Accreditation is awarded to institutions and/or programs that meet standards to ensure students receive a quality education. Institutional accreditation is awarded to colleges and universities after a review of their overall academic and organizational structures. Program accreditation is awarded to a program at a college, university, or other institution after a more in-depth review of a specific program.

Semi-regular reviews test programs and schools to evaluate things like the quality of the faculty, student learning and professional outcomes, courses offered, and student services. A federally regulated accredited institution or program has been reviewed by an independent, third-party agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Enrolling in an accredited institution and program has many benefits including:

• This designation ensures the school/program meets or exceeds minimum quality standards
• Many scholarships, grants, and loans are only available to students attending accredited institutions or programs
• Students can only apply for federal financial aid if they are attending a program at an accredited institution
• Some institutions only accept credit transfers from accredited institutions
• Employers may only hire applications from accredited institutions and/or offer tuition assistance to employees at accredited institutions

Proprietary schools are private schools that offer courses but do not provide, offer, or sell degrees. Proprietary schools may or may not be accredited. If a proprietary school is non-accredited, the courses or programs completed there may not be accepted by accredited institutions, employers, and other entities you’ll encounter on your career journey. It may be beneficial to choose a program offered through an accredited institution to avoid obstacles in your employment and education.

Accreditation is determined by a variety of agencies at either the national or regional level. Your research into an institution shouldn’t stop when you determine that it is accredited. Review the accrediting agency and its requirements for accreditation. Be wary of fake accrediting bodies that are not certified by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. These “degree mills” or “diploma mills” with fake accreditation will present problems like attending a non-accredited university.

All of the private and proprietary programs listed on the Next Steps website show whether an institution is accredited and the accrediting agency.