State Authorization

State authorization is the process by which states regulate educational activities of out-of-state institutions to ensure they meet state-specific standards for delivering education, especially online programs.

State authorization ensures that the education you receive meets the quality and consumer protection standards set by your state. It also affects your eligibility to enroll in online programs and, in some cases, your eligibility for professional licensure.

SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) are agreements among member states that establish comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education. It is intended to make it easier for students to take courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.

SARA is overseen by NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) a nonprofit, third-party organization that helps coordinate these agreements. The academic and financial standards in SARA are designed to protect and benefit students. As a participating institution, TTUHSC can offer our online programs to students in other NC-SARA member states without seeking separate authorization from each state. More information can be found at www.nc-sara.org.

SARA does not cover professional licensure board approvals, international compliance, tax implications for employees, workers compensation insurance, or Secretary of State, Treasury, or Revenue registration. States maintain their ability to enforce their own general-purpose state laws and regulations in SARA member states outside of the state authorization of distance education.

As of July 2023, there are 52 members in NC-SARA: 49 states (all except California), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

TTUHSC professional licensure board determinations are listed on our website. If your state is listed as "meets licensure requirements," you may be eligible to enroll in that specific online program for that state. (Please ensure you are reading any notations as specific restrictions will be listed there. There may be some states that meet licensure requirements but we cannot admit students from that state.) If your state is listed as "does not meet," please contact your academic advisor or program director for further guidance.

If your state is not authorized, you may not be able to enroll that online program. However, please contact your academic advisor or program director to discuss alternative options, such as a signed attestation.

If you move to a different state during your program, please notify your academic advisor or program director immediately. They will review the authorization status in your new state and advise you on any necessary steps to ensure you can continue your education without interruption.

Student location refers to where a student is physically located while engaged in their academic program, determined by the "Local Address" provided by the student in their portal.

Upon registration for courses, individuals will be asked to provide the state or location where they will physically be taking the majority of the course. This may be the same or different than that individual’s permanent residence, or legal state of residence.

Unfortunately, no. Program accreditation has little to do with licensure or certification requirements, other than states may require that students graduate from an accredited program in order to qualify for the license. Accreditors and other professional organizations can be a good place to start when gather state licensing board information, however.

Generally speaking, yes, you do. Individual states may still have additional requirements that students must meet in order to obtain a license in that particular state. If those additional requirements are curricular, then the program will not meet that state's requirements.

State authorization primarily impacts online and distance education programs. However, certain on-campus programs that require out-of-state clinical placements, internships, or field experiences may also be subject to state authorization requirements.