Your location can affect whether a college or university is authorized to offer you a distance education program. State laws and regulations govern ow the University can operate within their borders, including the delivery of certain distance education activities.
What is state authorization?
State authorization refers to a college or university’s compliance with state requirements that allow it to offer educational activities in a particular state or territory. For students, this matters because a program that is available in one state may not be available in another.
Why it matters for students
If you are considering a distance education program, your physical location may affect whether that program can be offered to you. In some cases, this can also apply to internships, clinical placements, practicums, or other out-of-state learning activities that are part of an academic program.
If you move while enrolled
If you relocate to another state while enrolled, your eligibility to continue in a distance education program may be affected. Students should notify their campus or program if they plan to move so the University can help determine whether the program remains available in the new location.
What is SARA?
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, or SARA, is an agreement among participating states that helps create a more consistent framework for offering distance education across state lines. Overseen by the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), SARA can simplify some state authorization requirements, but it does not eliminate all state-specific considerations. The University of Nebraska’s five campuses are all participating institutions in SARA. Students should still review program availability and any related licensure information.
How the University of Nebraska manages state authorization
The University of Nebraska monitors state requirements related to distance education and provides a dashboard to help students review program availability by state. Because requirements can vary and may change over time, students should use the dashboard as a starting point and contact the relevant campus or program with questions.
Before you apply
Before applying to a distance education program, students should:
- confirm the state in which they will be located while enrolled
- review the Distance Education State Authorization Dashboard
- ask questions if a program is marked as limited or unavailable
- review licensure disclosures if the program may lead to a professional license or certification