Pennsylvania Department of Education - Division of Higher Education, Access, and Equity
Agency Contact
Additional 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
__x__ Religious institutions
__x__ Tribally-controlled institutions
__x__ Federal Institutions
__x__ 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.
Out-of-State: Both
_____ Institution
_____ Program
__X__ Both
Out-of-State institutions are regulated if physical presence is established.
2: Authorization of Distance Education
- Meaning as example, the state regulates an out-of-state institution for merely enrolling a student into a distance education program
- Meaning as example, a solely online program that does not have any internships and practicums
No.
Degree-granting institutions: Out-of-state degree granting institutions who have a physical presence in PA must be authorized to operate in PA.
Non-degree granting institutions: If out-of-state non-degree-granting institutions recruit in PA, they must be registered.
3: Accreditation by an Accrediting Agency Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
New institutions approved to offer degrees shall have 3 years after commencing operations to obtain candidacy status for total institutional accreditation. Total institutional accreditation must be maintained.
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
_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
_x__ Religious institutions
_x__ Tribally-controlled institutions
_x__ Federal Institutions
_x__ Municipal institutions
- Out-of-state institutions that establish physical presence must be accredited.
- Out-of-State Degree-Granting Institutions with physical presence in PA: accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education and acceptable to the Department
- Non-degree: not required
4: Physical Presence Policy
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Does a virtual clinical / internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?
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Title 22 Chapter 31 – §31.2
Physical presence—The operation of an entity that offers courses, programs, or degrees or maintains a campus, or an administrative, corporate or other address, including a post office box, telephone number, recruiters, instructors, advertising in local media and publications at a location in this Commonwealth.
5: Application Process
An application form must be completed and the appropriate fees must be in accordance with our website.
Any institution seeking authorization must contact the Division of Higher Education, Access, and Equity, as stated on the Institution Resources Website.
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6: Fees Associated with Authorization
Yes.
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Education Enterprise (Out-of-State Authorization): $10,000
Education Enterprise New Program: $1,400
Education Enterprise Renewal: $2,000 every 5 years
SARA Participants: Fee schedule at www.education.pa.gov/SARA
7: Surety Bonds
No.
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Only for non-degree granting institutions
8: Student Tuition Recovery Fund
No
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9: Tuition Refund Policy
Yes, but only for non-degree granting institutions.
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10: Reporting
- Education Enterprises are required to renew every five (5) years. Information to report includes accreditation status, program enrollment, program advisory committee members and meeting minutes from the past three meetings, current administration & faculty, admission requirements, and library and learning resources available to PA students.
- Education Enterprises must also submit an Annual Survey of Educational Programs in January of each year.
- Education Enterprises must comply with Act 16 of 2019 relating to the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program.
- Education Enterprises need to provide assurance that federal student loan disclosures are given to students as required in Act 121 of 2018.
- Renewals: every 5 years
- Annual Reports: Annually by March 1
- Annual Survey of Educational Programs: Annually by January 15
All information is public.
Reminders to submit reports are sent each year. Higher Education Reporting Website
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11: Enforcement
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12: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions
Students may submit a complaint form to the Pennsylvania Department of Education if the institution has a physical presence in PA. If the institution does not have a physical presence, the complaint is forwarded to the state in which the institution is located. Our division will cooperate in any way possible to assist the home state in review of the complaint.
If the complaint is an out-of-state institution, the complaint is sent to the home state that the institution resides.
Complaints are handled within the agency.
Contact Name: Division of Higher Education, Access, and Equity
Title: Administrative Assistant
Agency: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Address: 607 South Drive, Floor 3E, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Email: RA-HigherEducation@pa.gov
Phone: 717-783-6786
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13: Records Retention
Non-degree granting institutions must have a signed repository agreement at all times with another institution to keep records for 50 years in the event of a closure.
Degree-granting institutions must provide us with the location where records will be maintained.
Agency Name: The designated institution/company the institution has contracted with to keep records. A list is published on our website and kept in our office to update students when they call for information.
Contact Person: n/a
Contact Phone: n/a
Contact Address: n/a
Contact Email: n/a
Contact web site: n/a
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14: Additional Information
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Please note: There could be additional state agencies with oversight of activities of your institution.