Category: Postsecondary

If an out of state program has any presence in Connecticut it must obtain a license from the state. However these institutions are not accredited by the State of Connecticut because the degree is granted in their home state. To offer programs in Connecticut that involve presence all out of state institutions must have regional accreditation as required by Connecticut.

Application Process

Out of state institutions planning to establish a presence in Connecticut and offer programs should use the provided forms. It’s important to note that regional accreditation is mandatory for out of state institutions applying for licensure. When submitting an application to the Office of Higher Education all proposals for academic programs will be shared with the chief academic officers at private and public higher education institutions in Connecticut.

Forms

• Circulation Instructions
• Program Modification Form; To make changes to existing program offerings
• Relicensure Application
• Institutional Licensure; For new institutions
• Program Application; For currently licensed institutions proposing new programs
• Program Circulation Document

Out of state institutions without a physical presence, in Connecticut but wishing to offer online courses/programs to residents of Connecticut should refer to the provided guidance.

The Minority Advancement Program (MAP) aims to enhance diversity among college students and graduates in Connecticut. Since its establishment in 1983 MAP has played a role in assisting Connecticut colleges and universities with recruiting and enrolling more minority students. Currently minority students make up 32 percent of the public college and university enrollments totaling 31,654 individuals. This percentage has increased from 20.6 percent ten years ago. Is higher than the overall minority population percentage of 26.7 percent based on the 2010 Census.

Recently MAP has shifted its focus towards addressing the retention and graduation rates of minority students, which have been lower compared to student groups. In the year 2009 10 only 2,907 degrees were awarded to minority undergraduates by public colleges and universities accounting for approximately 20 percent of the total degrees awarded. This emphasizes the importance of initiatives supported by MAP that promote awareness about college opportunities and readiness programs.

The Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program (ConnCAP) is a grant program that encourages all colleges and universities in Connecticut to establish pre college programs for students from low income backgrounds or those who may be the first, in their families to attend college.

ConnCAP focuses on two goals; equipping underrepresented students with the necessary skills and motivation to graduate from high school successfully; as well as preparing them to enter postsecondary education with confidence so they can thrive academically.

The main objective is to enhance the capabilities of education institutions in promoting college access and success for underrepresented minority students. For the 2011 2012 period funding has been allocated to seven programs;

• University of Bridgeport assisting 50 students
• University of Connecticut Health Center assisting 100 students
• University of Connecticut, Storrs assisting 50 students
• Western Connecticut State University assisting 120 students
• Central Connecticut State University assisting 125 students
• Naugatuck Valley Community College assisting 105 students
• Southern Connecticut State University assisting 110 students

The Community College Scholars (CCS) program supports initiatives that aim to improve the retention and graduation rates of underrepresented college students. CCS achieves this by providing grants to community colleges, across Connecticut.
In the year 2011 2012 there were seven programs that received funding;

• Naugatuck Valley Community College had 80 students enrolled.
• Norwalk Community College had 50 students enrolled.
• Quinebaug Valley Community College had 50 students enrolled.
• Three Rivers Community College had 77 students enrolled.
• Capital Community College had 80 students enrolled.
• Housatonic Community College had 77 students enrolled.
• Manchester Community College had 60 students enrolled.

There is also a program called the University Success Program (USP) that focuses on assisting students, in four year institutions. In the academic year four programs were funded;

• Southern Connecticut State University had 25 students.
• The University of Connecticut Storrs also served 25 matriculating students.
• Central Connecticut State University had 60 matriculating students.
• Eastern Connecticut State University had 65 students.

The Statewide OER Council

As of July 1 2019 Public Act Number 19 117 established the Open Educational Resources Council. This statewide body is responsible for developing a plan to provide resources that will benefit college students across Connecticut.

To find out information, about the Connecticut Open Educational Resources Coordinating Council and its initiatives please visit their official website.

What do we mean by OER?

Open Educational Resources (OER) refer to teaching, learning or research materials that’re freely available to users. These resources can be found in forms and are either in the public domain or released under open copyright licenses that allow for their free use, modification and sharing with proper attribution. OER collections often include media resources from all over the world encompassing full courses, lectures, quizzes, classroom activities, pedagogical materials and more.

Institutions located outside Connecticut that wish to offer courses or programs to residents of the state should carefully review Sections 10a 34 23 and 10a 34 24 of the Regulations for Licensure and Accreditation of Institutions and Programs of Higher Education. These sections will help determine whether approval is required or not.

The definition of ” presence” is limited to what is mentioned in this section.

If your institution believes that its activities in the State of Connecticut can be considered as having a presence there then it should submit a complete application for licensure. If your institution does not have a presence in the State of Connecticut these regulations do not apply.

Currently the Office of Higher Education does not regulate student placements in settings unless the institution has a physical presence in Connecticut (refer to 10a 34 24 above).

While each institution should review the information provided above as guidance it’s important to note that 100%) distance education programs and courses delivered entirely online by out of state institutions are not subject to approval, by the Connecticut Office of Higher Education. All out-of-state colleges offering programs and courses are encouraged to register here.

Furthermore as, per the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Education on March 17 2011 (GEN 11 05) there is no need for institutions to present a document stating that they are not required to be authorized by a state in order to comply with state authorization regulations (refer to #22). The Office of Higher Education does not issue letters.

Section 10a 34 24. Programs Offered by Out of State Institutions

(a) Eligibility; Any institution present within the state must adhere to the regulations outlined in the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. For an institution chartered or incorporated in another state to qualify for licensure and operate a program, in Connecticut it must hold accreditation from a nationally recognized regional accrediting association and possess legal authorization to function as a higher education institution and grant degrees within its home state.
(b) Licensure requirements;The institution must demonstrate compliance with all procedures and standards outlined in Sections 10a 34 9 through 10a 34 24 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies that pertain to the program(s) intended to be offered in Connecticut. Additionally there should be administrative staff present on site who are responsible for overseeing all educational activities, including instruction, counseling, advising, library services and maintenance of academic records.

Section 10a 34 23; Off Campus Instruction, Correspondence Courses and Use of Electronic Media

Any accredited institution offering credit instruction away from its campus through correspondence, electronic media or other distance education methods must adhere to the same standards as on campus instruction. These standards include;

(a) Ensuring that all credit instruction aligns with the purposes and objectives of the institution.
(b) Applying admission standards that are equivalent to those for students enrolled on the campus.
(c) Appointing faculty or staff members responsible for coordinating off campus instruction.
(d) Holding the same academic unit accountable for maintaining the quality of off campus instruction, including faculty selection and course approval as it does for programs offered on the campus.
(e) Developing curricula, from approved programs.
Each course must maintain quality, content and standards comparable to the courses offered on our main campus.
(f) Qualified instructional staff will be responsible for delivering instruction as outlined in Section 10a 34 13 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
(g) All students should have access to facilities, equipment, library resources, academic advising and other essential instructional support services. These requirements align with the guidelines specified in Sections 10a 34 9 through 10a 34 24 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Institutions offering distance education programs can demonstrate compliance with the Boards approval standards using methods to those used for on campus instruction.

To offer distance education programs to students in Connecticut, colleges and universities that do not have a presence in the state and are not part of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) must apply to the CT Office of Higher Education. The registration will be valid until December 31 2020.

Then it needs to be renewed annually. It’s important to note that currently the Office of Higher Education does not authorize instruction that is solely based on internships, externships, student teaching, clinical placements, field placements or practical experience.

For an Institution of Higher Education to be considered eligible;

• The institution must have a Federal Composite Financial Score of 1.5 or higher. However institutions with scores between 1.0 1.49 will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
• The institution should have a webpage for student complaints which refers Connecticut students to the Office of Higher Education for handling complaints from, out of state students.
• It should have national accreditation.

To ensure the protection of consumers institutions that are not part of the program must fulfill certain academic, financial and procedural obligations. These include;

• Adhering to the Interregional Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education, which have been adopted by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions. You can find these guidelines Online_Learning_Guidelines.
• Collaborating with the Connecticut Office of Higher Education to address any complaints from students in Connecticut and respecting their decisions.
• Informing students in writing about whether a course or program that typically leads to licensure meets Connecticuts licensure requirements or if it is uncertain whether it does.
• Paying an annual non refundable Out of State Application fee for Connecticut. Please make checks payable, to Treasurer, State of Connecticut.

Here are the annual application fees for out of state SARA institutions;

$3,000 for institutions with FTE under 1,999
$6,000 for institutions with FTE 2,000 – 9,999
$9,000 for institutions with FTE 10,000+

If your institution is interested in offering distance education programs to students in Connecticut please complete the registration form using one of the following options;

For payments made via ACH/eCheck please use this form; ACH/eCheck Form
For payments made by credit card please use this form; Credit Card Form*
(*Please note that an additional 3% convenience fee will apply)

Provisional Authorization;

1. DeVry University
2. National American University

Authorized Institutions;

1. University Of Arizona Global Campus
2. Univesrity Of Massachusetts Global Campus
3. California Intercontinental Unversity
4. University Of California Berkeley
5. Golden Gate Unveristy
6. University of Leadership and Ministry Inc.
7. Chamberlain University
8. MTI College
9. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
10. Academy of Art University
11. Aspen University
12. United States University
13. Loyola Marymount University
14. San Jose State University
15. Fuller Theological Seminary
16. Biola University
17. University of California Davis
18. Institute of Culinary Education
19. National University
20. University of St Augustine, for Health Sciences (various campuses mentioned)
21. Chamberlain Unversity (mentioned again)
22. California Coast Unversity
23. William Jessup Unversity
24. Los Angeles Film School
25. Fielding Graduate University
26. Pacific College of Health and Science
27. California Institute of Integral Studies
28. Walden University

Promoting Diversity in Higher Education
Discover grant programs designed to enhance diversity among college students and graduates.

Authorizing Vocational Training Schools
We carefully. Approve postsecondary schools that offer vocational training programs.

Access Important Data with Ease
Easily access data on degrees conferred collegiate enrollment, academic programs and postsecondary institutions through our searchable databases.

Financial Aid Support for Students
Get all the information you need about student financial aid options to help fund your education.

Veterans; Program Approval & Benefits
Certifying officials can find information regarding program approval and benefits, for veterans.

SARA; Simplifying State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement
Find out how SARA benefits both students and institutions by streamlining state authorization processes.

Approval Process for Academic Programs
Ensuring the quality and credibility of institutions, programs and out of state institutions.

Commitment to Information Security
Protecting consumer records is our priority. Learn more about our agencys policy on information security.

The Office of Higher Education (OHE) is responsible for granting licenses and accrediting colleges and universities in Connecticut. In accordance with state laws OHE must approve proposals from these institutions for purposes including;

• Evaluating program modifications, which can be either non substantive changes to existing programs.
• Granting a license that allows institutions to enroll students in specific programs.
• Providing accreditation that enables institutions to confer degrees upon completion of programs.

Once an application is received OHE reviews it within 45 days. During this period the OHE staff carefully assesses the proposal. May reach out to college officials if they have any questions or require additional information. Successful proposals are those that meet all the standards set by the state.

In some cases additional review beyond the 45 day period may be necessary, for;

• Proposals aimed at establishing new educational institutions.
• Proposals pertaining to academic programs in fields previously unexplored by the applying institution.
• Proposals introducing programs at degree levels not previously offered by the applying institution.

There are two types of additional review;

1. A Focused Review involves getting input from an expert in the proposed content field who is located outside of the state.
2. An On site Review is conducted by a team of evaluation experts from out of state at the institution itself. This type of review usually happens when a new institution applies for licensure and it typically takes 9 months.

Accreditation

Applications for program accreditation that provide evidence of programmatic accreditation from an external professional accrediting agency may be considered by OHE as meeting state academic standards.

Regarding accreditation OHE accepts regional accreditation (i.e. accreditation, from a regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) instead of state accreditation unless there are specific reasons not to do so.OHE recognizes accreditation, which refers to accreditation by a national accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This recognition is applicable for Connecticut independent institutions of higher education that were accredited before July 1 2013 unless there are specific reasons not to accept it.

• Application, for Program Reaccreditation (to be used when program accreditation has an expiration date)
• Accreditation for Programs

Circulation Requirements

When applying for licensure of programs they must be circulated among all public and independent colleges and universities in Connecticut. The circulation period lasts for 15 days. Is managed by OHE after receiving both the licensure application and circulation form through regular mail.

If any institution wishes to provide feedback on the application they need to send their statements to both OHE and the applicant institution. The applicant institution must then respond to these comments addressing both OHE and the commenting institution.

Applications

To ensure time for review and student recruitment applications for approval of new academic programs and institutions should be submitted to OHE as early as possible prior, to their planned implementation.State regulations require that the specified actions be completed nine months, in advance;

• Request program modification if necessary
• Submit a progress report
• Obtain licensure
• Submit the program application
• Prepare and distribute the program circulation document
• Follow the circulation instructions

Starting from July 1 2019 and in line with Public Act 19 26 specific non profit private colleges and universities are no longer required to go through the OHE approval process for up to twelve programs of higher education in a single academic year including any program modifications. To be eligible for this exemption higher education institutions must meet the criteria;

• Have been located within the state. Hold accreditation as a degree granting institution in good standing for at least ten years by a regional accrediting association recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education while maintaining such accreditation status.
• Maintain eligibility to participate in financial aid programs governed by Title IV, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
• Possess a financial responsibility score determined by the United States Department of Education that is equal to or greater than 1.5 for the most recent fiscal year where data is available.

Institutions exempted from this process must submit documents to OHE;

• An application seeking approval for any program of higher education exceeding twelve programs in one academic year.
• A program actions form (provided below), before enrolling students into any program of higher education or any existing program undergoing modifications.

In order to comply with OHE regulations institutions that are exempt must submit the following information to OHE by July 1 each year;

• Details about the institutions current process for approving programs including all decisions made by the governing board regarding new program approvals.
• The recent available composite score for financial responsibility as determined by the United States Department of Education.
• A list and brief explanation of any higher education programs introduced by the institution in the previous academic year.
• A list of any programs that were discontinued during the academic year.

To notify about programs modifications to existing programs or termination of programs please complete one of the following forms;

• Program Modification Form
• Program Termination Form
• New Program Form

The Office of Higher Education is responsible for ensuring the protection and well being of students and prospective students who attend colleges and universities in Connecticut. Their main goal is to ensure that these institutions, whether non profit or for profit meet the standards of quality and comply with both state and federal regulations. This includes overseeing programs offered by out of state schools within Connecticut postsecondary career schools, as well as programs that enroll veterans.

If you are looking for information on how out of state institutions can register to offer distance education programs to students, in Connecticut please click on the “Out of State Online Registration” link located in the column of this page.

Licensure and Accreditation of Degree-Granting Institutions

• • Process, Applications for Connecticut Institutions of Higher Learning
  • Process, Applications for Programs Offered by Institutions Located Outside of Connecticut
  • Regulations
• Postsecondary Career School Authorization
• Veterans Program Approval and Benefits