How do I determine if a school is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education?

The U.S. Department of Education does not accredit colleges, universities or other postsecondary institutions. Accreditation in the U.S. is done by "accrediting agencies" -- private regional or national associations that have adopted criteria reflecting the qualities of a sound educational program and have developed procedures for evaluating institutions or programs to determine whether or not they are operating at basic levels of quality. Below is additional information about accreditation. 

• The U.S. Secretary of Education publishes a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies.
  
• To determine the accreditation status of a particular university, college or vocational school,  please contact the institution directly.  Once you have identified the accrediting agency, you can find out if your school is accredited by a recognized agency by checking the accreditation website listed above.
  
• The fact that a college or postsecondary institution is accredited does not guarantee that credits or degrees earned at that institution will transfer to another institution or be recognized by a potential employer.  Acceptance of students or graduates is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer.
  
• To determine if a school or program is going to meet your needs, in addition to checking the accreditation status, contact any institutions to which you might be interested in transferring, prospective employers, the Better Business Bureau and, if possible, visit the school.

For more information, see details about accreditation.