Title: Degree-Granting Institutional Registration
Alternate Title:
Description:
A degree granting institution must have approval from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to use "academy", "college", "institute" or "university" in its name and to grant degrees for programs offered in Minnesota. Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Subject: Schools
Creation Date: 9/11/2008 2:16:24 PM
Modification Date: 5/12/2026 8:45:08 AM
Agency Name: Office of Higher Education, Minnesota
Agency URL: https://www.ohe.state.mn.us
Agency Description:
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education is a cabinet-level state agency providing students with financial aid programs and information to help them gain access to postsecondary education. The agency also serves as the state's clearinghouse for data, research and analysis on postsecondary enrollment, financial aid, finance and trends.
Agency Phone: 651-642-0567
800-657-3866
Agency Fax: 651-642-0675
Agency URL: https://www.ohe.state.mn.us
Agency Address:
1450 Energy Park Dr., Suite 350
St. Paul
MN
55108
Division Name: Email
Division URL:
Division Description:
Division Phone: Division Fax: Division URL:
Audience: Hold
Application URL:
Renewal URL:
Versa URL:
Requirements:
Review:
Degree-Granting Institutional Registration
Degree-Granting Institutional Registration is required if you are a private college or university or an out-of-state public postsecondary educational institution that offers postsecondary degree programs to Minnesota residents. This includes any:
- Institutions located in Minnesota that seek to offer distance education degree programs to non-Minnesota residents
- Institutions located in Minnesota that seek to offer degree programs to Minnesota residents
- Institutions located outside of Minnesota that seek to offer distance education programs to Minnesota residents
- Businesses that offer career training must have approval to use "academy", "college", "institute", or "university" in your name.
Out-of-state institutions that seek to send students to Minnesota for an internship, externship, clinical placement, or field experience do not need to seek approval from our office.
Degree-Granting Institutional Registration requires institutions to have:
- academic degrees meet state standards
- financial resources sufficient to meet the school's financial obligations
- appropriate faculty
- sound institutional policies and practices
- accurate and useful information about programs, tuition and fees, admissions, evaluation, dismissal, and refunds for students
- a plan for preservation of student record
* Note: A number of out-of-state institutions offering online/distance education programs to Minnesota residents are doing so through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), which Minnesota participates in. These institutions are not required to have approval from our office and may not meet the above requirements. A list of states participating in SARA and institutions in those states authorized to offer online/distance education programs to Minnesota residents is posted on the
SARA website.
Minnesota Degree Standards
Minnesota has standards for both associate and baccalaureate degrees. These standards apply to institutions that are registered with the state as degree-granting institutions.
Minnesota Academic Program Standards were updated in January 2026.
Changes include the criteria for reduced‑credit bachelor’s degrees. These reduced‑credit programs provide an alternative pathway that maintains the rigor and breadth of traditional bachelor’s degrees while allowing completion with a minimum of 135 quarter credits or 90 semester credits. Institutions may offer these programs in emerging fields or alongside traditional‑length degrees within the same discipline.
School Licensure & Registration
Rules: 4840.0100 - .1100
Statutes: 136A.61 - .71
Forms:
Refer to Degree-Granting Institutional Registration
Fees:
Period of Issuance:
One year.
Length of Determination:
Other Info:
Activity: Schools
License Detail URL:
Degree-Granting Institutional Registration
School Licensure & Registration
