State Licensure

Columbia Southern University (CSU) is a private for-profit institution located in Orange Beach, Alabama and licensed by the State of Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. CSU seeks authorization or exemption, as applicable, in U.S. states and territories in compliance with federal and state regulations that govern the offering of online programs. CSU is in a continuous process to monitor regulations in states and territories in which it offers programs and courses. Regulations vary by state. Please review regulatory information and professional licensing requirements in your state of residence.

For specific information regarding state authorization contact:

Alexis Banks
Director of Licensure and State Authorization
Email: alexis.banks@columbiasouthern.edu

 *Updated 4/02/2013

Alabama
Columbia Southern University is licensed by the State of Alabama, Department of Post-Secondary Education pursuant to the Alabama Private School License Law, Code of Alabama, Title 16-46-1 through 10 (Certificate number 05-888-11).
State of Alabama License
Alaska
CSU is exempt from authorization under AS 14.48 as an online distance delivered program and does not have a physical presence in the state.
Arizona
CSU’s programs are not under the jurisdiction of the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education since the university has no physical presence in Arizona.
Arkansas
CSU application to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education is in progress. CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the Arkansas Board of Private Career Education.
California
CSU is not required to be licensed by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education since the institution has no physical presence in California.
Colorado
CSU’s online programs and activities do not constitute physical presence within Colorado; therefore, Colorado approval is not required to continue offering online degree and certificate programs.
Connecticut
CSU is not required to be licensed by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education since the institution does not have a physical presence in Connecticut.
Delaware
CSU is not incorporated in Delaware and does not have a physical presence. Therefore, Delaware Department of Education approval is not required.
District of Columbia
CSU is not required to be licensed by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission.
Florida
CSU is not required to be licensed with the Florida Commission for Independent Education (Commission) since the institution is not physically located in Florida and instructors do not have face-to-face contact with students. However, CSU agents are approved by the Commission to recruit and solicit students in the State of Florida
Georgia
CSU engages in none of the conditions which would cause it to be required by the State of Georgia’s Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (NPEC) to be authorized.
Hawaii
The State of Hawaii does not endorse, license, approve, or register post-secondary educational institutions.
Idaho
CSU is not required to register in Idaho, since it is an online-only school outside of Idaho.
Illinois
CSU received approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education to operate in Illinois.
Indiana
CSU application to Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education is in progress.
Iowa
CSU is approved by the Iowa College Student Aid Commission to operate as a distance education program provider in Iowa. CSU was initially approved by the Commission on March 15, 2013.
The Iowa Administrative Code includes a requirement for a registered institution to provide substance abuse prevention programs for students and employees. To meet this requirement, CSU provides the eCHECKUP To Go software for all students. Students and employees can access the software at http://interwork.sdsu.edu/echeckup/usa/alc/coll/columbiasouthern.

Iowa Military Deployment policy:
http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/downloads/pdf/licensure/Iowa-Military-Deployment-Policy--ANB-3-21-13

Iowa State Refund Policy
The Iowa State Refund Policy applies when students who are residents of Iowa drop or are administratively dropped from a course or the institution and is calculated as follows:
Remaining # of scheduled school days (up to 60% of the total scheduled school days)
Divided by
The total number of scheduled school days (up to 60% of the total scheduled school days)
Multiplied by 90% of the charged tuition.
Kansas
CSU received a certificate of approval to operate in the State of Kansas (Certificate number 300051). CSU was initially approved to operate in the State of Kansas in November 2011. 
State of Kansas Approval
Kentucky
CSU application to the Council on Postsecondary Education is in progress.
Louisiana
CSU is not regulated by the Board of Regents, since it offers courses and programs fully online and does not maintain physical facilities in the State of Louisiana.
Maine
CSU is exempt from State of Maine approval or authorization requirements to offer online instructional programming to citizens of Maine.
Maryland
CSU is registered with the Maryland Higher Education Commission to enroll Maryland students in fully online distance education programs. CSU was initially registered with the Commission on November 8, 2012. 
State of Maryland Registration pdf
Maryland State Refund Policy
The Maryland State Refund Policy applies when students who are residents of Maryland drop or are administratively dropped from a course or the institution.
Tuition Due Student:
Proportion of Total Course, Program, or Term Completed as of Tuition Refund Date of Withdrawal or Termination
Less than 10% 90% Refund
10% up to but not including 20% 80% Refund
20% up to but not including 30% 60% Refund
30% up to but not including 40% 40% Refund
40% up to but not including 60% 20% Refund
More than 60% No Refund
Massachusetts
CSU application to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education is in progress.
Michigan
CSU has no physical presence in the State of Michigan and is therefore not required to be licensed to provide online instruction to Michigan residents.
Minnesota
CSU application to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education was submitted on July 24, 2012.
Mississippi
CSU offers programs solely online and is not regulated by the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation. CSU is in the process of applying for registration with the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School & College Registration.
Missouri
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the state.
Montana
CSU is accredited by the accrediting commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and therefore meets the requirements of the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to operate in the state.
Nebraska
CSU has no physical presence in Nebraska and is not required to seek authorization to offer online courses or programs.
Nevada
CSU is not required to be licensed in Nevada by the Commission on Postsecondary Education due to lack of physical presence. However, CSU is approved by the Commission to recruit students in the State of Nevada. All agents who recruit in Nevada are required by CSU to have an agent permit.
New Hampshire
CSU offers online education to New Hampshire residents which does not require authorization.
New Jersey
The New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education notified the Distance Education and Training Council on June 21, 2012 that N.J.S.A. 18A:3-15.3 regulation includes all out-of-state institutions that have received accreditation from bodies recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or U.S. Department of Education as a duly authorized institution of higher education. CSU fully meets this requirement. CSU has made inquiry to the state regarding authorization.
New Mexico
CSU is not required to register in the State of New Mexico since the institution offers online courses and programs and does not require an internship/externship.
New York
CSU has no physical presence in New York and is not required to seek approval.
North Carolina
CSU's activities within North Carolina do not require licensure by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina.
North Dakota
CSU submitted an exemption request to the North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education on June 14, 2011.
Ohio
CSU is exempt from the authorization of the Ohio Board of Regents. CSU is registered by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools to offer programs. CSU was initially approved by the board in October 2012.
State of Ohio Approval pdf
Oklahoma
CSU delivers courses and programs exclusively through an online format and is therefore not required to be licensed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Oregon
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the state. CSU submitted an application file to the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization on September 5, 2012.
Pennsylvania
CSU is approved to offer distance education or conduct other activities in Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island
CSU is not required to be authorized by the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education since physical presence in the State of Rhode Island is not established.
South Carolina
CSU submitted an application packet to South Carolina Commission on Higher Education on May 1, 2012.
South Dakota
The State of South Dakota does not approve out-of-state higher education institutions nor does the South Dakota Board of Regents supervise private institutions that deliver postsecondary degree programs or credit-bearing courses in South Dakota.
Tennessee
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to confirm that the institution does not need to obtain authorization from the Commission.
Texas
CSU is exempt from oversight of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board since there is no physical presence in the state. The Board recognizes the accrediting commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). CSU is excluded from the Texas Workforce Commission's licensing requirements for enrolling Texas residents. CSU is not regulated in Texas under Chapter 132 of the Texas Education Code.
Utah
CSU is exempt from registration by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection.
Letter of Exemption 
Vermont
CSU is not required to be approved by the Vermont Department of Education or the State Board of Education since it only offers online programs with no physical presence in Vermont.
Virginia
CSU can offer postsecondary instruction via distance learning to residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia. However, CSU does not meet Virginia's criterion of physical presence and is therefore ineligible for certification to operate in Virginia. As such, students who are residents of Virginia do not benefit from protections available to students attending institutions that are certified by SCHEV (http://www.schev.edu/highered/pope/Students.asp).
Washington
CSU is not currently required to be authorized by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. CSU has made inquiry into the state related to new regulatory language.
West Virginia
CSU does not meet the definition of physical presence as defined in Series 20, Authorization of Degree Granting Institution. Therefore, authorization to offer online programs to West Virginia residents is not required.
Wisconsin
CSU is approved by the Educational Approval Board to offer programs, subject to the provisions of Wisconsin Statutes 38.50 and all administrative rules adopted pursuant to the statutes. CSU was initially approved to operate in the State of Wisconsin in November 2011
State of Wisconsin Approval
Wyoming
CSU is registered by the State of Wyoming, Department of Education pursuant to the Private Schools Licensing Act, Wyo. Stat. 21-2-401 (Certificate number 13-093-30).
State of Wyoming License 

Territories

American Samoa
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the territory.
District of Columbia
CSU is not required to be licensed by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission.
Federated State of Micronesia
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the territory.
Guam
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the territory.
North Marianas
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the territory.
Puerto Rico
CSU has sent a regulatory compliance inquiry to the territory.
Virgin Islands
CSU has satisfied the requirements to provide post-secondary educational services to students in the United States Virgin Islands.