Institutional Update | The Higher Learning Commission
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Institutional Update
Member institutions provide data on their operations and educational offerings in the annual Institutional Update. HLC uses the data as one of the tools to assess institutional health and identify trends.
What to Know for 2026
Reporting Period: March 2 – April 3
Resources for Institutions
2026 Institutional Update Guide
(February 2026)
Composite Financial Index (CFI) Worksheet
Student-to-Faculty Ratio Worksheet
Canopy Login
How to Prepare for the Institutional Update
Ensure that HLC has the correct contact information for the roles responsible for the Institutional Update. The Chief Executive Officer, Accreditation Liaison Officer or Data Update Coordinator may submit changes to these roles through the Contact Update in
Canopy
Refer to the
2026 Institutional Update Guide
to prepare the required information.
New in 2026
Revised Dual Credit Student Head Count Instructions
Due to feedback from member institutions after the 2026 Institutional Update Guide was published, HLC removed a reference to the IPEDS 12-month Enrollment Survey Part C in our
instructions for reporting dual credit student head count
. The IPEDS definition of dual enrollment is broader than HLC’s definition of dual credit courses, so the head counts reported in the IPEDS survey and the Institutional Update may not be the same.
HLC updated our definition of “dual credit students” to clarify that (1) institutions should report information about students who earned both high school and college credit from dual credit courses and (2) this category only includes students enrolled in high school, not those who are seeking a recognized equivalent.
Please review HLC’s
definitions
carefully to determine your institution’s dual credit student head count. If you need to correct head counts reported in previous years, please contact
[email protected]
Reduced-Credit Bachelor’s Degree Programs
Institutions will be asked to report the number of reduced-credit bachelor’s programs offered and degrees awarded from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025.
A reduced-credit bachelor’s degree program is a bachelor’s degree program requiring less than the minimum program length of 120 semester credits that is specified in HLC’s Assumed Practices.
Mark of Accreditation Status Instructions Available in Canopy
HLC asks institutions to provide a link to the page on their website where they display the
Mark of Accreditation Status
. To make it easier for institutions to manage this requirement, instructions for installing the Mark, including the necessary HTML code, are now available in Canopy.
ALOs, CEOs and Data Update Coordinators can access this resource in the Quick Links section of the institutional dashboard.
Institutions With an Audit Consolidated as Part of a Related Entity
HLC updated instructions in the Composite Financial Index (CFI) section of the Financial Form for institutions with an audit that is consolidated as part of a related entity.
In such cases, the audit should include consolidating schedules that detail the financial position for the HLC-accredited institution. The institution may instead provide other evidence that provides a sufficient basis for HLC to determine the financial position of the institution. The institution should use the consolidating schedules, or other information, to complete the CFI section.
How HLC Uses Institutional Update Data
To update the information in our
Directory of Institutions
To determine whether any financial and non-financial data suggest concerns that require follow-up through the
risk indicators process
or otherwise.
To calculate HLC
membership dues
To remain in compliance with
federal requirements
To identify
trends
in our membership.
Looking Ahead
HLC is exploring the feasibility of collecting information regarding institutional program offerings and publishing them in the
Institutional Status and Requirements (ISR) Report
. More information about this project will be available in the coming years.
Related Resources
Risk Indicators
Substantive Change
Dues and Fees
Routine Monitoring and Data Collection
(INST.F.10.010)
Questions?
About the Institutional Update:
[email protected]
About Canopy:
Submit a help request