SARA Source

SARA Source Logo

Welcome to the SARA Source! If you are with a SARA-participating institution, you’re in the right place to learn more about participating in NC-SARA’s searchable catalog of distance education program information from SARA institutions nationwide. 

Note: In February 2025, NC-SARA will be implementing a new process for maintaining SARA Source. Instead of requiring institutions to submit and periodically update their program information, NC-SARA staff will now pull that information annually from data institutions submit to the U.S. Department of Education through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). In preparation for the transition, the link below to request a new institution account for SARA Source will be removed November 1, 2024, and effective November 30, 2024, modifications will no longer be accepted for programs that are already listed in SARA Source.
We will share additional updates as we get closer to the February launch, but if you have questions in the meantime, please contact sarasource@nc-sara.org.

What is SARA Source?

SARA Source is a searchable catalog of distance education programs offered by SARA-participating institutions.

Why Should Our Institution Participate in SARA Source?

  • Showcase Your Distance Education Programs: SARA Source will make it easy for current and prospective students to search for educational offerings that best fit their needs and career goals. In the process, SARA institutions will be able to showcase their participation in SARA as well as their interstate distance education programs.
  • Highlight the value of your participation in SARA: Prospective students – and others browsing or searching the catalog – will learn that enrolling in programs from a SARA-participating institution provides them with a consistent set of student consumer protections afforded by SARA, as well as certain assurances of quality that come from SARA participation requirements.
  • Leverage the No-Fee Opportunity: There is no fee for SARA institutions to participate in the SARA Source; it’s just one of the many benefits – in addition to reduced bureaucracy and cost savings – that SARA institutions receive as part of their voluntary participation.

How Do We Participate in SARA Source?

1. The first step is to create an account. (See the link below to request an account from NC-SARA.)

2. Once you have created an account, follow the procedures for participating, which are detailed in the SARA Source Operational Handbook for Institutions. Some features include:

  • Institutions can easily upload a data file containing program information into the SARA Source.
  • Institutions will provide a single institution URL for students leaving the SARA Source to learn more about the institution’s distance education offerings.
  • Institutions will update programs annually to ensure the SARA Source is sharing the most current information.

3. NC-SARA staff review program information prior to its visibility in the SARA Source, including all required information such as: credential offered, program requirements, delivery methods, tuition and fees, etc. NC-SARA will also make sure the institution’s own landing webpage has met the requirements.

How Will Prospective Students and the Public Learn About SARA Source?

SARA Source is available and open to the public now and is gradually being populated by programs. Feel free to check it out now to see how it works!

When the SARA Source is populated with at least 3,000 programs, NC-SARA will help inform the public and prospective students in the following ways:

  • Institutions that participate in the SARA Source will receive an easy-to-use SARA Source Marketing and Media Kit. Institutions may then leverage the materials for their own marketing or media activities. Materials will include a collection of graphics, recommended social media content, press release content, information about what prospective students can find in the SARA Source, as well as information about the value of enrolling in a SARA-participating institution from a student consumer perspective.
  • NC-SARA will announce, via a nationwide press release and media advisory, that the SARA Source is available, and will promote its access through various higher education media outlets*.
  • NC-SARA will regularly share information about the SARA Source through national conference presentations, media outreach, articles, and other sponsored activities.
  • NC-SARA will maintain and share a dedicated webpage about the SARA Source for prospective students and the public, including an explanation of the value of enrolling in a SARA-participating institution.

*Please note that NC-SARA will not be engaging in direct marketing activities to prospective students about the SARA Source.

How Can Prospective Students and Others Use the SARA Source?

In browsing the SARA Source catalog of programs – or in searching for a specific type of program – prospective students will be able to use the search filters to narrow their choices; select multiple programs for comparison; and easily share results with others via printing and/or email. Additionally, SARA Source users will be able to connect directly to the institution’s own website with a simple click to obtain more information and/or to be connected directly with the institution.

RESOURCES FOR INSTITUTIONS

Request A SARA Source Institution Account