State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is a national initiative which seeks to establish comparable national standards for the interstate offering of postsecondary distance-education courses and programs. SARA is a voluntary agreement among regional compacts (SREB, NEBHE, MHEC, and WICHE) and member states. Each member state approves their in-state institutions for SARA participation. Institutional membership is voluntary and open to accredited, degree-granting institutions from all sectors of postsecondary education (proprietary, public, private). Once approved, SARA member institutions may offer distance education programs in other SARA member states without additional authorization as long as the activity is within the limitations of SARA. For more information on SARA, and for the latest listing of participating states and institutions, visit nc-sara.org.

SARA approved postsecondary institutions listed on the NC-SARA website may operate within District of Columbia without additional authorization as long as the institution's activity complies with the limitations set by SARA and unless the institution is physically present in the District based on NC-SARA policy.

DC SARA - General Information

The District of Columbia became a member of SARA on June 6, 2016 through the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) compact. The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) - Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) has been designated the portal entity for SARA - the entity responsible for coordinating SARA activities in District of Columbia.

Eligibility

Institutional membership is voluntary. District of Columbia institutions seeking approval to participate in SARA will apply directly to the HELC and must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be a degree-granting institution of higher education from any sector of postsecondary education (proprietary, public, private)
• Institution’s main campus or central unit is legally domiciled in the District of Columbia and approved or licensed to operate in the District of Columbia
• Be accredited as a degree granting institution by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• If not a public institution, must have a financial responsibility index score from the US Department of Education of 1.5 or above. Institutions with a financial responsibility index between 1.0-1.49 will be considered with additional justification.

Any institution unable to satisfy all of the above criteria shall be ineligible to apply to the HELC for SARA membership.

Fees

Fees for an institution to participate in SARA consist of two parts.

One fee is required by the District of Columbia. The fee is determined annually and must be remitted with the completed application and is assessed as follows: 

DC-SARA Annual Fee Schedule

FTE Students	Fee
Fewer than 2,500	$3,000
2,500 - 9,999	$6,000
10,000 or more	$9,000

Applicants may remit payment via credit card here.  A check or money order for the DC SARA fee should be made payable to the DC Treasurer and mailed to:

Higher Education Licensure Commission

1050 First Street, NE - 5th Floor

Washington, DC 20002

All fees are non-refundable.

 

The NC SARA fee is paid directly to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement. This annual fee is based on an institution’s most recent total full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment as shown in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and is assessed as follows:

NC-SARA Annual Fee Schedule

Institution FTE Student Enrollments	Annual Participation Fee	New Annual Participation Fees effective July 1, 2024
Fewer than 2,500	$2,000	$2,200
2,500 - 9,999	$4,000	$4,400
10,000 - 29,999	$6,000	$6,600
30,000 or more	$6,000	$8,800

Upon notice from the HELC of an approved application, the institution shall receive a link and instructions for how to remit fees to NC-SARA. The institution shall be required to submit fees to NC-SARA within 30 days of notice.

 

Application Process

To initiate the process for joining SARA or to renew participation in SARA, the institution will complete and submit the following to the HELC:

• NC-SARA’s Application and Approval Form for Institutional Participation in SARA (The application must be completed in its original form and with required signatures of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or the Chief Academic Officer (CAO). Items on the application may be initialed by either the CEO or CAO. Alterations or substitutions will not be accepted.) Visit the NC SARA website the most current form.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) District institutions that are Congressionally Chartered Conditionally Exempt must complete and submit the Memorandum of Understanding [DOC] for participation in SARA as part of their application.
• Supporting Documentation (required for all institutions):
  • documentation of legal domicile in the District of Columbia
  • accreditation by an accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education
  • documentation of written notification to students relative to programming that leads to professional licensure 
  • student complaint process
  • catastrophic event policies
  • federal financial responsibility score
  • non-refundable DC-SARA fees
• Additional Supporting Documentation (if required):
  • financial stability justification
  • bond or letter of credit

The renewal process will include a review to confirm the institution's past compliance with SARA policies and standards and affirm its willingness and ability for continued future compliance.

Application materials may be mailed Attn: HELC - 1050 1st St., NE 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20002 OR emailed to osse.elcmail@dc.gov. You may choose one submission method.  You do not need to mail and email your application. Please do not email application materials to individual HELC team members.

Resources

• SARA Institutional Fees
• SARA Resources (Manuals, Directories, Presentations)
• SREB SARA Information and Updates