Connecticut Office of Higher Education

The Office of Higher Education seeks to advance the promise of postsecondary education for all state residents, and to advocate on behalf of students, taxpayers, and the postsecondary schools and colleges which fall under its purview. The Office carries out its mission by assuring that students have access to postsecondary institutions which meet the highest standards of academic quality, by administering the state’s student financial aid programs, and by serving as an information and consumer protection resource.

Key state responsibilities, in addition to student financial aid administration, include the licensure and accreditation of Connecticut’s independent colleges and universities (programmatic and institutional; non-profit and for-profit), licensure of in-state academic programs offered by out-of-state institutions, regulation of more than 150 postsecondary career schools and operation of the Alternate Route to Certification. The Office also serves as the portal agency in the administration of CT-SARA. Major federal responsibilities include AmeriCorps and Veterans Program Approval.

_____    Public, in-state degree granting institutions
__X__    Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions                
__X__    Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__    Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions  
__X__    Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__    Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____    Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____    Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__    Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X__    Non-degree, for-profit institutions
__X__    Religious institutions
_____    Tribally-controlled institutions
_____    Federal Institutions
_____    Municipal institutions

____ Institution   _____ Program   __X___ Both

No response provided

Yes

Accreditation Required for:
__X_ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X_ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X_ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
____ Religious institutions
____ Tribally-controlled institutions
____ Federal Institutions
____ Municipal institutions

Out of state institutions need to be regionally or nationally accredited. In-state institutions need at a minimum to be state accredited to grant degrees.

Yes. See Process, Applications for Connecticut Independent Institutions of Higher Learning under exemptions for more details.

No response provided

No response provided

No response provided

Yes

No response provided

Yes

Out-Of-State Online Authorization (ct.gov)

No response provided

No response provided

No response provided

See here: Student Complaints (ct.gov)

For SARA institutions it is handled by OHE.

Student Complaints (ct.gov)

• Contact Name: Emily Bjornberg
• Title: Senior Consultant, Academic Affairs
• Agency: Connecticut Office of Higher Education
• Address: 450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 707, Hartford, CT 06103
• Email: emily.bjornberg@ct.gov
• Phone: (860) 947-1824

No response provided

No response provided

OHE handles students complaints for out-of-state, non-SARA institutions.

Yes.

• Contact Name: Emily Bjornberg
• Title: Senior Consultant, Academic Affairs
• Agency: Connecticut Office of Higher Education
• Address: 450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 707, Hartford, CT 06103
• Email: emily.bjornberg@ct.gov
• Phone: (860) 947-1824

Student Complaints (ct.gov)

No

No response provided

No response provided

Yes, for postsecondary occupational schools/private, non-degree institutions

No response provided

No response provided

No response provided

Yes

Yes, for postsecondary occupational schools/private, non-degree institutions

Chapter 185 - Administration of State System (ct.gov)

No response provided

Institutions are required to register with the state on a yearly basis.

No response provided

Yes.  On the OHE website.

https://ohe.ct.gov/Postsecondary/OutOfStateRegistration.shtml

No response provided

Loss of authorization.

No response provided

No response provided

No response provided

Applications for postsecondary institutions with a physical presence: Private Occupational & Hospital-Based Schools (ct.gov)

Applications for non-SARA out-of-state, online institutions (no physical presence): Out-Of-State Online Authorization (ct.gov)

No response provided

There are no application fees associated with institutions of higher education with a physical presence. There are application fees associated with non-degree, occupational schools and for non-SARA out-of-state online institutions.

Application Fee New Schools: $2,000; New Branch: $200
Annual Fee: $200 per school, $200 per branch
Renewal of Authorization: $200 per school, $200 per branch
Change of Location: No Fee
Quarterly Payments into the Student Protection Account: .004% of Net Quarterly Tuition Revenue
Change of Ownership: Application Fee $2,000; Each Branch: $200
Annual Out-of-State School Representative Fee $500

https://ohe.ct.gov/POSA/FinancialRequirementsText.shtml#FeeSchedule

No response provided

Institutions of higher education would consult without agency before closing the school to ensure students have access to transcripts. For postsecondary occupational schools, the agency keeps the transcripts/records if they school opts not to do so.

• Agency Name: Connecticut Office of Higher Education
• https://www.ohe.ct.gov/StudentsFamilies/StudentTranscripts.shtml

No response provided

No response provided