State Authorization

Post-secondary institutions that offer education programs to students located outside the state must comply with the laws and regulations of the states where they seek to enroll students.

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is an agreement among member states that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. SARA is overseen by a national council and administered by the four regional higher education compacts, MHEC, NEBHE, SREB and WICHE. For more information about SARA please visit their website.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) is a participating member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement and is authorized pursuant to SARA to enroll students in online courses and non-classroom experiences in SARA member states and territories. UTK is able to enroll students in online programs in California.