The speech-language pathology Clinical Fellowship
ASHA’s Clinical Fellowship (CF) is a mentored professional experience after graduate coursework and clinical practicum. It must last at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours, be split into three segments, and be finished within 48 months. The mentor must hold a current CCC-SLP.
Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
What it is
ASHA’s Guide to the ASHA Clinical Fellowship Experience, checked November 10, 2026, states: “The SLP CF is a mentored professional experience that begins after the completion of academic course work and clinical practicum.” It states that the goal of the CF “is to allow the Clinical Fellow to transition between being a student enrolled in a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program and being a fully credentialled provider of speech-language pathology clinical services.” ASHA says the page gives detail on Standard VII of the 2020 SLP Certification Standards and is not intended to replace the standards’ language.
Duration and hours
- “As a Clinical Fellow, you must work at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours to meet the ASHA CF experience requirement.”
- “In addition, you must work at least 5 hours per week to be able to count the hours/week toward the minimum requirement.”
- “Travel, lunch, vacations or holidays, leaves of absence, and other forms of paid or unpaid time off cannot be counted toward your number of hours worked per week.”
- “Working more than 35 hours per week does not shorten the length of the CF experience.”
- “The CF experience must be completed within four years (48 months) from the date the CF began.”
Segments and clinical work
The guide states the CF is “divided into three segments, each at least 12 weeks long and representing one third of the total experience.” It states: “A minimum of 80% of the CF experience must be spent in direct clinical contact related to the management of disorders that fit within the ASHA Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology.” And: “Up to 20% of the CF experience may be spent doing other activities such as attending in-services or providing trainings and presentations.”
When it can start
The guide states: “The CF cannot begin until you have completed all required graduate credit hours, academic coursework, and clinical experiences necessary to meet the knowledge and skills listed in Standards IV and V”. It also states: “Professional experiences prior to the completion of all academic coursework and practicum cannot be used or applied toward your CF experience.”
The mentor
The guide says mentoring SLPs must hold a current CCC-SLP, have a minimum of 9 months of full-time (or part-time equivalent) clinical experience after earning the CCC-SLP, and “have completed a minimum of 2 hours of professional development in the area of supervision after earning the CCC-SLP.” It also states: “The CF mentor and Clinical Fellow cannot be related in any way.” And: “It is a Clinical Fellow's responsibility to verify their CF mentor's status to ensure their mentor's certification remains current throughout the duration of the CF experience.” Use ASHA’s certification verification.
On supervision, the guide states: “6 hours of direct supervision and 6 hours of indirect supervision is required from each mentor during each segment (or part-segment) for the time to count toward your CF.” It also states: “At least 3 direct observation hours per segment and per mentor must occur in person.”
Finishing
The guide states that the Clinical Fellow “must receive a score of ‘2’ or better on all skills” on the 2020 Clinical Fellowship Skills Inventory (CFSI) during the final segment of the CF experience. It states that CF mentors “must complete the verification within 90 days of notification from ASHA.” ASHA’s How to Apply page states: “There is no need to wait until the conclusion of your Clinical Fellowship (CF) experience to apply for ASHA certification.”
State licensure during the CF
The guide tells Clinical Fellows: “Contact your state regulatory agency/licensing board for licensure requirements.” The ASLP-IC FAQ states: “If your role requires supervision (such as a clinical fellowship), you are not eligible to practice through the compact.”
This page copies no ASHA fee amounts and does not say how long any one CF takes beyond ASHA’s minimums.