The following regional and national accrediting agencies are recognized by the Secretary as reliable authorities concerning the quality of education or training offered by the institutions of higher education or higher education programs they accredit.

The dates specified for each entry are (1) the date of initial listing as a nationally recognized accrediting agency, (2) the date of the most recent review for renewed recognition of the agency by Department staff and by the NACIQI, and (3) the date of the next scheduled review of the agency’s compliance report or full petition for renewal of recognition. (Note: S=Spring NACIQI meeting; F=Fall NACIQI meeting; C= Compliance Report)

Unless otherwise noted in a Title IV note after the agency’s name, accreditation by an agency listed below may be used by an institution accredited by the agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. Since December 1999, the Department has been routinely including distance education (defined at the time to include correspondence education) in its in-depth review of all agencies seeking initial or continued recognition. Consequently, all recognition decisions made after December 1, 1999 and prior to July 2010 include a determination as to whether an agency’s scope of recognition includes the accreditation of distance education. Beginning in July 2010, at each review for renewal of recognition, an agency will be expected to demonstrate its evaluation of distance education and/or correspondence education in order to retain distance education and/or correspondence education in its scope of recognition.

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
1967/2011/S2016
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary, non-degree-granting institutions and degree-granting institutions in the United States, including those granting associate , baccalaureate and master’s degrees, that are predominantly organized to educate students for occupational, trade and technical careers, and including institutions that offer programs via distance education.

Michale McComis, Executive Director
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 302
Arlington, Virginia 22201
Tel. (703) 247-4212, Fax (703) 247-4533
E-mail address: mccomis@accsc.org
Web address: www.accsc.org

Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
1978/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of institutions of higher education that offer continuing education and vocational programs that confer certificates or occupational associate degrees, including those programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only those institutions classified by this agency as "vocational " may use accreditation by the agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Roger J. Williams, Executive Director
1722 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 955-1113, Fax (202) 955-1118
E-mail address: rjwilliams@accet.org
Web address: www.accet.org

Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
1956/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of private postsecondary institutions offering certificates or diplomas, and postsecondary institutions offering associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees in programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or occupational careers, including those that offer those programs via distance education.

Albert C. Gray
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
750 First Street, NE, Suite 980
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Tel. (202) 336-6780, Fax (202) 842-2593
E-mail address: agray@acics.org
Web address: www.acics.org

Council on Occupational Education
1969/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidacy Status") throughout the United States of postsecondary occupational education institutions offering non-degree and applied associate degree programs in specific career and technical education fields, including institutions that offer programs via distance education.

Gary Puckett, Executive Director
7840 Roswell Road, Building 300, Suite 325
Atlanta, Georgia 30350
Tel. (770) 396-3898, (800) 917-2081, Fax (770) 396-3790
E-mail address: puckettg@council.org
Web address: www.council.org

Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
1959/2012/S2017
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer degree programs primarily by distance education up through professional doctoral degrees, and are specifically certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes; and for the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States not participating in Title IV that offer programs primarily by distance education or correspondence education up through professional doctoral degrees.
Title IV Note: Only accredited institutions that are certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility of its degree granting programs to participate in Title IV programs.

Leah K. Matthews, Executive Director
1601 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel. (202) 234-5100, Fax (202) 332-1386
E-mail address: info@detc.org
Web address:www.detc.org

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
1952/2012/F2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidacy status") of institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including distance and correspondence education programs offered at those institutions.

Elizabeth H. Sibolski, President
3624 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Tel. (267) 284-5000, Fax (215) 662-5950
E-mail address: info@msche.org
Web address: www.msche.org

Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools
2004/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions with postsecondary, non-degree granting career and technology programs in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands including those that offer all or part of their educational programs via distance education modalities.
Title IV Note:Only those vocational/technical schools accredited by this agency that offer non-degree, postsecondary education may use that accreditation to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Henry Cram, President
3624 Market Street, 2 West
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-2680
Tel. (267) 284-5000, Fax (215) 662-0957
E-mail address: kkastle@cess-msa.org
Web address: www.css-msa.org

New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
1952/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidacy status") of institutions of higher education in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that award associate's, bachelor's, master's, and/or doctoral degrees, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the Board of Trustees of the Association jointly with the Commission for decisions involving pre-accreditation, initial accreditation, and adverse actions.

Barbara E. Brittingham, Director
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803-4514
Tel. (781) 425-7700, Fax (781) 425-1001
E-mail address:bbrittingham@neasc.org
Web address: www.neasc.org

New York State Board of Regents, and the Commissioner of Education
1952/2012/F2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of those degree-granting institutions of higher education in New York, including distance education offered by those institutions, that designate the agency as their sole or primary nationally recognized accrediting agency for purposes of establishing eligibility to participate in HEA programs.

John B. King, Jr., Commissioner of Education
State Education Department
The University of the State of New York
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
Tel. (518) 474-5844 Fax (518) 473-4909
E-Mail address: jking@mail.nysed.gov
Web address: www.nysed.gov

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
1952/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") of degree-granting institutions of higher education in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including tribal institutions, and the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the Institutional Actions Committee jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or reaffirmation and continued candidacy. This recognition also extends to the Review Committee of the Accreditation Review Council, jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission, for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or candidacy and for initial candidacy or initial accreditation when there is a consensus decision by the Review Committee.

Sylvia Manning, President
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413
Tel. (312) 263-0456, (800) 621-7440, Fax (312) 263-7462
E-mail address: smanning@hlcommission.org
Web address: www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
1952/2008/F2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidacy status") of postsecondary degree-granting educational institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions.

Sandra E. Elman, President
8060 165th Avenue, NE, Suite 100
Redmond, Washington 98052
Tel. (425) 558-4224, Fax (425) 376-0596
E-mail address: selman@nwccu.org
Web address: www.nwccu.org

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
1952/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidate for Accreditation”) of degree-granting institutions of higher education in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance and correspondence education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees and the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly on cases of initial candidacy or initial accreditation and for continued accreditation or candidacy.

Belle S. Wheelan, President
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Tel. (404) 679-4512, Fax (404) 679-4528
E-mail address: bwheelan@sacscoc.org
Web address: www.sacscoc.org

Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission
1991/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidate” status) of Christian postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer certificates, diplomas, and associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees, including institutions that offer distance education.

T. Paul Boatner, President
P.O. Box 328
Forest, Virginia 24551
Tel. (434) 525-9539, Fax (434) 525-9538
E-mail address: info@tracs.org
Web address: www.tracs.org

Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
1952/2008/F2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") of two-year, associate degree-granting institutions located in California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education at these colleges.

Barbara A. Beno, President
10 Commercial Boulevard, Suite 204
Novato, California 94949
Tel. (415) 506-0234, Fax (415) 506-0238
E-mail address: accjc@accjc.org
Web address: www.wascweb.org

Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
1952/2012/F2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") of senior colleges and universities in California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including distance education programs offered at those institutions.

Ralph Wolff
President and Executive Director
985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100
Alameda, California 94501
Tel. (510) 748-9001, Fax (510) 748-9797
E-mail address: wascsr@wascsenior.org
Web address: www.wascweb.org