The annual fee paid to the Department is based on tuition revenue earned from distance education from the most recently completed calendar year. The institution is responsible for defining who they consider to be a distance education student.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $0—9999: $1,000 $10K—5M: $2,000 $5M—20M: $3,000 $20M—40M: $5,000 > $40M: $7,000 | State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) | SARA PA Supplement Fee |
Any institution offering programs for academic credit or a degree must be authorized by the Secretary of Education prior to operating in Pennsylvania. Please note that Pennsylvania does not have a religious exemption.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | College and Universities 22 Pa. Code Chapter 31. General Provisions | New Degree-Granting Institution Fee |
Interested private licensed schools that can meet all requirements of a degree-granting institution can apply for a change in their authorization.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | College and Universities 22 Pa. Code Chapter 31. General Provisions § 6507.1 | Change PLS to College Fee |
For those who are newly applying for degree-granting authority and are seeking more than 1 program as well as those who are not covered under Act 69, must apply and secure approval for a new program before offering the curriculum.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $1,400 | College and Universities 22 Pa. Code Chapter 42. Program Approval | New Degree-Granting Program Fee |
A private nonprofit institution, as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)), holding a certificate of authority that authorizes the conferral, at a minimum, of bachelor's degrees or graduate degrees and using the designation of "college" may apply to use the designation of "university".
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | § 6503.1 | Status Change from College/Seminary to University Fee |
Any institution that does not fall under the requirements of Act 69 of 2012 must have approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to make changes to already approved degree-granting programs. There is no fee for a program change that does not result in a change to the approved program objectives.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $1,400 | Act 69 of 2012 | Program Change Application Fee |
This link should be used for out-of-state entities whether you are applying to offer credit, direct market, offer an Educator Prep Program, or dual credit in the state of PA.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | College and Universities 22 Pa. Code Chapter 36. Foreign Corporation Standards | Education Enterprise Application Fee |
An additional program application is required for each program over the 1 included with the certificate of authority to offer credit as an out-of-state entity with physical presence in PA.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $1,400 | College and Universities | New Education Enterprise Program Application Fee |
Every five (5) years entities must renew their Education Enterprise authorization.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | College and Universities | Education Enterprise Application Renewal Fee |
Non-SARA institutions that wish to register as out-of-state providers of distance education to Pennsylvania residents must pay an annual fee of $5,000 per institution and complete the registration form.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | State Authority of Distance Education | Out-of-State Distance Education Provider Registration Fee |
The words "college," "university," and "seminary" are restricted words in Pennsylvania. (See 24 Pa. C.S.A. § 6503.) Filing of corporate names and fictitious corporate names using these words requires approval.
| Fee | Reference Material | Link to Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | Section 6503.0 - Title 24 - Education | Protected Word (college/university/seminary) Approval Request Fee |
Important Notes:
- There is a 2% transactional dee charged for credit carts. There is no fee charged for ACH transactions.
- Program Area – please be sure to complete all required information fields. The individual’s full name and email address will be that of the individual making and receiving the payment receipt.