Government Approval

Both the federal and state governments in the United States depend on accreditation as the means of recognizing schools and institutions.

In addition to accreditation, each state and territorial government licenses or charters schools and higher education institutions within its specific jurisdiction. The federal government does not license or charter schools or institutions except for those directly operated by it for the purpose of educating or training government personnel or their children (when families are stationed overseas). Federal schools and postsecondary institutions are required to be accredited by the appropriate recognized associations.

Federal Assistance Programs

The Higher Education Act, as Amended. authorizes the U.S. Department of Education to determine which postsecondary institutions will be permitted to participate in managing the Student Financial Assistance Programs (SFAP) that help U.S. citizens pay for undergraduate and graduate education. Accreditation by a recognized accrediting association is one of the keys to this permission (refer to Accreditation Described).

There is no federal approval of U.S. institutions other than that required for participation in assistance programs.

State Approval

All states, territories, and associated jurisdictions approve the institutions and other education providers that operate from within their territorial jurisdictions. The nature of this approval process varies widely, ranging from basic corporate licensure or chartering all the way to inspection and evaluation procedures similar to those used by recognized accreditation associations. Most state governments now require licensed or chartered institutions to also have accreditation from a recognized association, or begin the process of accreditation if new.

New York State Board of Regents (NY State Education Department) is the only state education agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accrediting association for degree-granting colleges and universities.

Postsecondary Institutions in New York State provides a list of the institutions accredited by the New York State Board of Regents.

Some other state agencies are recognized by the Secretary of Education for the specific purpose of approving postsecondary vocational and technical schools, and sub-bachelor's degree nurse training schools, that may participate in federal assistance programs. For information on these agencies, refer to:

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education

State Agencies and Accrediting Bodies Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

For information on other state government education agencies, go to State Level Organization.

Foreign Participation

Non-U.S. institutions may petition to participate in the U.S. student financial assistance programs. Participation is useful if a foreign institution enrolls large numbers of U.S. citizens, most of whom will be paying for all or part of their education with U.S. federal funding. U.S. citizens cannot use federal money to study abroad unless they are enrolled in a participating foreign institution.

The U.S. Department of Education is required by U.S. law to certify that the petitioning foreign institution meets the same accreditation (recognition) standards as are applied to participating U.S. institutions, and that the institution agrees to permit U.S. monitoring to ensure that our citizens enrolled abroad spend federal assistance money as they indicated they would at the time of award.

Participation in the Student Financial Assistance Program on the part of foreign institutions is entirely voluntary. The U.S. Department of Education does not require this, nor does it accredit or evaluate the quality or reputations of foreign institutions that agree to participate. It is only concerned to ensure that U.S. citizens use U.S. public funds appropriately and legally, and do not defraud other nations' educational systems as well as our own.

IPOS Foreign Schools Team is the unit within the U.S. Department of Education responsible for administering the eligibility of foreign institutions to participate in U.S. federal student assistance programs.