Membership Application Procedures

South Dakota State Authorization Membership for Degree-Granting Post-Secondary Institutions

Any institution offering post-secondary degrees in the State of South Dakota must be approved by the South Dakota Board of Regents. The State Board has been authorized to regulate colleges and universities with either a physical or online presence in South Dakota. To be approved, institutions must be accredited by a federally-recognized accreditation agency and have a Federal Financial Responsibility Composite Score greater than 1.5 to be authorized. All institutions must be fully authorized before advertising or offering post-secondary education in South Dakota.

State authorization is required for any institution offering courses that can lead to an associate’s degree or higher.

Institutions that are members of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) do not require further authorization.

Any institution offering programs that lead to professional certification or registration (e.g. Nursing, Education, Accounting, Engineering) is required to comply with the states' standards.  By statute, the institution is required to give written notification to the student whether their programs meet the requirements of the appropriate professional board in South Dakota, including notification upon any change in this status. The Educational Standards and Practices Boards must approve education degree programs. The Board of Nursing must approve nursing programs.

Applications or renewals can be completed here.

Any questions regarding this process can be directed to: Katie.Hubbart@sdbor.edu

The SDBOR has established an annual fee of $4,000 to cover the Board’s cost of administering SARA for the state of South Dakota. This fee is payable to the South Dakota Board of Regents at the time of registration by check. If a W-9 is needed, please contact the Board of Regents Business Office. BOR institutions should submit a non-cash document for their payment.

BOR Policy 1.5.2 - South Dakota State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)