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Affiliation with the Higher Learning Commission

Colleges and universities may be affiliated with the Commission in one of two ways: by gaining and maintaining accredited status, which carries membership in the Commission, or by gaining and maintaining candidate status, which is a limited-term status. Both are voluntary and are initiated by the institution.

Initial Candidacy

The Commission determines whether an educational institution is to be considered for initial candidacy through its Achieving Accreditation Process.

Rationale for Candidacy

Candidacy is a preaccreditation status. It affiliates the institution with the Commission, but does not give it membership in the Commission. Candidacy provides time and support to a new and changing college or university as it develops into an accreditable organization. For most institutions, candidacy enables students to qualify for federal financial aid programs, and it often aids in the transferability of the candidate institution’s credits to another college or university.

Period of Candidacy

The term of Candidacy is four years. In exceptional circumstances, the Board may offer a fifth year of candidacy to an institution that demonstrates cause for an extension.

Candidacy Process

The Candidacy Program involves two processes during the four-year term.

1.    Self-study and On-site Evaluation for Candidate Status

To achieve candidacy, the institution completes a self-study and submits its report and other required materials prior to the onsite evaluation.

A visiting team of peer reviewers determines whether the institution meets all the Eligibility Requirements and the Minimum Expectations within the Criteria and whether it has the capacity to meet the Criteria fully within the four years that is the anticipated duration for Candidate status. The recommendation of the visiting team enters the decision process.

The Institutional Actions Council conducts a hearing to consider the report and recommendation of the on-site evaluation team. The Institutional Actions Council prepares a report indicating its agreement with the findings and recommendation of the team or providing different findings or recommendation. The record is reviewed by the Commission Board of Trustees, which then renders the final decision to award candidate status.

2.    Biennial Evaluation

An institution hosts a required on-site biennial evaluation two years after candidacy is granted to determine whether the institution is making reasonable progress toward meeting accreditation requirements by the end of the candidacy period.

An institution that has completed two years of candidacy may file an application for early initial accreditation and host an on-site initial accreditation visit to evaluate the institution for this purpose. The institution will be limited to one application for early initial accreditation during the term of candidacy. If the institution applies for early initial accreditation the Board may grant it or may require the institution to complete the full term of candidacy.

Moving to Accreditation

At the end of the four-year candidacy period, an institution will be evaluated for initial accreditation. Initial Accreditation is achieved through a process of self-study, on-site review by a Commission evaluation team, and a hearing by the Institutional Actions Council, with the final decision rendered by the Board of Trustees, as in the process for candidacy. The principal difference is that for initial accreditation the institution must satisfy fully not only the Eligibility Requirements and the Minimum Expectations within the Criteria, but all the Criteria in full. Initial Accreditation requires a comprehensive review for reaffirmation of accreditation within a maximum of five years.