Higher Learning Commission Accreditation
About the Higher Learning Commission
What is the Higher Learning Commission?
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes 19 states in total.
Why is Accreditation with the HLC Important?
The federal government has a distinct interest in the role of accreditation in assuring quality in higher education for the students who benefit from federal financial aid programs. Institutions must be accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency to qualify for participation in federal financial aid programs that provide low-cost loans to students.
Attending a regionally accredited institution is an important consideration for a student to transfer credits to another institution or to pursue admission to graduate programs. Regionally accredited colleges and universities typically only accept credits from other regionally accredited institutions.
"Serving the common good by assuring and advancing the quality of higher learning."
The Higher Learning Commission
Mission Statement, 2020