Case Western Reserve University has been accredited since 1913 by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, one of the six regional agencies that accredit U.S. colleges and universities at the institutional level. Accreditation is based on an evaluation of the entire institution within the context of its mission and the agency's criteria for accreditation, and provides assurance to the public and to prospective students that standards of quality have been met.

The Higher Learning Commission reviews institutions for continued accreditation on a ten-year cycle. An accreditation team evaluates all aspects of an institution - its educational programs, faculty, financial resources, student services, governance, administration, and relationships with the community. Case's preparations for its site visit, which took place on April 11-13, 2005, included a wide-ranging self-study in which the university assessed its own activities and accomplishments against the five criteria for accreditation established by the Commission.

Information on the evaluation team's report is available here.