School Accreditation

An accredited school meets certain standards set by an independent agency. It helps ensure the training or education you get meets employer standards in a specific field.
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​Use the accreditation search page to check a particular school’s standards or to find an accredited school in a particular field or location.

If you attend a school that isn’t accredited, you might not be able to get any financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education requires that schools participating in our federal student aid programs be accredited. Also, your state education agency’s aid programs may not offer financial aid at unaccredited schools.
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In addition, attending an unaccredited school poses the following risks:

• You might not be able to transfer your credits to another school. For example, if you attend an unaccredited two-year school and then transfer to a four-year school to earn a bachelor’s degree, you might have to start over again at the four-year school if it doesn’t recognize the classes you took.
• It may be difficult to get a job. Some employers may not hire someone with a certificate from a school that is unaccredited.