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State Authorization

What Is State Authorization?

Vance-Granville Community College provides educational opportunities throughout our four county service area; Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren ( 1A SBCCC 300.3 ) and through online programs/courses. Distance education courses are available to students both in state and out-of-state. The amended Higher Education Opportunity Act – 2008 includes changes to the State Authorization regulations. State Authorization requires colleges offering courses to out-of-state residents comply with each state’s requirements for distance courses. To be compliant, VGCC must secure authorization from a student’s home state before allowing the student to enroll in online courses.

“If an institution is offering post-secondary education through distance or correspondence education to students in a State in which it is not physically located or in which it is otherwise subject to State jurisdiction as determined by the State, the institution must meet any State requirements for it to be legally offering post-secondary distance or correspondence education in that State.” ( Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Amended 2010. HEOA 600.9 (c) )  An institution must be able to document to the Secretary the State’s approval upon request. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002)

In addition, an institution’s compliance with State Authorization requirements is included in the criteria reviewed by accrediting bodies during an institution’s accreditation or re accreditation process.

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