State Authorization

1. Complete and Submit Application for Initial Authorization

The application packet for initial authorization will be provided to institutions upon request. To request one, send an email to ok.stateauth@osrhe.edu. The packet will include instructions for completing and submitting the application and an invoice for the application fee.

An application from an institution that is not eligible for authorization as required in OSRHE policy will not be accepted.

2. Application Fee for Initial Authorization

All applications must be accompanied by payment of the application fee. An application received without the application fee is out of compliance with OSRHE policy and will not be reviewed until the application fee is received. See Fees and Student Tuition Recovery Fund Payments for current fee amount. The application fee must be paid by paper check.

If the application fee is not received within 90 days of receipt of the application, the application will expire, and a new application will be required for the institution to be considered for authorization. The institution is responsible for keeping track of this deadline; OSRHE will issue no alerts or notices of its approach.

Once received, the application fee is non-refundable, regardless of whether the application is submitted to the State Regents or the State Regents approve it.

An application fee from an institution that is not eligible for authorization as required in OSRHE policy will not be accepted.

3. Review of the Application for Initial Authorization

OSRHE staff will review complete applications to ensure the application and institution are in compliance with OSRHE policy. On determination of compliance, staff will submit the application to the State Regents at their earliest available regularly scheduled meeting.

4. Incomplete or Non-Compliant Applications for Initial Authorization

A complete application for initial authorization that is determined not to demonstrate institutional compliance with OSRHE policy will not be presented to the State Regents. The written notification of the determination of non-compliance will include the reasons for the determination.

The institution will have 20 calendar days from the date of the notification to submit an appeal of the determination of non-compliance. If the appeal materials are received before the end of the 20^th day and achieve and/or indicate compliance with OSRHE policy, the corrected application and/or evidence of full compliance will be presented to the State Regents at their next available regularly scheduled meeting.

If no communication is received from the institution by the end of the 20^th day or if the materials and information the institution submits do not achieve and/or indicate compliance with OSRHE policy, the determination of non-compliance will stand and the application and will expire. No fee will be refunded. An institution that wishes to continue to pursue authorization from the OSRHE must submit a new application with a new application fee.

5. Notification of Approval and Effective Date for Initial Authorization

Institutions will be provided with written notification of State Regents’ approval of the authorization application which will include invoices for required fees and, for private institutions, payment into the student tuition recovery fund. The institution’s initial authorization will be effective on the date that OSRHE receives the required fees and payments, and it may not conduct any marketing or student enrollment activities in Oklahoma or any other degree-related activity until its authorization becomes effective. On receipt of payment, the institution will be provided written notification that its authorization is effective, which will include the term of authorization, and the institution will be listed as such on the OSRHE website.

6. Authorization Fees and STRF Payments for Initial Authorization

Authorization fees and payments are in addition to the application fee. All authorization fees and payments are due upon receipt of the invoice. A separate invoice will be provided for authorization fees and for payment into the student tuition recovery fund. All payments must be made by paper check. Further instructions for payment will be included with the invoice. See “Fees and Student Tuition Recovery Fund Payments” for current fees and payments.

7. Non-Payment of Fees and Payments for Initial Authorization

If full payment is not received within 30 days from the date of the invoice, the institution’s authorization approval will be subject to revocation. The institution is responsible for keeping track of this deadline; OSRHE will issue no alerts or notices of its approach. No appeal will be considered and no payments received to date will be refunded. If the institution wishes to continue to pursue authorization in Oklahoma, it must submit a new application with a new application fee.

8. Term of Authorization

Institutions must be re-authorized annually. The term of authorization is from the date an institution’s authorization fee and payment are received by the OSRHE through the last day of its last summer session of the following year. For example, the authorization of an institution whose payments are received April 20, 2025, will be from April 20, 2025, through the last day of its last summer session of 2026. To be authorized starting fall 2026, it must be re-authorized by the OSRHE in spring 2026, which authorization will be through the last day of the institution’s last summer session of 2027.

1. Complete and Submit Application for Re-Authorization

Application packets with instructions and an invoice for the application fee will be provided to authorized institutions towards the end of each calendar year. The complete application for re-authorization is due no later than May 1 of the following year. Institutions are strongly encouraged to submit their re-authorization application and fee as early in the year as possible. The authorization of an institution that does not submit the application by the due date will be subject to revocation.

2. Application Fee for Re-Authorization

All applications must be accompanied by payment of the application fee. An application received without the application fee is incomplete and out-of-compliance with OSRHE policy and will not be reviewed until the application fee has been received. See “Fees and Student Tuition Recovery Fund Payments” for current fee amount. The application fee must be paid by paper check.

If the application fee is not received by May 1, the institution’s authorization will be subject to revocation. The institution is responsible for keeping track of this deadline; OSRHE will issue no alerts or notices of its approach.

Once received, the application fee is non-refundable, regardless of whether the application is submitted to the State Regents or the State Regents approve it.

3. Review of the Application for Re-Authorization

OSRHE staff will review complete applications to ensure the application and institution are in compliance with OSRHE policy. On determination of compliance, staff will submit the application to the State Regents at their earliest available regularly scheduled meeting from January through June. A schedule of State Regents meetings can be found at https://okhighered.org/state-system/state-regents-meetings/.

4. Non-Compliant Applications for Re-Authorization

A complete application for re-authorization that is determined not to demonstrate institutional compliance with OSRHE policy will not be presented to the State Regents and the institution’s authorization will be subject to revocation. The written notification of the determination of non-compliance will include the reasons for the determination. No fee will be refunded.

5. Determination of Non-Compliance Appeal

The institution may submit an appeal of the determination of non-compliance. If the submittal appropriately addresses the non-compliance, the application will be presented to the State Regents at their next available regularly scheduled meeting. The final due date for submittal of this appeal is May 1; however, institutions are strongly encouraged to submit appeal materials as soon as possible.

If no communication is received from the institution, or if the institution is unable to address the non-compliance by May 1, the institution’s authorization will be subject to revocation.

6. Authorization Extension

An authorized institution that is unable to submit a complete application or address a determination of non-compliance by May 1 due to extenuating circumstances may request an extension of its current term of authorization and the final due date by which it must submit the application and any appeal materials for re-authorization.

If the extension is applied, it shall be for no longer than that the date of that year’s September State Regents meeting, and the final due date for submittal of a corrected application and/or evidence of full compliance shall be no later than July 7 of that year.

If an extension is applied but the institution misses the extension period due date, its authorization will be subject to revocation.

If the extension is not applied, the institution’s authorization will be subject to revocation.

Staff determination whether to apply the extension will be final and no further appeal or extension request will be accepted.

Only three such extensions may be applied to any institution throughout the entire time of its authorization to operate as a degree-granting institution in Oklahoma.

7. Notification of Approval and Effective Date for Re-Authorization

Institutions will be provided with written notification of State Regents’ approval of the authorization application which will include invoices for required fees and, for private institutions, payment into the student tuition recovery fund. The institution’s re-authorization will be effective on the date that OSRHE receives the required fees and payments. On receipt of payment, the institution will be provided written notification that its approval of re-authorization is effective through another term of authorization.

8. Authorization Fees and STRF Payments for Re-Authorization

Authorization fees and payments are in addition to the application fee. All authorization fees and payments are due upon receipt of the invoice. A separate invoice will be provided for authorization fees and for payment into the student tuition recovery fund. All payments must be made by paper check. Further instructions for payment will be included with the invoice. See “Fees and Student Tuition Recovery Fund Payments” for current fees and payments

9. Non-Payment of Fees and Payment for Re-Authorization

If full payment is not received by Aug. 1 of that year, the institution’s authorization will be subject to revocation. The institution is responsible for keeping track of this deadline; OSRHE will issue no alerts or notices of its approach. No appeal will be considered and no payments received to date will be refunded.

10. Term of Authorization

Institutions must be re-authorized annually. The term of authorization is from the date an institution’s authorization fee and payment are received by the OSRHE through the last day of its last summer semester of the following year. For example, the authorization of an institution whose payments are received April 20, 2025, will be from April 20, 2025, through the last day of its last summer session of 2026. To be authorized starting fall 2026, it must be re-authorized by the OSRHE in spring 2026, which authorization will be through the last day of the institution’s last summer session of 2027.

1. Non-Approval of Initial Authorization

If the State Regents do not approve an institution’s application for initial authorization, the institution is not authorized and may not conduct any degree-related activity listed in OSRHE policy. No fees will be refunded.

2. Non-Approval of Re-Authorization

If the State Regents do not approve an institution’s application for re-authorization, the institution’s authorization will expire at the end of its current term of authorization. It shall immediately upon notification of the non-approval cease all student marketing and enrollment activities in Oklahoma and shall begin the appropriate closure procedure. Notice of the institution’s impending expiration of authorization, the reason why, the anticipated date, and other relevant information will be added to its listing on the OSRHE website.

3. Revocation of Authorization

If any of the conditions for revocation of authorization in OSRHE policy or in these procedures are met, the institution will be provided with written notification of impending revocation, upon receipt of which it shall immediately cease all student marketing and enrollment activities in Oklahoma and shall begin the appropriate closure procedure. Notice of the institution’s impending revocation of authorization, the reason why, the anticipated date, and other relevant information will be added to its listing on the OSRHE website.

1. Submittal and Review of Appeal

An institution that wishes to appeal the revocation or non-approval of authorization must submit to the OSRHE office, within 20 calendar days of receipt of notification, written documentation detailing why it believes the revocation or non-renewal is not warranted by state statute or OSRHE policy. The institution is responsible for keeping track of this deadline; OSRHE will issue no alerts or notices of its approach.

Upon receipt of the documentation, OSRHE staff will review it to determine whether the additional information demonstrates compliance with state statute and OSRHE policy. If it is determined that the response satisfactorily indicates full compliance, the application will be submitted to the State Regents at their next regularly scheduled meeting.

2. Schedule of Appeal Process

The schedule for the appeal process and how it affects the institution’s implementation of closure will be determined and communicated to the institution on receipt and analysis of the appeal. During the period of time from the receipt of the appeal documentation to final determination of compliance, the institution will retain whatever authorization status it held prior to the non-approval or revocation.

3. Determination of Appeal

If it is determined that the appeal documentation does not demonstrate compliance with state statute and OSRHE policy, the institution will be notified of the determination in writing, including the reasons why, and the institution will begin or resume closure procedures.

Determination that the appeal documentation does not demonstrate compliance with state statute and OSRHE policy is final and no further appeal will be accepted.

Institutions whose authorization has been revoked or not approved may be considered again for authorization after reestablishing compliance with state statute and OSRHE policy.