����AV

• Home Page web link   
• Statutes and Regulations Page web link  and 
• Authorization Information Page web   and   

An “Authorization Needed” flowchart is available at , and an “Authorization Type” comparison chart is available at .

• Application Information Page web link   
• Renewal Information Page web link   no link provided

Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes. 

• Note: Some agencies may refer to out-of-state public institutions as “private colleges” in their law.  If this is the case for your agency, please select “public, out-of-state degree granting institutions” for purposes of this Guide so that the out-of-state public institution will find appropriate information.
• Note: If your agency is a coordinating board, your agency may have one division with some authority such as program approval over in-state public institutions that are established per statute, which is structured differently than another division of your agency with state authorization authority over non-public institutions that they “license” pursuant to different statute(s).

_____ Public, in-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions (There is an exemption applicable to some – see )
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X__ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
__X__ Religious institutions (There is an exemption that is applicable to eleemosynary institutions – see )
__X__ Tribally-controlled institutions (See Comment)
__X__ Federal Institutions (See Comment)
_____ Municipal institutions

• For example, an agency may require an institution apply for licensure for institutional approval and also require the institution to apply for specific program(s) approval.

_____ Institution 

_____ Program 

__X__ Both

Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions and private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions may be exempt pursuant to . Some religious institutions may be exempt pursuant to . THEC has not addressed authorization of tribally–controlled or federal institutions.

Institutions seeking regular authorization must apply for institution authorization and program registration. Institutions seeking optional expedited authorization (OEA) only apply for institution authorization. THEC maintains an inventory of OEA programs and requires proof of subject matter expert agency approval, where applicable, but does not approve OEA programs.

• Meaning as example, the state regulates an out-of-state institution for merely enrolling a student into a distance education program
• Meaning as example, a solely online program that does not have any internships and practicums

No, physical presence is always considered.

Physical presence is always considered. See  and .

Optional expedited authorization is available only to accredited institutions. Regular authorization is available to unaccredited and accredited institutions.

No response provided

Accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education required for: 
____ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
____ Religious institutions
____ Tribally-controlled institutions
____ Federal Institutions
____ Municipal institutions

No response provided

“Physical presence” means presence within the state of Tennessee for the purpose of conducting activity related to a postsecondary educational institution as given in T.C.A. § 49-7-2007. Physical presence as further outlined for purposes of authorization shall include but not be limited to: (a) Operating a location within the state; (b) Offering instruction within or originating from Tennessee designed to impart knowledge with response utilizing teachers, trainers, counselors or computer resources, computer linking, or any form of electronic means; (c) Granting an educational credential from a location within the state; (d) Using an agent, recruiter, institution, or business that solicits for enrollment or credits or for the award of an educational credential; or (e) Advertising, disseminating promotional material or conducting public solicitation in any form that targets Tennessee residents or uses local advertising markets in the state for institutions seeking, holding, or required to be authorized by the Commission. Physical presence does not include field trips, sanctioned sports recruiting activities, or college fairs or other assemblies of institutions in Tennessee. As to college fairs or assemblies, an institution may not enroll an individual, allow an individual to sign any agreement obligating the person to the institution, accept any moneys from the individual, or follow-up with an individual by means of an in-person meeting in Tennessee.

See  and .

The answer depends on the structure of the clinical/internship. See Distance Education Authorization Requirements.

Does a virtual clinical / internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency? 

This question involves too many variables. Contact thec.rcd@tn.gov for additional information.

If the instructor leads a distance education course from their residence in Tennessee, then authorization is not required. However, an institution may create a physical presence if it maintains a non-residential location in Tennessee from which instruction occurs, for example, the institution maintains office space for instructors.

Yes, see the definition quoted above under Section 4a.

Yes, see the definition quoted above under Section 4a.

Yes, see the definition quoted above under Section 4a.

defines “field trip” as a congregation of students and instructors at a location in Tennessee for instruction in the subject of enrollment for not more than three (3) calendar days. Such field trips may not occur more than three (3) times a year in the same program.

To begin the authorization process, you must either attend the Initial Authorization Application Training; complete an Initial Authorization Application and any related applications, such as Program Registration Requests, or an Application for Optional Expedited Authorization; pay all required fees; secure the required bonds; receive a successful site visit report, if required; and meet all minimum standards. Institutions seeking regular authorization must also complete online training after Commission approval.

Applications: 

No response provided

Yes

For regular authorization there is a $3000 initial authorization application fee and $500 per program registration request. Additional fee schedule information is available at .

For Optional Expedited Authorization there is an annual $9000 application fee.

For regular authorization see .

For Optional Expedited Authorization see .

No response provided

Yes

See  for specific bond requirements. 

Yes, Tennessee has a tuition guarantee fund (TGF). . Fund monies are available to students who reside in Tennessee or attend an authorized location with a Tennessee address when those students are enrolled at an institution that closes without fulling educational obligation to students.

The TGF applies to all institutions authorized through the Tennessee Higher Education Authorization Act of 2016 ().

There is no specific link. However, when an institution closes and it is believed that students may have TGF claims, information is posted under Institution Closure Information.

No response provided

Yes, Tennessee has a default refund policy for institutions that have regular authorization. See . There is no default refund policy for institutions with optional expedited authorization.

Accredited and unaccredited institutions that offer credentials from certificates to doctoral degrees are eligible to apply for regular authorization. Only accredited institutions are eligible for optional expedited authorization.

See .

No response provided

All authorized institutions shall provide student-level statistical data on a THEC data form that will allow THEC to calculate the following statistical information by institution and program: (a) enrollment count; (b) demographic statistics; (c) withdrawal rates; (d) completion rates; (e) number of credentials awarded; (f) categories of credentials awarded; (g) placement rates; (h) in-field placement rates; and (i) average time to completion. See .

Data shall include all students enrolled at the institution between the twelve (12) months beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the year prior to the report.

Yearly on October 15 or the next business day if October 15 falls on a state holiday or weekend.

THEC publishes the results of its calculations on its website except that withdrawal, completion, placement, and in-field placement rates are not reported for programs with ten (10) or fewer students. .

Institutions submit data by uploading an Excel spreadsheet to a secure web portal. Thus, there is no specific link. Final reports can be found at .

No response provided

Generally, THEC can assess fines, change authorization to conditional, or revoke authorization. See Tenn. Code Ann. §§ , , and  and  and .

No response provided

No response provided

THEC accepts complaints from anyone against regularly authorized institutions. THEC accepts only student complaints against optionally expedited authorized institutions. All student complaints must exhaust the grievance process at the institution level. Any investigation and settlement discussions will continue in accordance with .

Go to  to learn more about THEC’s complaint jurisdiction and to find the link for submitting a Request for Complaint Review.

If an institution seeks authorization and THEC staff is aware of an outstanding complaint against the institution, then the institution must resolve the complaint to the satisfaction of Commission staff before an initial application will be reviewed.

THEC’s Office of General Counsel is responsible for the entire process.

Contact Name: Julie M. Woodruff

Title:  Senior Compliance Counsel

Contact Name: Ryan Arrington

Title:  Regulatory Compliance Attorney

Agency: Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Office of General Counsel

Address: 312 Rosa Parks Ave., 9th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243

Email: thec.rcd@tn.gov

Phone: 

URL: 

No response provided

Tennessee requires institutions to retain transcripts/certificates for the life of the institution. When an institution closes, THEC requests all transcripts/certificates since the original authorization date and maintains transcript/certificates in a database managed by THEC. Note that a new owner is responsible for the transcripts/certificates of the purchased institution.

• Agency Name: Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)
• Contact Person:
• Contact Phone: (615) 741-5293
• Contact Address:
• Contact Email:
• Contact web site: 

No response provided

Important dates are available at Commission Meetings (). Training dates are available at Application Due Dates, Deadlines, and Meeting Dates ().

No response provided

Please note: There could be additional state agencies with oversight of activities of your institution.