How to check a university is accredited

Why checking matters

A⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ degree from a properly authorised university is accepted by employers, other universities, professional bodies and immigration authorities around the world. Checking first means your degree works for you at the moments that matter: a background check for a new job, an application for a master’s, a professional licence or a visa.

Some unaccredited schools copy the look of real universities, with polished websites, campus photos and impressive-sounding accreditation. So a website alone tells you little. The most reliable test is an official register, run by a government, a national regulator or a national body such as CHEA in the US. The checks below take a few minutes each, and every register is free to search.

Two questions every check answers

Whatever⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ the country, you’re confirming two things:

1. Is the institution allowed to award this degree? In most countries, that permission comes from the law or from a national regulator.
2. Is the body vouching for it recognised itself? “Accredited” means little on its own. What matters is who did the accrediting, and whether a government, or a national body such as CHEA, stands behind them.

A genuine university passes both checks on a register you open yourself, not on a page the school sends you.

United Kingdom

In⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ the UK, only organisations authorised by law can award degrees, and the title “university” is protected. Official records name the recognised bodies, which can award their own degrees, and Scotland and Northern Ireland also publish listed bodies, which teach courses leading to a degree awarded by a recognised body.

1. Start with GOV.UK’s guide, Check if your university or college can award a degree. It points you to the right official record for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
2. For England, that record is the Office for Students Register. It shows whether a provider is registered with the regulator, whether it holds its own degree-awarding powers and whether it may use the title “university”.
3. If you’re checking a certificate someone already holds, HEDD is the UK’s official degree verification service, and it also flags bogus institutions.

If a college teaches your course but can’t award degrees itself, the certificate should name the university or other recognised body that awards the degree. That body is the one to check.

United States

The⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ US has no national ministry that accredits universities. Instead, private accrediting agencies do, and the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) decide which accreditors to recognise. So you check two things: the school, and its accreditor.

1. Search the school in the Department of Education’s DAPIP database, or in the CHEA directory.
2. Note the accreditor’s name and confirm it appears among the agencies the Department of Education or CHEA recognises.
3. Most established universities are accredited by one of the long-standing institutional accreditors, such as HLC, MSCHE, NECHE, NWCCU, SACSCOC or WSCUC.

You may still see the labels “regional” and “national” accreditation. The Department of Education no longer draws that line: what counts is that the accreditor is recognised. Some universities still look closely at credits from schools with a different type of accreditor, so if you plan to transfer credit later, ask the receiving university how it treats your school’s accreditor.

Each state also gives colleges permission to operate within its borders. That permission is not accreditation: a school can be allowed to operate and still hold no recognised accreditation, so always complete both checks above.

Australia

Every⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ higher education provider in Australia must be registered with TEQSA, the national regulator, and the title “university” is protected by law.

1. Search the provider on the TEQSA National Register. Each entry shows the provider’s category, such as Australian University, and its registration status.
2. See whether the provider accredits its own courses. Universities do, so their courses aren’t listed; many smaller providers have each course accredited by TEQSA instead, and the register lists those courses.
3. If you plan to study in Australia on a student visa, also check that the course is listed on CRICOS.

Every Australian degree sits within the Australian Qualifications Framework, which sets the level of each qualification. A bachelor’s degree is at AQF level 7, and a bachelor honours degree at level 8, whichever registered provider awards it.

Online, partner and overseas campuses

The⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ same checks apply however you study. What matters is the institution that awards the degree, not where or how the teaching happens.

• Online degrees: a genuine university’s online degree usually leads to the same award as its campus degree. Check the university itself, not the platform that hosts the course.
• Partner colleges: many private colleges teach courses that lead to a degree from a partner university. The university should list the partnership on its own website, and the certificate should carry the university’s name.
• Overseas campuses: a branch campus of a UK, US or Australian university usually awards the home university’s degree. Check the home university on its own country’s register, and check that the campus is approved in the country where it operates.

Check the program and the website too

• Programs in regulated fields, such as nursing, engineering, psychology, law or teaching, may need their own professional accreditation to lead to a licence. Engineering degrees, for example, are accredited by ABET in the US, by institutions licensed by the Engineering Council in the UK, and by Engineers Australia. Check with the professional body in the country where you plan to work.
• Look at the web address. Universities usually use domains like .ac.uk in the UK, .edu in the US and .edu.au in Australia. A matching domain is a good sign but not proof, so be wary of look-alike names and confirm the school on its register.
• Follow links from the register to the official website, rather than links from adverts or emails.

How to tell a recognised accreditor

Some⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ organisations sell official-sounding approval without any real review, often under a grand, international name. They’re sometimes called accreditation mills. A recognised accreditor is easy to tell apart:

• It appears on the Department of Education’s or CHEA’s list of recognised agencies, or on a government register.
• It publishes its standards and reviews each school in depth, including a visit by experienced academics.
• The schools it accredits also appear on official registers.
• Its schools award degrees for assessed study, and grant credit for experience only after an academic review.

Our guide on how to spot a diploma mill covers the signs to look for in the school itself.

Signs of a genuine university

Credit for prior learning at a genuine university works like this: the university assesses your evidence against its own courses, decides your credit, and you complete the rest of the program. Our prior learning guide explains how.

If you can’t find the university

A⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ missing entry isn’t always bad news. Registers use official names, so a university may appear under its full legal name, a former name, or the name of an institution it merged with. Search for part of the name, and try the city.

If you still can’t find it, ask the school for its exact register entry or accreditation record, then look it up yourself on the official site. A genuine university answers that question easily. Enrol once you’ve seen the record on the official register yourself.

How we use these checks

Every⁠​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠ university we apply to is authorised by its national regulator or a recognised accreditor, and we send a status check for every program on your shortlist.

Official sources

• GOV.UK, Check if your university or college can award a degree
• Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive, lists of recognised and listed bodies
• Office for Students, the OfS Register
• Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD)
• US Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP)
• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), directory of institutions and recognised accrediting organisations
• Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), National Register of higher education providers
• Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
• Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)