Yes — Moody Bible Institute is fully accredited, and unusually, on three levels at once. Its institutional accreditor is the Higher Learning Commission, the same agency behind most universities across the Midwest. It also holds accreditation from the Association for Biblical Higher Education, the national accreditor built specifically for Bible colleges.
Moody Theological Seminary, the graduate school at 820 N. LaSalle Blvd in Chicago, carries its own accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools.
What each accreditation covers
- Higher Learning Commission (institutional). Covers Moody as a degree-granting institution — undergraduate, graduate, campus, and distance. This is what makes credits broadly transferable and degrees recognized by employers and graduate schools.
- ABHE (faith-based, national). The Bible-college accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Moody's ABHE status also authorizes it to deliver programs by distance and correspondence education. Read our ABHE guide for what that recognition means.
- ATS (graduate theological). Covers Moody Theological Seminary's MDiv and graduate degrees — the credential most ordination boards and chaplaincy endorsers require.
What it means in practice
- Federal aid: Moody participates in Title IV, so the FAFSA, Pell Grants, and federal loans apply. See our FAFSA guide.
- Transfer: HLC accreditation means other accredited colleges evaluate Moody credits normally. More detail in do Bible college credits transfer?
- Ordination and graduate study: An ATS-accredited MDiv from Moody Theological Seminary meets the standard denominations and doctoral programs expect.
How to verify this yourself
Do not take anyone's word for accreditation, including ours. Search Moody in the Department of Education's DAPIP database, confirm the seminary in the ATS member list, and check the institution's current status on the HLC directory. Our step-by-step verification guide shows what each entry should look like.
Related reading
Compare Moody with other Chicago-area schools in our Chicago Bible colleges guide, or see Liberty University and Payne Theological Seminary for the same check on other schools.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Moody Bible Institute accredited?
- Yes. Moody Bible Institute is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and by the Association for Biblical Higher Education Commission on Accreditation. Its graduate arm, Moody Theological Seminary, is separately accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools.
- Is Moody regionally accredited?
- Yes. The Higher Learning Commission is the institutional accreditor covering the North Central region, which includes Illinois — what people traditionally call regional accreditation. That places Moody credits on the same footing as credits from other HLC-accredited universities.
- Is Moody Theological Seminary ATS-accredited?
- Yes. Moody Theological Seminary is a member school of the Association of Theological Schools with an ATS Commission statement of accredited status, which is the standard credential denominations and chaplaincy boards look for in a graduate divinity degree.
- Can I use FAFSA at Moody Bible Institute?
- Yes. Moody participates in Title IV federal student aid, so eligible students can file the FAFSA and receive Pell Grants and federal loans. Moody has historically subsidized undergraduate tuition heavily for its Chicago campus students, so file the FAFSA and then ask the financial aid office what your actual net cost will be.
- Do Moody credits transfer to other colleges?
- Generally yes. Because Moody holds HLC institutional accreditation, other accredited colleges will evaluate its credits under their normal transfer policies. The receiving registrar always makes the final decision, and heavily Bible-specific courses may transfer as electives rather than direct equivalents.
- Is Moody Bible Institute free?
- Not entirely, and not any longer for every student. Moody was known for decades for charging no tuition to undergraduates on its Chicago campus, funded by donors. That model has narrowed over time, and fees, housing, and online or graduate programs are charged normally. Confirm current pricing with Moody directly before assuming a tuition-free package.
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