Accreditation
Accreditation is used in higher education to assure the public of the quality of academic programs and institutions. Colleges and universities are accredited by regional, national, or specialized accrediting organizations. In addition, individual programs may be accredited by specialized accrediting agencies. The State of Colorado requires colleges and universities to be accredited by a regional or national accrediting body. In addition, institutions must be accredited to be eligible for administering federal financial aid and access to federal grants and research funding.
Benefits
Accreditation provides important benefits to students, including:
- Access to federal grants and loans to pay for college;
- Eligibility for pursuing licensure or certification in certain fields;
- Eligibility for employer-provided tuition assistance; and
- Eligibility for transferring credits from one institution to another
The University of Northern Colorado is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is recognized as a comprehensive baccalaureate and specialized graduate research university by the State of Colorado (C.R.S. ยง 23-40-101)
