Additional Resources

State Authorization

What is State Authorization?

States maintain the authority to regulate out-of-state post-secondary institutions that offer or take part in activities located in their state. State authorization is a requirement in the 1965 Higher Education Act, which, with modifications over the years, is still in effect. To be eligible to receive Title IV Federal student aid, the legislation requires institutions to be authorized to operate in the state* in which they are “located”.

State Authorization is the process through which SIU Carbondale and educational institutions comply with the state authorization regulations and requirements of each state they operate in.

Why Authorization Matters

Authorization allows students to participate in distance education programs as well as learning placements such as internships, clinical rotations, field placements and other activities taking place outside of Illinois.

Each state has its own regulations and definitions of what is considered a “physical presence” activity in their state. It is important to note that “physical presence” is not necessarily the same as “residence;” and the need for state approval is based on where a student is actually located while participating in a program or an out-of-state activity.

Requiring authorization of distance education programs ensures that educational institutions meet the standards determined by each state’s regulatory bodies, and also  protects students as consumers, by ensuring programs students invest in are legitimate, of high quality and will provide the best opportunity for success in their chosen profession.

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA)

SARA is a voluntary State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement allowing participating institutions to offer distance education programs and activities to students who reside in SARA member states without the need to obtain approval or authorization from each individual state. SARA makes the process of obtaining authorization more efficient for institutions, and easier for students to enroll in distance education programs outside of the states in which they reside.

Illinois was approved as a member state of SARA in 2015. The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) oversees the participation of eligible Illinois institutions in SARA.

SIU Carbondale is approved to participate in SARA through the IBHE. As such, SIU Carbondale has reciprocity approval for distance education and related activities for students in other SARA member states. Please click here for the most recent listing of SARA member states.

NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) supports the work of SARA member states in fulfilling the requirements of SARA in several ways, such as collecting, analyzing and sharing annual distance education enrollment and out-of-state learning experiences.

To learn more about NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) please go to: www.nc-sara.org

*For the purpose of this website, states include the District of Columbia and the U.S. protectorates, as defined in 34 CFR §600.2.

National Associations' Websites

In response to federal regulations, many national associations provide resources regarding professional licensure educational requirements by state.   

Accounting: National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and Beat the CPA
Architectural Studies: National Council of Architectural Registration Boards     
Communication Disorders and Sciences: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association  
Counseling and Rehabilitation Education: American Counseling Association   
Dental Hygiene: American Dental Hygienists' Association
Engineering Programs: National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
Forestry: Society of American Foresters 
Geology: National Association of State Boards of Geology  and American Institute of Professional Geologists 
Health Care Management - Respiratory Therapy: The National Board of Respiratory Care
Health Care Management - Long Term Care Administration: National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards
Human Nutrition and Dietetics: Commission on Dietetic Registration
Law: National Conference of Bar Examiners
Mortuary Science and Funeral Service: National Funeral Directors Association
Nursing: National Council of State Boards of Nursing
Occupational Therapy: American Occupational Therapy Association
Physical Therapy: Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
Physician Assistant Studies: PhysicianAssistantEDU.org   
Psychology: The American Board of Professional Psychology and Psychologist-License.com 
Public Health: National Board of Public Health Examiners
Radiologic Sciences: American Society of Radiologic Technologists
Recreation Professions: National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification
Social Work:  Association of Social Work Boards and SocialWork.org
Teacher Education Programs: National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification