State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

State and federal laws require colleges and universities to be authorized to offer online degree programs in states other than their own. 

Since 2014, NDSCS has participated in the State Authorization Agreement (SARA), an agreement among states that establishes national standards for the interstate offering of postsecondary distance-education courses and programs. Visit NC-SARA for more information. 

State Authorization and Licensure

North Dakota State College of Science participates in federal financial aid programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. As such, the college is required to comply with recently published regulations that clarify the required institutional disclosures for distance education. These policies require licensure programs to share information with out-of-state students about reciprocity agreements between state licensing boards. 

Review this document for specific information regarding the licensure of NDSCS academic programs by state.

Domestic Residency and Change in Physical Presence

Course and program availability varies by state. Admission into a program is granted at the time of initial acceptance into the program and is dependent on program availability in the state where the student is physically located at the time of admission.

If a student moves to a different state after admission to the program, continuation within the program will depend on the availability of the program within the new state where the student is physically present. It is the student's responsibility to notify the institution of a change in physical presence.