Distance Education

Distance Education and the Need for a Physical Location to be Licensed as a Proprietary School by the State Board of Community Colleges

Proprietary schools must have a physical location within the State of North Carolina to be licensed under N.C.G.S. § 115D. North Carolina citizens may enroll in schools located out of state that provide education through distance learning technologies, but they may not be protected by the consumer laws of North Carolina.

N.C.G.S. § 115D-87 provides that the term proprietary school “includes a branch or extension of a private postsecondary educational institution of another state that is located in this State or that offers educational services or education at a physical location within this State. Delivery systems employed may include, but are not limited to, (i) correspondence, (ii) classrooms, (iii) hotels or other temporary dwelling units or areas, or (iv) electronic communications such as those used in distance education. Distance education is education, training courses, or programs delivered to a student who is geographically separate from the instructor.” Proprietary schools must have a physical location within the State of North Carolina to be licensed under N.C.G.S. § 115D. North Carolina citizens may enroll in schools located out of state that provide education through distance learning technologies, but they may not be protected by the consumer laws of North Carolina. Specific letters of exemption will not be provided to out of state proprietary schools. It is the responsibility of such schools to use the information provided herein to verify compliance to other state and/or federal agencies.

NOTE: The State Board of Community Colleges has licensing authority over certain vocational certificate and diploma programs. The North Carolina Board of Governors has licensing authority over degree granting institutions in the State of North Carolina.