Unaccredited institutions of higher education are
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
s,
trade school
A vocational school is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocational education or technical skills required to complete the tasks ...
s,
seminaries
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
, and
universities
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
which do not have formal
educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated and verified by an external body to determine whether applicable and recognized standards are met. ...
.
Educational institutions may not be legally required to obtain independent accreditation, depending on local laws.
Academic degree
An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including unde ...
s or other qualifications from such unaccredited institutions may or may not be accepted by
civil service
The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
or other employers, depending on the local laws, the institution's reputation, and the industry standards.
An institution may not obtain or maintain accreditation for one of several reasons. As accreditation processes often require several years' work, a new institution may not yet have completed the initial accreditation process. A long-established institution may have lost accreditation due to financial difficulties or other factors. Other institutions (for example, some longstanding
Bible college
A Bible college, sometimes referred to as a Bible institute or theological institute, is an evangelical Christian or Restoration Movement Christian institution of higher education which prepares students for Christian ministry with theological educ ...
s and
seminaries
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
) choose not to participate in the accreditation process because they view it as a government infringement of their religious, academic, or political freedom.
In some countries, unaccredited institutions are not allowed to exist legally. Therefore any such schools will fall under the label of fraudulent
diploma
A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...
or
accreditation mill
An accreditation mill is an organization that purports to award educational accreditation to higher education institutions without having government authority or recognition from mainstream academia to operate as an accreditor. Implicit in the term ...
s.
Australia
In Australia, it is a criminal offence to use the term "university" or to purport to offer university degrees (Bachelors, Masters, Doctors) without government authorization. For government universities and some private institutions, this authorization is generally given in the form of an Act of a State or Federal Parliament, specifically referring to that institution. (Each state will recognize the institutions authorized under the law of the other states.)
Private institutions may apply to
TEQSA
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia's independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education.
The agency's purpose is to protect student interests and the reputation of Australia' ...
for authorisation to offer recognised higher education diplomas and degrees.
Separate to this, there is also authorisation under the Higher Education Funding Act to receive federal government funds for students; this is a separate process from authorisation to grant degrees, so some institutions are entitled to grant degrees but not to receive government funds to do so.
There is also registration under
CRICOS
The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is a register formed under thEducation Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 It maintains a list of institutions, and courses, which have been granted ...
(the ESOS Act) - a student visa can only be issued to a student if they are studying at an institution with a valid CRICOS registration.
India
According to the
India Department of Education, regarding institutions without accreditation or an Act of Parliament, "It is emphasized that these fake institutions have no legal entity to call themselves as University/Vishwvidyalaya and to award ‘degrees’ which are not treated as valid for academic/employment purposes."
Ireland
Legitimate higher education qualifications in Ireland are placed on, or formally aligned with, the
National Framework of Qualifications
The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) is a system used to describe levels of educational qualifications in Ireland. Responsibility for maintaining and developing the framework lies with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
Launched ...
. This framework was established by the
National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland or NQAI (''Údarás Náisiúnta Cáilíochtaí na hÉireann'' in Irish) was set up in 2001 under the Qualifications (Education & Training) Act, 1999 to develop and promote the implementation of a Nat ...
in accordance with the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act (1999). It is illegal under the Universities Act (1997) for anybody offering higher education services to use the term "university" without the permission of the Minister for Education and Science. It is likewise illegal under the Institutes of Technologies Acts (1992–2006) to use the term "institute of technology" or "regional technical college" without permission.
The Netherlands
Dutch academic titles are legally protected and can only be used by graduates from accredited Dutch institutions of higher education. Illegal use is considered a misdemeanor and subject to legal prosecution. Holders of foreign degrees need special permission before being able to use a recognised Dutch title, but they are free to use their own foreign title (untranslated).
New Zealand
The New Zealand Education Act prohibits the use of the terms "degree" and "university" by institutions other than the country's eight accredited universities. In 2004 authorities announced their intention to take action against unaccredited schools using the words "degree" and "university," including the University of Newlands, an unaccredited distance-learning provider based in the
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
suburb of
Newlands
Newlands may refer to:
Places Australia
* Newlands, Queensland, a locality in the Whitsunday Region
New Zealand
* Newlands, Wellington, a suburb of Wellington
South Africa
* Newlands, Cape Town, a suburb of Cape Town
* Newlands, Johannesbur ...
. Other unaccredited New Zealand institutions reported to be using the word "university" included the New Zealand University of Golf in Auckland, the online Tawa-Linden and Tauranga Universities of the Third Age, and the Southern University of New Zealand. Newlands owner Rochelle M. Forrester said she would consider removing the word "university" from the name of her institution in order to comply with the law.
After the University of Newlands was listed as a "wannabe" or "degree mill" by ''
The Australian
''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition, ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964.Bruns, Axel. "3.1. The active audience: Transforming journalism from gatekeeping to gatew ...
'' newspaper, the institution was given permission by the New Zealand High Court to proceed to trial in its suit against the paper's publisher for
defamation
Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...
. The presiding judge noted that such degrees may be illegal and that purporting to offer such degrees could be deemed dishonest or unethical conduct. He also ruled that defamation occurs in the country where the material is downloaded from the Internet. In December 2005, the Court of Appeal said the defamation case could not go ahead. Newlands and Forrester had not shown it had a good arguable case that an act had been done in New Zealand for which damages could be claimed from a party outside New Zealand. Without their showing a good arguable case, New Zealand courts would not assume jurisdiction.
South Korea
In March 2006, prosecutors in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
had "broken up a crime ring selling bogus music diplomas from Russia, which helped many land university jobs and seats in orchestras." People who used these degrees were criminally charged.
Sri Lanka
According to Sri Lankan law, it is a criminal offense to use the term "university" or to purport to offer university degrees (Bachelors, Masters, Doctors) without government authorization in Sri Lanka.
Switzerland
Switzerland does not require prior authorisation to offer higher education courses, organise examinations or issue degrees. Federal or
cantonal
The 26 cantons of Switzerland (german: Kanton; french: canton ; it, cantone; Sursilvan and Surmiran: ; Vallader and Puter: ; Sutsilvan: ; Rumantsch Grischun: ) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Con ...
authorities may supervise private institutions and/or authorise them to offer courses and issue degrees. This supervision means that private institutions are required to accept a certain amount of state control. They must undergo quality inspections if they wish to issue valid degrees that will be recognised as such. Non protected titles from private institutions are nevertheless common. The education offered by federal and cantonal universities is of higher quality than in private institutions, with rare exceptions. The names University and University of Applied Sciences are protected by law and may only be used by publicly accredited institutions.
United Kingdom
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, only institutions with degree-awarding powers awarded by
royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...
or by or under an
act of parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
can grant degrees, and courses leading to UK degrees can only be offered by these institutions or institutions validated by an institution with degree awarding powers (with the exception of a small number of "recognised awards" that are specifically designated by the
Secretary of State). However, it is not an offence for overseas bodies to offer their own qualifications in Britain as long as it is made clear that these are not UK degrees. A list of "recognised bodies" that have degree awarding powers, "listed bodies" that offer courses leading to degrees from recognised bodies, and "recognised awards" is maintained by the British government. The government also maintains a list of educational institutions that are entitled to sponsor students for visas, although lack of inclusion on this list does not necessarily imply that an institution is 'bogus,' merely that they are not licensed to sponsor students for visas.
United States
Unlike in some countries, the term "college" or "university" is not legally protected in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
on a national level; however, such terms are restricted by some states. The federal government does not accredit any institutions or programs, either inside or outside of the United States. Instead, it maintains a list of valid, reliable, independent accrediting agencies, including private organizations and, for vocational schools, state accrediting agencies. The agency maintains a complete list of accredited institutions and programs online.
Most
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
s require degree-issuing higher education institutions to obtain a basic
business license
Business licenses are permits issued by government agencies that allow individuals or companies to conduct business within the government's geographical jurisdiction. It is the authorization to start a business issued by the local government.
A ...
—the same simple paperwork required of any business, such as a
day care center
Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...
or a
grocery store
A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, a ...
—and to register with the state or to have other formal authorization in order to enroll students or issue degrees; however, these legal authorizations are not the same as educational accreditation. Some U.S. state laws allow authorities to shut down illegal operations of unaccredited schools or
diploma mill
A diploma mill (also known as a degree mill) is a company or organization that claims to be a higher education institution but provides illegitimate academic degrees and diplomas for a fee. The degrees can be fabricated (made-up), falsified (fa ...
s. In others, particularly, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and California, the state permits anyone to claim to operate a college and issue degrees with essentially no oversight. Additionally, in 21 jurisdictions, unaccredited religious degree-granting schools are exempted from government oversight.
Students studying at an unaccredited institution are never eligible for
financial aid
Student financial aid in the United States is funding that is available exclusively to students attending a post-secondary educational institution in the United States. This funding is used to assist in covering the many costs incurred in the p ...
, including
student loan
A student loan is a type of loan designed to help students pay for post-secondary education and the associated fees, such as tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses. It may differ from other types of loans in the fact that the interest r ...
s, through any government agency. It is legal for the school itself or other private entities to offer financial assistance to students.
Some unaccredited institutions and programs provide significant, legitimate academic work.
[Diploma Mills]
Office of Degree Authorization, Oregon. Quotation: "''Mail drop'' degree mills are simply fraud, a way for unscrupulous hucksters to make money while providing no service. More substantive degree mills devalue college degrees by making them available without college-level work. This makes all degrees suspect and confuses employers and professional licensing boards that need to know whether a person has an appropriate educational background...Not all unaccredited colleges are necessarily degree mills in the traditional sense of the term. Some unaccredited colleges provide legitimate academic work." In others, the "college" is little more than a mailbox to which money is sent.
Any degrees issued may or may not be valid for obtaining professional licenses or employment. Generally speaking, within academic and government circles, such degrees are rejected, but within the business world, they may be acceptable for certain purposes.
(20 January 2010) Using a diploma from an unrecognized institution to obtain employment or for any other purpose is illegal in some states.[U.S. Department of Education]
/ref> Criminal penalties may apply should such a degree be fraud
In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain, or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compens ...
ulently presented in lieu of one from an accredited school.
See also
* Accreditation mill
An accreditation mill is an organization that purports to award educational accreditation to higher education institutions without having government authority or recognition from mainstream academia to operate as an accreditor. Implicit in the term ...
*
* List of unaccredited institutions of higher education
This is a list of colleges, seminaries, and universities that do not have educational accreditation. In many countries, accreditation is defined as a governmental designation.
Degrees or other qualifications from unaccredited institutions may ...
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Unaccredited Institutions Of Higher Education
*