HLC is an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit degree-granting colleges and universities. Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution's academic programs at all degree levels, whether delivered on-site, online or otherwise. Institutional accreditation also examines the quality of the institution beyond its academic offerings and evaluates the institution as a whole, including the soundness of its governance and administration, adherence to mission, the sustainability of its finances, and the sufficiency of its resources. HLC maintains an active relationship with its member institutions, with frequent communication and regular reviews to ensure quality higher education.

HLC Requirements

HLC's foundational requirements for its member institutions are described in several policies:

• Criteria for Accreditation
• Assumed Practices
• Eligibility Requirements
• Federal Compliance Requirements
• Obligations of Membership

Institutions must meet these requirements in order to achieve and maintain accreditation with HLC. Institutions are also responsible for staying informed about and in compliance with HLC's other institutional policies.

Seeking Accreditation

Degree-granting colleges and universities located within the United States may be eligible to seek accreditation with HLC. HLC offers two routes to achieving accreditation: the Eligibility Process and Candidacy, and an Accelerated Process for Initial Accreditation, which is available for institutions that meet certain criteria, including being accredited by a historically regional accrediting agency or by a state entity that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an institutional accreditor of degree-granting institutions of higher education. Institutions that achieve candidate status become unaccredited members of HLC until they are granted initial accreditation.

Maintaining Accreditation

HLC relies on member institutions' adherence to its expectations and frequently reviews such adherence to ensure quality higher education. HLC also regularly communicates any changes in its expectations. HLC’s relationship with an institution may come under review at any time as the institution’s circumstances change.

Required Evaluations

Pathways for Reaffirmation of Accreditation

Through HLC's Pathways for Reaffirmation of Accreditation, accredited institutions complete periodic reviews on a 10-year cycle to ensure they continue to meet the Criteria for Accreditation and HLC requirements and pursue institutional improvement. There are two pathways: Standard and Open. In the Standard Pathway, institutions are required to undergo comprehensive evaluations in Years 4 and 10. In the Open Pathway, institutions undergo an Assurance Review in Year 4, a comprehensive evaluation in Year 10, and conduct a Quality Initiative between Years 5 and 9.

Institutional Update

The Institutional Update is an annual survey on the organizational health of HLC’s member institutions.

Financial and Non-Financial Indicators

HLC reviews financial and non-financial data from the Institutional Update for specific risk indicators and conducts follow-up with institutions when certain indicators occur. The purpose of this process is to identify institutions that may be at risk of not meeting components of the Criteria for Accreditation or other HLC requirements.

Substantive Change

Member institutions are required to notify HLC or obtain prior HLC approval for certain types of substantive changes to their academic offerings or operations. Changes that may require notification or approval may be related to academic programs, additional locations, branch campuses, contractual arrangements, distance or correspondence education, or other topics.

Multi-Location Visits

Accredited institutions with three or more active additional locations are required to undergo a multi-location visit in Years 3 and 8 of their Pathway for Reaffirmation of Accreditation cycle. The visit confirms the institution's continued effective oversight of its additional locations. (An institution’s additional locations and branch campuses are also reviewed through HLC’s substantive change and comprehensive evaluation processes.)

Monitoring

Additional monitoring of an accredited institution may be required if a peer review team or panel determines that an institution is in compliance with the Criteria for Accreditation, but there is a concern regarding the Criteria for Accreditation or other HLC requirements that requires additional HLC follow-up. This routine monitoring may take the form of a required interim (or embedded) report or focused visit.

The HLC president may also assign special monitoring to an institution, including an institutional designation or advisory visit, as described in policy.

Sanctions, Show-Cause Orders and Adverse Actions

Under certain circumstances, an accredited institution may be found to be at risk of being out of compliance or out of compliance with HLC requirements. The institution may be placed on a sanction, including Notice or Probation, or issued a Show-Cause Order, as appropriate under policy. In such cases, the institution is required to undergo additional evaluations to demonstrate that it has addressed the issues identified and is in compliance with HLC requirements. The institution remains accredited while it is on sanction or under a Show-Cause Order.

In some cases, the HLC Board may take an adverse action, such as withdrawing accreditation from an accredited institution or, in the case of a candidate institution, denying candidacy, withdrawing candidacy status, or denying initial accreditation. Adverse actions are appealable.

Stipulations

Stipulations describe an institution’s accreditation relationship with HLC, including certain approvals and/or limitations placed by HLC on an institution’s development of new activities or programs. An institution’s stipulations are available in its Institutional Status and Requirements Report.

Stipulation Categories

1. Accreditation: provides detailed information regarding a voluntary resignation of HLC accreditation or candidacy, withdrawal of accreditation or candidacy, or Change of Control, Organization or Structure transaction
2. Additional Location: indicates whether an institution has been approved to participate in HLC’s Notification Program for Additional Locations and, if so, at what level
3. Competency-Based Education: lists the direct assessment and credit-based competency-based education programs that the institution is approved to offer
4. Distance and Correspondence Education Courses and Programs: provides the level of approval an institution has to offer distance and correspondence education courses and programs
5. General: lists the institution’s approved degree program levels and, if applicable, program limitations
6. Pell-Eligible Prison Education Programs: lists the institution’s approvals to offer Pell-eligible prison education programs, including its approved programs, locations and modalities
7. Status: for institutions on sanction or Show-Cause, references public information about those statuses

Accreditation Personnel

Institutional Representatives

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO is the principal administrative official responsible for the direction of all affairs and operations of the institution. This individual is the primary contact between the institution and HLC. The CEO is also responsible for appointing other individuals to serve as Accreditation Liaison Officer, Data Update Coordinator and Assurance System Coordinator.
• Accreditation Liaison Officer. The Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) is appointed by the institution’s CEO and serves as a primary contact point, along with the CEO, between the institution and HLC about HLC policies, practices and other matters related to accreditation.
• Chief Academic Officer. The CAO is the senior academic administrator at the institution. HLC asks institutions to provide the CAO's contact information in the Institutional Update.
• Chief Financial Officer. The CFO is the principal administrative official responsible for the finances of the institution. This individual is responsible for providing institutional financial data for the Institutional Update.
• Data Update Coordinator. The Data Update Coordinator is appointed by the institution’s CEO to be responsible for the accuracy and completion of the Institutional Update. The coordinator serves as the contact between the institution and HLC regarding the Institutional Update and is responsible for the timely submission of the Institutional Update.
• Location Coordinator. The Location Coordinator is appointed by the institution's CEO to be responsible for maintaining the institution's additional location and campus records in HLC's online Canopy system. (Note: Institutions are not required to appoint a Location Coordinator; the ALO and CEO may also manage these records in Canopy.)
• Primary Assurance System Coordinator. The Primary Assurance System Coordinator is appointed by the institution’s CEO to be responsible for the development and submission of institutional materials for evaluations conducted in HLC’s online Assurance System.

HLC Staff Liaison

HLC assigns a staff liaison to each member institution. This staff liaison serves as the primary resource person at HLC to that institution. The staff liaison explains HLC policies and procedures and draws on the skills of other staff members to provide effective assistance and service to colleges and universities.

Peer Reviewers

HLC relies on a cadre of carefully selected and trained professionals who serve HLC in its accreditation processes. This group of approximately 1,600 individuals is called the Peer Corps. These volunteers share their knowledge of and direct experience with higher education, their dedication to educational excellence, and their commitment to the principles underlying voluntary accreditation as reflected in HLC policy.

Decision-Making Bodies

Actions on HLC member institutions are taken by decision-making bodies comprised of institutional representatives and public members. The decision-making bodies are the Institutional Actions Council, Board of Trustees and Appeals Body.

Dues and Fees

HLC bills member institutions for annual dues; payment is due on receipt of the bill and is not refundable. HLC also bills institutions additional fees for some evaluation processes and other activities. View the current dues and fees schedule.

Records of Accreditation Status

HLC Directory of Institutions and Statement of Accreditation Status

The accreditation status of HLC’s current and former member institutions is available in the Directory of Institutions. The directory provides a Statement of Accreditation Status for each member institution that provides the following information:

• The institution's accreditation status.
• A schedule of upcoming or in-progress reviews.
• Certain information regarding the institution's recent history with HLC for up to the last 15 years.
• The date of the institution's most recent reaffirmation of accreditation and the date of the institution's next reaffirmation of accreditation.
• Certain Action Letters related to the institution.
• A brief profile of the institution, including the number of degree and certificate programs it offers and its additional locations and branch campuses.
• If applicable, a Public Disclosure Notice or other public statement explaining particular actions.

Mark of Accreditation Status

As part of HLC’s Obligations of Membership, HLC member institutions are required to display the Mark of Accreditation Status on their website to communicate their status with HLC to their students and other stakeholders. The Mark is linked to the institution’s Statement of Accreditation Status on HLC’s website, and it will automatically update if the institution’s status with HLC changes.

HLC Notifications of Institutional Actions

HLC publishes a summary of institutional actions taken by the Institutional Actions Council and Board of Trustees within 30 days of taking such action.

For actions taken by the Board of Trustees involving denial or withdrawal of candidacy or accreditation, placing an institution on sanction or issuing a Show-Cause Order, extending a sanction or Show-Cause Order, or removing a sanction or Show-Cause Order, HLC posts information in its Directory of Institutions within one business day of the institution being notified of such action.

HLC also publishes Public Disclosure Notices (PDNs) in cases of imposition, extension or removal of sanction or Show-Cause Order, assigning an institutional designation, notice of voluntary resignation of accreditation or candidacy, denial or withdrawal of accreditation or candidacy, or denial of an application for Change of Control, Structure or Organization.

Institutional Status and Requirements Report

An institution’s CEO or Accreditation Liaison Officer may download an Institutional Status and Requirements Report in Canopy to review and manage information regarding the institution’s accreditation relationship. The report includes a complete history of the institution’s relationship with HLC, information on the status of current or upcoming accreditation events, and information on the institution’s designated pathway and related events.

Official Letters From HLC

Representatives from accredited institutions may request an official letter from HLC to verify the institution’s accredited status, document HLC's approval of a particular program or location, or provide other information confirming aspects of the institution’s scope of accreditation.

Voluntary Withdrawal or Resignation

Voluntary Withdrawal of Application for Candidacy or Accreditation

An institution may voluntarily withdraw from seeking membership with HLC at any time, including after it has submitted its application for candidacy or accreditation and before a decision on the application is made.

Voluntary Resignation of Accreditation or Candidacy Status

An institution may voluntarily resign its accreditation or candidacy at any time, including during the candidacy process. Institutions may choose to resign their accreditation or candidacy for any reason, including closing and ceasing operations, merging with another institution, or changing accreditors.

The resignation process requires the submission of the Voluntary Resignation Form, and an institution seeking to resign accreditation or candidacy should regularly communicate with its HLC staff liaison throughout this process. A voluntary resignation is irrevocable once accepted by HLC. Upon accepting an institution’s resignation and, if applicable, again upon the effective date of resignation, HLC will notify external parties, including the Department of Education, state agencies and other accreditors of the resignation.

After submitting a voluntary resignation, an institution must continue to adhere to all HLC requirements, including the Obligations of Membership, until the effective date of resignation. Institutions must make sure that they have satisfied all financial obligations to HLC prior to resignation.

Voluntary Resignation Procedure

Voluntary Resignation Form

Reapplication for HLC Membership

Institutions that withdraw their application for candidacy or accreditation, resign their status or have their status denied or withdrawn by HLC must begin the process of seeking accreditation again. Depending on the circumstances, specific waiting periods may apply.

Denial or Withdrawal of Candidacy or Accreditation

If an institution is found to be out of compliance with HLC requirements, as required by policy, HLC may deny or withdraw the institution's candidacy or accreditation. Such denial or withdrawal is considered an adverse action, and is subject to appeal by the institution.