State Authorization

Kutztown University invites all individuals interested in enrolling and taking courses to join its academic community. Prospective and current students residing outside of Pennsylvania should verify that the University is authorized to offer online and distance education in their respective states.

Recent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as outlined by the U.S. Department of Education, may affect providers of online, distance, and print-based education. Specifically, §600.9(c) of the State Authorization amendments states:

“If an institution is offering postsecondary 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 postsecondary distance or correspondence education in that State. An institution must be able to document to the Secretary the State’s approval upon request.” 

To learn more, visit U.S. Government Publishing Office: e-CFR website

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania joined the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) effective January 1, 2017, and Kutztown University is now a NC-SARA-participating institution. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offerings of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.

Kutztown University's letter of introduction from NC-SARA

Please note that SARA does not cover professional licensure or certification (click here). For more information on SARA, please visit www.nc-sara.org.

On January 1, 2017, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s membership into SARA became effective and Kutztown University is now a participating institution. KU’s Participation in SARA allows us to operate in all other SARA states. To see what states are in SARA, check out the SARA Map.

States that are not in SARA?

Currently, there are 49 states plus the District of Columbia that are in SARA. The following state is not yet participating in SARA: California. Kutztown University is permitted to offer online programs and field experiences in California.

Professional Licensure / Certifications

Kutztown University is approved to offer programs that may lead to licensure/certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If you are considering enrolling in a program and being certified/licensed in a state other than Pennsylvania, please check the specific requirements for certification/licensure in your state. Please also review the alignment of KU programs with other state or territory requirements. If you need to contact a state licensure or certification board, please review the Licensure Board/Agency Directory here. If you have a question about a specific program licensure/certification in another state, please contact sheperis@kutztown.edu or viceprovost@kutztown.edu.

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