Quick answer: Accreditation means an outside agency has checked that a college meets quality standards. You need a school accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to get federal financial aid. Check any school for free in the Department’s DAPIP database before you enroll.
Why accreditation matters
- Financial aid: Federal grants and loans only go to students at schools accredited by a recognized agency.
- Transfer credits: Other schools may not accept credits from an unaccredited school.
- Jobs and licenses: Employers and licensing boards may not accept your degree.
- Graduate school: Many graduate programs require a degree from an accredited school.
Two kinds of accreditation
| Kind | What it covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional | The whole school | Needed for federal aid |
| Programmatic | One program inside the school | Nursing, engineering or business programs |
For jobs that need a license, such as nursing, the program’s state approval and accreditation can matter as much as the school’s. Ask the licensing board in your state.
“Regional” vs “national” accreditation
You may still see these words. The U.S. Department of Education removed the difference between “regional” and “national” accreditors in rules that took effect July 1, 2020. It now calls them institutional accreditors and holds them to the same standards. Some schools, employers and licensing boards still use the old words in their transfer or hiring rules, so ask how your credits will be treated.
How to check a school in 3 steps
- Find the school’s accreditor on its website (usually on an “Accreditation” or “About” page).
- Search the school in the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP).
- If the accreditor’s name is unfamiliar, check that it appears on the Department’s list or in the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) database. For federal aid, the accreditor must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Red flags of a diploma mill
- A degree based only on “life experience,” with little or no coursework.
- A flat price for the whole degree.
- A degree in a very short time, like a few weeks.
- “Accreditation” from an agency you cannot find on DAPIP or CHEA, often with words like “international” or “worldwide.”
- Pressure to pay right away.
More: Choosing the Right Online College · Online Degrees: Start Here
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education: DAPIP database
- Federal Register: Clarification of the Appropriate Use of Terms “National” and “Regional” by Recognized Accrediting Agencies (proposed interpretive rule, February 2026)
- AACRAO: Regional accreditation is no longer a federal classification
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation: chea.org
Last checked: November 6, 2026.
