School Licensure & Registration

Institution Registration and Licensure

The Office of Higher Education provides consumer protection for students and prospective students. Two state laws require private and out-of-state public postsecondary educational institutions to meet state standards to operate legally in Minnesota.

Private and out-of-state public institutions should review the standards and application procedures to determine their legal obligations before advertising or offering postsecondary education in Minnesota.

Which Institutions Must Be Licensed?

Private Career School Licensure is required for most private schools and training firms that offer occupational programs below the associate level in Minnesota.

• If you are a private institution and you offer occupational programs below the associate level in Minnesota, please proceed to Private Career School Licensure to determine whether you are required to obtain licensure prior to advertising or offering training programs in Minnesota.
• If you are a student or former student at a licensed institution in Minnesota and have a complaint, please visit Complaints About Private Colleges and Career Schools on the consumer information page.

Which Institutions Must Register?

Degree-Granting Institutional Registration is required for most postsecondary institutions that are:

• private institutions in Minnesota that grant degrees at the associate level or above
• out-of-state public institutions that offer distance programs at the associate level or above to Minnesota residents
• grant degrees exclusively at the associate level or above or
• A business that offers career training and uses the terms “academy”, “college”, “institute”, or “university” in its name.

If you are a private institution or an out-of-state public institution and you offer degree programs at the associate level or above or use “academy,” “college,” “institute,” or “university” in your name, please proceed to Degree-Granting Institutional Registration to determine whether you are required to obtain registration prior to advertising or offering postsecondary education in Minnesota or online to Minnesota residents.

If you are a student or former student at a registered institution in Minnesota and have complaint, please visit Complaints About Private Colleges and Career Schools on the consumer information page.

Reports

• Recommendations to Revise the Regulation of Private Postsecondary Institutions
• Student Rights and Responsibilities at Graduate For-Profit Colleges and Universities in Minnesota
• For-Profit Postsecondary Institutions: A Review of Selected Institutions in Minnesota for Undergraduates