State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA)

What is SARA?

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. SARA is overseen by a National Council, referred to as NC-SARA, and administered by four regional education compacts.

States and Institutions participating in SARA

NC-SARA maintains a list of states and institutions nationally participating in SARA.

On August 11, 2014, Nebraska was accepted as part of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) through the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC). The Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE) has been designated the portal agency for SARA—the entity responsible for leading SARA activities in Nebraska.

How can a Nebraska institution join SARA?

Any Nebraska public, private not-for-profit, or private for-profit degree-granting institution is eligible to join SARA, provided that its main campus or central unit is legally domiciled in the state of Nebraska and that it is accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. To initiate the process for joining SARA, complete and submit the following application to Kathleen.Fimple@nebraska.gov:

• Application for Institutional Participation in SARA

How does an approved Nebraska institution renew its membership in SARA?

Membership is for one year. Prior to the one-year mark, the institution will receive a notification letter from NC-SARA directing it to the renewal application form on the NC-SARA site.

Complete the form and submit it to Kathleen.Fimple@nebraska.gov along with the state fee.

Note: You do not need to resubmit documents provided with the original application unless there has been a change.

What are the fees?

A fee of $400 should accompany the initial or renewed application to cover CCPE administrative costs. CCPE will issue an IBT for $400 to public four-year institutions upon receipt of an application. All others should send a check to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.

Once an institution is approved or renewed by Nebraska, CCPE will notify NC-SARA. NC-SARA will respond to the institution with an email that includes instructions on submitting payment to NC-SARA. The required annual fee paid to NC-SARA is based on an institution’s total full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment as shown in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and is assessed as follows (effective July 1, 2024):

Enrolled FTE               Annual Fee       
Less than 2,500               $2,200
2,500-9,999                     $4,400
10,000-29,999                 $6,600
30,000 or more                $8,800

Complaints to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education regarding Nebraska degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) may be filed here.

Please note that the first step in resolving complaints is to attempt to resolve the matter directly with the involved institution under established institution complaint or grievance procedures. Generally, a person who contacts the CCPE office regarding complaints about Nebraska institutions participating in SARA will be referred to college or university officials. In the event that institutional processes do not result in a successful resolution of a SARA complaint, CCPE is responsible for resolution of any such complaints originating at any SARA participant institution, public or private. Conversely, if you are a Nebraska resident attending a distance education program at a SARA institution in another state, you will need to begin the complaint process at the institution you attend. In the event that institutional processes do not result in a successful resolution of your complaint, the SARA portal agency of that state is responsible for resolution of the complaint. If help is needed in working with another state, CCPE will provide assistance.

Questions regarding SARA activities in Nebraska can be directed to:

Kathleen L. Fimple, Ph.D.
Academic Programs Officer
Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
402-471-0030
Kathleen.Fimple@nebraska.gov

Nebraska Institutions approved to participate in SARA (29 to date):

Bellevue University

Bryan College of Health Sciences

Central Community College

Chadron State College

Clarkson College

College of St. Mary

Concordia University

Creighton University

Doane University

Metropolitan Community College

Midland University

Mid-Plains Community College

Myotherapy Institute 

Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Nebraska Indian Community College

Nebraska Methodist College

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Northeast Community College

Peru State College

Southeast Community College

Union College

Universal College of Healing Arts

University of Nebraska at Kearney

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

University of Nebraska Medical Center

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Wayne State College

Western Nebraska Community College

York University

 

This guidance document is advisory in nature but is binding on an agency until amended by such agency. A guidance document does not include internal procedural documents that only affect the internal operations of the agency and does not impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties or include confidential information or rules and regulations made in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. If you believe that this guidance document imposes additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties, you may request a review of the document.