The federal government provides varying types of support to postsecondary students and schools, including student financial assistance (e.g., Pell Grants and Direct Loans) authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Postsecondary schools seeking to participate in these federal programs must meet a variety of requirements, including being accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) as a reliable authority on the quality of the education being offered. The United States does not have a centralized authority exercising singular national control over postsecondary educational institutions. Consequently, the character and quality of postsecondary schools and their programs can vary widely. The role of accreditation in higher education is to serve as a marker of a level of acceptable quality across the wide array of postsecondary schools and educational programs. The accreditation process is voluntary and educational institutions or programs must request it. While ED-recognized accrediting agencies' review processes are guided in part by federal requirements, specific procedures for reviews are adopted by the individual agencies and vary among them. This report provides an overview of accreditation of postsecondary education in the United States, including its role in the HEA Title IV program integrity triad. It begins with a brief history of accreditation's historical role and purpose in higher education. It then describes the organization of accrediting agencies and the accreditation process. Finally, it discusses the federal role in accreditation.