Accreditation | St. Ambrose University Apply Now SAU ACCREDITATIONS St. Ambrose University is an accredited university Accreditation ensures the rigor and quality of our programs. Many are industry-recognized, ensuring St. Ambrose University is respected and relevant. Request information Why is accreditation important? Accreditation ensures a university meets quality standards, enhancing credibility and facilitating credit transfers. Quality and stability Accreditation proves that an institution meets quality standards for faculty, curriculum, services, and financial stability. Valued by employers and institutions Accreditation is valued by employers, professional associations, and other higher education institutions. Facilitating credit transfers Accreditation helps facilitate credit transfers between accredited institutions. Understanding accreditation The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) serves as a national advocate and voice for promoting academic quality through accreditation. CHEA is an association of degree-granting colleges and universities and recognizes institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations. CHEA is the only national organization in the United States focused exclusively on higher education accreditation and quality assurance. The CHEA Accreditation Toolkit provides important information on U.S. higher education accreditation and recognition to students, families, faculty, administration, governing boards, and accrediting organizations. See CHEA toolkit Specialized accreditations Beyond our institutional accreditation, St. Ambrose University proudly holds specialized and program-specific accreditations, highlighting the quality and excellence of our degree programs. Bachelor's programs Explore bachelor's programs with specialized accreditations, including business, education, social work, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and nursing. Master's programs Master's programs with specialized accreditations include business, physician assistant studies, public health, social work, and speech-language pathology. Doctoral & residency programs Explore doctoral and residency programs with specialized accreditations, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, and orthopaedic and pediatric residency programs. How to file a complaint St. Ambrose University seeks to resolve all student concerns in a timely and effective manner. It is expected that students will fully utilize any or all the University’s administrative procedures to address concerns or complaints in a timely manner. Explore the complaint process St. Ambrose University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission We are proud to be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), ensuring our commitment to academic excellence and student success. Accreditation by the HLC signifies that SAU meets rigorous standards for educational quality, institutional effectiveness, and continuous improvement. It's your assurance that our programs, faculty, and facilities are held to high standards of excellence. Accreditation Information: Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Accreditation Status: Accredited Accreditation Date: 2017 - 2028 Questions about our accreditation? Contact the HLC: Email: info@hlcommission.org Address: 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604 Explore how accreditation benefits you, our commitment to continuous improvement, and how we ensure a quality educational experience at SAU. Visit our accreditation page for more details. HLC website NC-SARA Participating Institution St. Ambrose University has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Learn more about NC-SARA Bureau of Iowa College Aid St. Ambrose University is authorized to operate as a degree-granting university in the state of Iowa. Bureau of Iowa College Aid Additional information Educational requirements for licensure programs Federal guidelines established in 2019 require institutions such as St. Ambrose University to publicly disclose whether an academic program will fulfill educational requirements for specific professional licensure for employment in an occupation. The programs listed below are the professional licensure programs at St Ambrose University. Educational requirements are noted for all states. Requirements may, however, change at the digression of the state, and as such, interested applicants and current candidates for licensure should consult with licensure boards within jurisdictions of interest. All documents below are Excel (.xlsx) files: Education Licensure by State BSN Licensure by State BSW Licensure by State MSW Licensure by State MPAS Licensure by State MSLP Licensure by State OTD Licensure by State DPT Licensure by State Student Location Policy In accordance with 34 CFR §600.9 - State Authorization and federal regulations for Title IV purposes, St. Ambrose University has a policy that defines student location for purposes of complying with disclosure requirements. This policy defines the student location as the State where the student resides at the time of enrollment at St. Ambrose University.   Simply put, it is the place where someone would complete the majority of their required coursework. As such, Iowa is considered the location for students enrolled in face-to-face licensure programs at any of SAU's Iowa-based campuses. Students in online programs living outside of the state of Iowa are defined by their state of residence. The designated state will remain in effect unless and until a student changes the address using the Change of Address form located on the Registrar's Portal Page or the Office of the Registrar website . Once a student enters a new U.S. State or territory, the university will consider that date of entry as the effective date of a student’s revised location for the purposes of this policy. NOTE: licensing and authorization requirements can vary by state therefore any relocation by prospective and current students can impact their ability to continue the course, meet the eligibility requirements of that state, and/or receive financial aid funding. Students considering relocation should contact their academic program to check for authorization and licensure eligibility requirements.