State Authorization Process

State Authorization Process

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) was established in 2013 by higher education stakeholders – including state regulators and education leaders, accreditors, the U.S. Department of Education, and institutions. 

SARA is a set of agreements between member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate distance education program offerings. These reciprocity agreements help streamline distance education regulations, improve coordination between states and higher education institutions, and help ensure member states and participating institutions adhere to a set of common consumer protections for students. The University of Southern Indiana is a member of SARA. 

Compliance with state authorization regulations is required by the federal government for institutions to be eligible for federal financial aid and each States requires institutions to obtain approval for regulated activities that occur in their state. The requirements vary by state and may include online learning, practical experiences, faculty in the state, marketing, advertising, etc.