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Online education is an integral part of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s program offerings, with many students participating in federal financial aid. Recent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 include changes in regulation for State Authorization that may impact online, distance, and correspondence education providers.
In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education State Authorization Regulations in Section 600.9 of the Oct. 29, 2010, final program integrity rule, The University of Texas System on behalf of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has made a “good faith effort” in pursuing state authorization from all 54 states and territories within the U.S.
The UT System and UT Rio Grande Valley are currently working cooperatively with higher education authorities in all states and other U.S. jurisdictions to ensure compliance with any other state and federal authorization requirements that govern the offering of online courses in those states, including complaint processes. The UT System and UT Rio Grande Valley will continue to monitor developments in the jurisdictions in which it enrolls students, and, if authorization or licensure is or becomes necessary, it will obtain approvals.
These are the U.S. states and territories in which UT Rio Grande Valley has written approval to offer online degree programs or has been granted an exemption, or in which the approval is in process.
Approved SARA States: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
For the most recent list of SARA Approved States, please visit State Actions Regarding SARA.
NC-SARA Accreditation
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has been approved by Texas to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements . NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.
Complaint Process
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is committed to providing the highest quality educational experience to our online students. However, if a current online student has a complaint, he/she should submit a complaint through Vaqueros Report It as outlined in the University Catalogs.
Professional Licensing Disclosures
The curriculum for programs customarily leading to licensure at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has been designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements in Texas as well as preparing students to apply for licensure exams in the State of Texas. The licensure boards in each state are responsible for establishing the requirements for licensure/certification for their state. Students who intend to return or move to any state other than Texas need to review the professional licensure disclosures pertaining to their program and consult with the state professional licensing board. The state professional licensing boards make the ultimate decision as to whether or not an individual will be eligible to sit for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure.
You may contact the appropriate licensing board in your state to determine whether the UTRGV program meets that state’s licensure requirements. Visit the UTRGV program’s webpage for specific licensure information.
For more information on the federal regulations for professional licensure disclosures, visit Regulation: 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) and Regulation: 34 CFR 668.43 (c).
Last Updated: 01/03/2022