Institutional Accreditation
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of six regional accrediting agencies. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been continuously accredited since 1913. The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor is responsible for coordinating University efforts to prepare for the accrediting agency’s periodic site visits and reviews. The university last underwent a comprehensive self-study and site visit during the 2016-17 academic year. The next comprehensive evaluation will be in 2026-27.
UNL’s Statement of Affiliation Status (confirmation of accreditation) can be accessed on the Higher Learning Commission’s website.
General Information about Accreditation
The Council for Higher Education (CHEA) coordinates accreditation activity in the U.S. Learn more about accreditation processes.
The Department of Education of the U.S. Government maintains a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary of Education determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. Visit the accreditation database website for more information.
The primary benefits of institutional accreditation include:
- the Federal Government limits federal financial aid to students enrolled institutions that are accredited by one of the nationally recognized accreditors
- many graduate and professional schools only admit students who graduated from an accredited institution
- many higher education institutions only accept transfer credits from accredited institutions.
Specialized Program Accreditation
In addition to the University's accreditation, many programs also maintain specialized accreditation. The evaluation is conducted by a specialized accrediting agency, one that is often associated with a national professional organization.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is required to periodically review all academic programs for the Academic Planning Committee (APC), the Board of Regents, and the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE). When appropriate, the review may be conducted within the context of an accreditation review.
To insure consistency in the process relating to programs that undergo accrediting reviews but not APR reviews, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Degree-seeking programs that undergo accrediting reviews should be allowed to substitute those reports for the APR. Upon completion of the accrediting process, the program will submit a copy of the report to the EVC/VCIANR and to the APC.
- Any degree-seeking program that is not included in the accrediting process of as separate, but budget-related, accredited degree-seeking program (e.g., a department or major within a college) will undergo its own Academic Program Review.
- If there are no individuals with academic credentials on the accrediting team reviewing a degree-seeking program, that program will undergo its own Academic Program Review.
- An accredited program should remain on the cycle required by the accrediting agency as long as it is a ten-year cycle or less. If the cycle is more than ten years, the program will undergo an APR half way through the cycle.
- Individual programs do not control the policies and procedures of the accrediting bodies. If those bodies allow for APC representatives to participate in the accrediting process as observers, the programs will so inform the EVC/VCIANR and APC who will then appoint a faculty member to the accrediting team.
- Programs that undergo accreditation reviews in lieu of APRs must submit a short report to the cognizant dean including how the review and its results relate to program/college/and university strategic plans. College deans as appropriate must respond to these reports, submitting the program’s report and their response to the EVC/VCIANR as appropriate.