POSTSECONDARY SCHOOL AUTHORIZATION

The Postsecondary Authorization Act of 1974, T.C.A. §49-7-2001 et seq. and the Postsecondary Rules Chapter 1540-1-2 outline areas of responsibility administered through the Division of Postsecondary School Authorization which can be grouped into two areas - School Authorization and Consumer Services.

Division of Postsecondary Authorization

The Division of Postsecondary School Authorization oversees and monitors private proprietary, for-profit, and not-for-profit schools offering training or education leading to a vocation, college credit or issuance of an educational credential. Authorization may be granted to both degree and non-degree granting institutions and encompasses a wide variety of schools such as: academic, trade, technical, career, professional, and out-of-state institutions with presence, advertisement, and/or recruitment practices in Tennessee. Related areas include:

Assisting individuals or businesses seeking authorization to operate a postsecondary educational institution or make a determination of exemption from the provisions of the Postsecondary Education Authorization Act of 1974.

Supplying information and assistance to prospective schools interested in submitting an Initial Authorization Application to operate as a postsecondary school in the state.
Authorized institutions interested in offering new programs must submit a new
program application prior to offering the proposed program(s). The new program application may be obtained by calling the Division of Postsecondary School Authorization at 615-741-5293.
Establishing and requiring compliance with minimum standards for school administration, operation and educational quality as well as authorizing the use of degrees, diplomas, certificates or any other educational credentials.
Protecting students and consumers from substandard, transient, deceptive or fraudulent institutions and practices.

Consumer Services

The Division of Postsecondary School Authorization provides a variety of services to assist students and consumers. Helpful services include:

Maintaining a list of currently authorized schools.
Assisting consumers with questions about selecting a school, including distance education programs.
Providing student academic transcripts from defunct schools (when available).
Reviewing student complaints that are not resolved at the institutional level.

Selecting an Institution

When selecting an institution, consumers should first collect information about area institutions that offer programs of interest and directly compare each potential school. General information concerning postsecondary institutions in Tennessee, subject to the Postsecondary Education Authorization Act of 1974, can be found in the Frequently Asked Postsecondary Questions section of this site. Also, a list of authorized schools can also be retrieved via this site.

For a listing of public institutions in Tennessee, consumers can browse the Tennessee Board of Regents or University of Tennessee web sites. Students interested in obtaining information on other private colleges and universities in the state can contact the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association.

Academic Transcripts

The Division of Postsecondary School Authorization maintains student transcripts from previously authorized institutions that have closed, however; the files received from the schools are sometimes incomplete. Please note that failure to locate an academic record from a closed institution does not necessarily invalidate the student’s claim of attendance or the completion of a course(s) or program of study. Unfortunately the Commission only administers and maintains the records as provided by the closed institution and does not have any secondary source beyond the cd rom to search for academic records. This agency regrets any inconvenience this may cause.

STUDENT REQUEST FOR A TRANSCRIPT FROM A CLOSED INSTITUTION

There is a $10 fee for each transcript request.
Only money orders or cashier’s checks will be accepted for payment. Make the money order or cashier’s check payable to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Up to (3) copies of the requested transcript will be provided for each request; one of which will be sent to the student.
Unreadable forms will be returned unprocessed.
Transcripts are processed within two weeks from the receipt of this form.

FOR THE STUDENT REQUEST FORM (click here)

INSTITUTION OR THIRD PARTY COMPANY TRANSCRIPT REQUEST
FROM A CLOSED INSTITUTION

There is a $10 fee for each transcript request.
Only company or cashier’s checks will be accepted for payment. Make the check payable to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
In lieu of this form Institutions or Third Party Companies may submit their own forms provided that they encompass all the required information.
A release, signed by the student, must accompany the transcript request.
Up to (3) copies of the requested transcript will be provided for each request.
Unreadable forms will be returned unprocessed.
Transcripts are processed within two weeks from the receipt of this form.

FOR THE THIRD PARTY REQUEST FORM (click here)

For information on obtaining records contact the Postsecondary Authorization staff.

MAIL ALL TRANSCRIPTS REQUEST TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Attn: Transcripts
Division of Postsecondary School Authorization
Parkway Towers, Suite 1900
404 James Robertson Pkwy.
Nashville, TN 37243-0830
Telephone (615)741-5293
Fax (615)532-8845
email: Melissa.Stevenson@state.tn.us