Responses Last Confirmed:

Connecticut Office of Higher Education

Agency Contact

Sean Seepersad
(860) 947-1837
sean.seepersad@ct.gov

Additional Contact

Emily Bjornberg
(860) 947-1824

Secretary of State Contact

Stephanie Thomas
860-509-6200
Stephanie.Thomas@ct.gov
Topic

1: Important Agency Information to Note

b.
What types of institutions are subject to this agency’s authority?

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).

_____    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
_____    Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____    Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__    Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X__    Non-degree, for-profit institutions
__X__    Religious institutions
_____    Tribally-controlled institutions
_____    Federal Institutions
_____    Municipal institutions

c.
Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?
  • 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   

_____ Program   

__X__ Both

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

2: Authorization of Distance Education

a.
Does your agency require exclusively online offerings offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized?

Yes

Topic

3: Accreditation by an Accrediting Agency Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education

a.
Is accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

Yes

b.
If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate.

Accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education required for: 
__X_ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X_ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ 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

c.
Clarifying comments:

Out of state institutions need to be regionally or nationally accredited. In-state institutions need at a minimum to be state accredited to grant degrees.

Topic

4: Physical Presence Policy

a.
If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence? Include sample triggers.

No response provided

b.
Web link for physical presence definition.

No response provided

c.
Does a clinical/internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

Does a virtual clinical / internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency? 

No response provided

d.
Does a faculty member residing in your state and teaching an online course trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

No response provided

e.
Does advertising targeted to residents of your state trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

No response provided

f.
Does having an administrative site in your state trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

No response provided

g.
Does having a recruiter in your state trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

No response provided

h.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

5: Application Process

a.
Please provide a short description of the application process to obtain state authorization.

No response provided

b.
Web link for application.

Applications for postsecondary institutions with a physical presence: Private Occupational & Hospital-Based Schools (ct.gov)

Applications for non-SARA out-of-state, online institutions (no physical presence): Out-Of-State Online Authorization (ct.gov)

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

6: Fees Associated with Authorization

a.
Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

There are no application fees associated with institutions of higher education with a physical presence. There are application fees associated with non-degree, occupational schools and for non-SARA out-of-state online institutions.

b.
If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

Application Fee New Schools: $2,000; New Branch: $200
Annual Fee: $200 per school, $200 per branch
Renewal of Authorization: $200 per school, $200 per branch
Change of Location: No Fee
Quarterly Payments into the Student Protection Account: .004% of Net Quarterly Tuition Revenue
Change of Ownership: Application Fee $2,000; Each Branch: $200
Annual Out-of-State School Representative Fee $500

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

7: Surety Bonds

a.
Does your agency require a Surety Bond for authorized out-of-state institutions?

No

b.
Web link for surety bonds.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

8: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

a.
Does your agency have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for higher education institution closure)?

Yes

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

Yes, for postsecondary occupational schools/private, non-degree institutions

c.
Web link for student tuition recovery fund.
d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

9: Tuition Refund Policy

a.
Does your agency have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

Yes, for postsecondary occupational schools/private, non-degree institutions

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

10: Reporting

a.
What kinds of information or data must an institution report to your agency as a condition for continued institutional state authorization?

Institutions are required to register with the state on a yearly basis.

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

No response provided

c.
Is this information shared publicly?

Yes.  On the OHE website.

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

11: Enforcement

a.
What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

Loss of authorization.

b.
Web link for enforcement information.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

12: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about non-SARA out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs? (34 CFR 600.9(a))

No response provided

b.
Web link for the non-SARA complaint form.
c.
How does your agency handle a non-SARA complaint from a resident of its state that is against an out-of-state institution that the agency does not authorize?

No response provided

d.
Is the non-SARA process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

OHE handles students complaints for out-of-state, non-SARA institutions.

e.
Who is the contact person or entity for your state for receiving non-SARA student complaints?
  • Contact Name: Emily Bjornberg
  • Title: Senior Consultant, Academic Affairs
  • Agency: Connecticut Office of Higher Education
  • Address: 450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 707, Hartford, CT 06103
  • Email: emily.bjornberg@ct.gov
  • Phone: (860) 947-1824
f.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

13: Records Retention

a.
When a higher education institution closes, what is the process your state uses to ensure that transcripts/records are kept available?

Institutions of higher education would consult without agency before closing the school to ensure students have access to transcripts. For postsecondary occupational schools, the agency keeps the transcripts/records if they school opts not to do so.

b.
From what agency or entity do students request their transcripts/records from a closed higher education institution?
c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

14: Additional Information

a.
Is there anything else about the state authorization process in your state that institutions and others ought to know about?

No response provided

b.
What is your preferred method of communication?

No response provided

 

Please note: There could be additional state agencies with oversight of activities of your institution.