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.
