How to Check If a School Is Accredited

There are thousands of brick-and-mortar schools and online universities available to the public to earn a degree in almost any subject. If you go to a school that is not accredited, you may risk not getting the job you want, or you may loose the ability to apply for a higher degree at another accredited school. One challenge for some students looking for schools that are accredited is learning what schools have an official accreditation. The Department of Education has a database that makes it clear to school seekers which schools are accredited.

Things You'll Need

• Computer

Instructions

1. Log on to the the U.S. Department of Education's college search page for accredited schools (see Resources).

2. Enter in the school's name for which you would like to confirm accreditation. Hit "Search," and the database will search for the accreditation.

3. Select the school you are interested in from the list of several schools that may appear on your search screen. Select the school you are looking for, and the accreditation confirmation will show up.

4. Select to view either the college's complete institutional accreditation or select the specialized accreditation for the individual department you are interested in.

Tips & Warnings

• You can back up your search by searching the Council for Higher Education Accreditation website to search for your school's accreditation (see Resources).

Resources

• The Council of Higher Education Accreditation database for schools
• U.S. Department of Education database of accredited schools