South Carolina Commission on Higher Education

Provide important web links:

• Home Page web link   http://www.che.sc.gov/
• Statutes and Regulations Page  http://www.che.sc.gov/InstitutionsEducators/Licensing/LicensingofNon-PublicPostsecondaryInstitutions.aspx
• Authorization Information Page web link  https://www.che.sc.gov/institutions-and-educators/licensing-non-public-postsecondary-institutions
• Application Information Page web link  http://www.che.sc.gov/InstitutionsEducators/Licensing/LicensingofNon-PublicPostsecondaryInstitutions.aspx
• Renewal Information Page web link  no link provided

What types of institutions are subject to this agency’s authority? Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes.

• Note: Some agencies may refer to out-of-state public institutions as “private colleges” in their law.  If this is the case for your agency, please select “public, out-of-state degree granting institutions” for purposes of this Guide so that the out-of-state public institution will find appropriate information.
• Note: If your agency is a coordinating board, your agency may have one division with some authority such as program approval over in-state public institutions that are established per statute, which is structured differently than another division of your agency with state authorization authority over non-public institutions that they “license” pursuant to different statute(s).

_X__    Public, in-state degree granting institutions
_X__    Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
_X__    Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
_X__    Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
_X__    Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_X__    Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
____    Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
____    Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_X__    Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_X__    Non-degree, for-profit institutions
____    Religious institutions
____    Tribally-controlled institutions
____    Federal Institutions

Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?

_____ Institution

_____ Program

__X__ Both

Clarifying comments:

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education licenses all out-of-state institutions that are operating or soliciting in South Carolina in any delivery format as well as in-state institutions not exempt by statute. *The Commission coordinates activities of in-state public institutions (program and facility approval) but does not authorize them through the Nonpublic Postsecondary Institution Act. Private, in‐state, not‐for‐profit degree granting institutions founded in SC prior to 1953 are exempt from authorization.

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation has oversight of specific occupations including nursing, barbering, and cosmetology.

SC Board of Nursing approves initial licensure Nursing programs. Board’s website: https://llr.sc.gov/nurse/

SC Board of Barber Examiners. Board’s website: https://llr.sc.gov/bar/

SC Board of Cosmetology. Board’s website: https://llr.sc.gov/cosmo/

Does your agency require exclusively online offerings offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized?

• Meaning as example, the state regulates an out-of-state institution for merely enrolling a student into a distance education program
• Meaning as example, a solely online program that does not have any internships and practicums

No.

Clarifying comments

South Carolina does not require authorization of institutions that only enroll South Carolina residents into online programs unless the institutions operate or solicit in such a way that they create a physical presence.