school's federal school code before you file the FAFSA.
Compare tuition side by side
Filter accredited Bible colleges by cost, format, and location to find a program that fits your budget.
Browse all schools