How to Check a U.S. College’s Accreditation

Start with the exact school and campus

A scholarship requirement that names an accredited college or university calls for a specific check. Begin with the institution’s full name, location, campus, and the name of your degree program. Keep this information together so you can compare the same institution across different sources.

Do not rely on a search-result snippet or an accreditation logo alone. Follow the claim to the organization that provides the accreditation. Similar school names, renamed institutions, and branch campuses can make a quick name-only search inconclusive. If a result does not clearly match your institution, ask the school to identify the relevant listing.

Use the Department of Education and CHEA resources

The U.S. Department of Education provides the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, commonly called DAPIP. Its records are reported by recognized accrediting and state approval agencies. Use the institution’s name and location to find the relevant record, and note the agency and status shown.

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s institution directory is another useful starting point. CHEA’s database includes institutions and programs accredited by organizations recognized by CHEA, the Department of Education, or both. The two recognition systems serve different purposes, so absence from one database alone is not a complete judgment about a school.

CHEA advises checking the accreditor for the most current information. Follow that agency’s public directory and compare its entry with the school’s own accreditation page. If the records disagree or appear outdated, contact the accreditor and institution before drawing a conclusion.

Separate the institution from the program

Institutional accreditation concerns the institution as a whole. Programmatic accreditation usually concerns a particular program, department, or school within it. A claim about one academic program does not answer every question about the institution, or about another program at the same college.

The Department of Education also explains that accreditation does not automatically guarantee acceptance of transfer credits or graduates by employers. If those outcomes matter to your plans, ask the receiving institution or relevant organization directly. Its overview of accreditation explains these distinctions.

Keep a small verification record

For your own reference, record the following information when you complete the check:

• The exact institution, campus, and program you searched.
• The accreditor’s name and the wording of the current status.
• The public source links and the date you checked them.
• Any question that still needs a response from the institution or accreditor.

State authorization to operate and accreditation are separate matters. CHEA’s guidance on evaluating accreditation claims explains that distinction and encourages further inquiry. An unresolved search is a reason to investigate, rather than to label an institution.

For the Curt Dewitz Scholarship, this check helps you understand the accredited-institution requirement. The scholarship administrator’s published verification process will determine which evidence is needed. Read the official eligibility criteria alongside your research; this article does not approve individual colleges or make scholarship eligibility decisions.