The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), in partnership with the regional compacts, helps SARA expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensures more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance learning programs.
As of 2024, more than 2,400 institutions in 49 member states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands participate in SARA.
In Fall 2022 (the latest-available data), almost 1.5 million students were enrolled exclusively in distance education programs at SARA-participating institutions.
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements are voluntary agreements among member states, districts, and territories; entities that no longer wish to participate in such an agreement may simply withdraw.
All accredited degree-granting institutions in SARA member states – public, private, independent, non-profit, and for-profit – have the opportunity to participate in SARA. Institutions pay between $2,000-$6,000 annually to NC-SARA, based on enrollment – a starkly more affordable investment when compared to paying fees to states individually that could total upwards of 13 times this amount.
Participating colleges and universities must adhere to stringent requirements set and imposed by states and NC-SARA, including maintaining their accreditation and remaining in good financial standing.
NC-SARA helps raise the bar on student consumer protections, requiring all SARA-participating institutions and member states to adhere to a set of common standards designed to enhance quality and strengthen oversight of distance learning programs.
