Arkansas Division of Higher Education
Agency Contact
Additional Contact
Secretary of State Contact
1: Important Agency Information to Note
Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes.
- Note: Some agencies may refer to out-of-state public institutions as “private colleges” in their law. If this is the case for your agency, please select “public, out-of-state degree granting institutions” for purposes of this Guide so that the out-of-state public institution will find appropriate information.
- Note: If your agency is a coordinating board, your agency may have one division with some authority such as program approval over in-state public institutions that are established per statute, which is structured differently than another division of your agency with state authorization authority over non-public institutions that they “license” pursuant to different statute(s).
__X____ Public, in-state degree granting institutions
__X____ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X*___ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X____ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X____ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X____ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X**___ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X***__ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X***__ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_______ Religious institutions
_______ Tribally-controlled institutions
_______ Federal Institutions
_______ Municipal institutions
- For example, an agency may require an institution apply for licensure for institutional approval and also require the institution to apply for specific program(s) approval.
____ Institution
___X__ Program
_____ Both
*ADHE authorizes only private, in-state institutions established after 1975 (state law). Private in-state institutions can also seek “independent” status, which means they are treated like the institutions established before 1975.
**ADHE authorizes out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions only if those institutions provide online courses and/or programs.
***ADHE authorizes most non-degree institutions with a few exceptions (dance and fitness classes, religious training, training on military bases, etc. are exempt from authorization).
2: Authorization of Distance Education
Yes
No response provided
3: Accreditation by an Accrediting Agency Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
Yes for degree granting institutions, No for non-degree granting schools.
Accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education required for:
__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_____ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions
No response provided
4: Physical Presence Policy
If a program is offered to a student in our state, whether at a physical location or by distance education, that program needs to get authorization to be offered in the state. There are programs that are exempt from this regulation.
Does a virtual clinical / internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?
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5: Application Process
Degree granting institutions: Institutions would need to complete Forms 3, 12, 5, 13, 14, 15, and 16
Non-degree granting schools: Schools need forms 1000, 2000, 3000 (depending on type of school), and forms/fingerprint card for FBI Background Check.
Degree granting institutions: https://www.adhe.edu/institutions/academic-affairs/institutional-certification-advisory-committee/
Non-degree granting schools: https://www.adhe.edu/private-career-education/forms/
No response provided
6: Fees Associated with Authorization
Degree-granting institutions: Yes, there is a $500 fee per program.
Non-degree granting schools: https://www.adhe.edu/private-career-education/forms/
(Fees listed in Word Doc)
Call ADHE at 501-371-2060 for the fee schedule.
Degree granting institutions: https://www.adhe.edu/institutions/academic-affairs/institutional-certification-advisory-committee/
Non-degree granting schools: https://www.adhe.edu/private-career-education/forms/
(Fees listed in Word Doc)
No response provided
7: Surety Bonds
It depends. Postsecondary institutions authorized to offer college-level course/degree programs in Arkansas will maintain a surety bond unless the institution maintains a minimum financial responsibility composite score of 1.5 determined by the U.S. Department of Education.
If an institution is degree granting, non-public, and has a federal financial composite score of below 1.5, the surety bond is required.
8: Student Tuition Recovery Fund
Yes
Only for private, non-degree granting schools (called “private career schools” in Arkansas)
For private, non-degree granting schools
No response provided
9: Tuition Refund Policy
Yes, for schools offering certificates and diplomas only, not for degree-granting schools.
Private, non-degree granting institutions
When a school closes, students must apply to ADHE for a tuition refund.
10: Reporting
Degree Granting Institutions: Non-SARA, out-of-state and/or private institutions must report annually how much that was collected in tuition from Arkansas students each year and how many Arkansas students are enrolled and how many graduated in each authorized program.
Non-degree granting schools: Schools must report annually the number of students enrolled, how many of those students were new students, how many terminated enrollments, how many graduates, and tuition collected per program.
Annually
The degree granting institutions’ information is reported at the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board meeting, which is a public meeting.
Degree granting institutions: Forms not on our website.
Non-degree granting institutions: https://sbpce.wufoo.com/forms/zbve8rr0g25nnt/
No response provided
11: Enforcement
Do not have one. ADHE would refer to the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office. It is a Class B Misdemeanor in Arkansas for an institution to not comply with this law. https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/2012/title-6/subtitle-5/chapter-61/subchapter-3/section-6-61-301
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12: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions
ADHE receives the complaint, then contacts the institution to try and resolve the complaint.
Degree-granting institutions: https://www.adhe.edu/students-parents/colleges-universites/student-grievance-form/
Non-degree granting schools: https://sbpce.wufoo.com/forms/form-8040-complaint-form/
No. Those complaints would be handled by the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office. It is a Class B Misdemeanor in Arkansas for an institution to not comply with the law.
All out-of-state complaints go to Alana Colburn. Complaints from public institutions are handed by Alisha Lewis.
Contact Name: Alana Colburn
Title: Associate Director of Private Postsecondary Education and Transfer Programs
Agency: ADHE
Address: 101 E. Capitol, Suite 300, Little Rock, AR 72201
Email: alana.colburn@adhe.edu
Phone: 501-371-2000
URL:
No response provided
13: Records Retention
Institutions offering degree programs must maintain a plan for catastrophic events. Schools offering certificates and diplomas are required to keep student records in a fireproof container and to give to ADHE should a catastrophic event occur.
Agency Name: ADHE
Contact Person: Alana Colburn or Tracye McKeown
Contact Phone: 501-371-2000
Contact Address: 101 E. Capitol, Suite 300, Little Rock, AR 72201
Contact Email: alana.colburn@adhe.edu
Contact website: https://www.adhe.edu/private-career-education
No response provided
14: Additional Information
Out-of-state institutions offering only clinicals, internships, externships or other types of experiential learning are not required to obtain authorization by ADHE. ADHE does not have any type of record of this type of learning going on in Arkansas.
No response provided
Please note: There could be additional state agencies with oversight of activities of your institution.