Registration for Non-SARA Institutions Providing Distance Education to Pennsylvania Residents
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 Distance Education Registration Form. This form is required to gain access to the PA State Distance Education Registration system.
Distance education providers must be accredited and in good standing with an accrediting agency that is approved by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). No unaccredited institutions or institutions accredited by an unapproved accrediting agency may offer distance education in Pennsylvania for academic credit or a degree.
Payment Instructions
Payments must be made electronically via ACH or credit card.
To submit payment, visit Payment Form – Business Partner Portal and follow these steps:
- Enter your contact information.
- Under Agency, select Education.
- Under Program ID, select 52 – REG OF OUT-OF-STATE DISTANCE EDUCATION (NOT SARA).
- For Payment Reference, enter the name of your institution.
- Complete the payment details, including the email address where the receipt should be sent.
Once the payment is complete, embed a copy of the receipt into the Distance Education Registration Form. Email the completed form and receipt to: ra-highereducation@pa.gov
After the application is reviewed and approved, a notification will be sent to the individual listed as the requestor for access to the PA State Distance Education Registration system.
If you have any questions, please contact: ra-highereducation@pa.gov
State Authorization Reciprocity agreement (SARA)
Act 35 of 2016 was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on June 1, 2016 authorizing Pennsylvania to join SARA. For more information and the process to participate, please go to SARA.
Definition of Distance Education
The regulatory definition of distance education provided in 22 Pa. Code §31.2 is:
Distance education - An alternate format to resident-based instruction for offering education courses or series of courses by an approved postsecondary educational institution, consortium of institutions or educational enterprise, for which credit is offered or awarded toward a certificate, diploma or degree, which has as its primary mode of delivery one or more of the following:
- Correspondence.
- Television.
- Videocassette or disk.
- Film.
- Radio.
- Computer.
- Devices built upon an audio-video format.
- Other supportive devices using current or future technology.
The working definition of distance education is the delivery of instruction for academic credit when the instructor is physically located at an address that differs from the physical location of the student at the time of instruction.
Accreditation
Distance education providers must be accredited and in good standing with the accrediting agency that is approved by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
No unaccredited institutions or institutions accredited by an unapproved accrediting agency may offer distance education in Pennsylvania for academic credit or a degree.
Teacher Preparation
Out-of-state teacher certification program providers offering Pennsylvania certification must meet all Pennsylvania program approval requirements. Please contact the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality at (717) 787-3470 for information on teacher preparation.
Employment of Faculty in Pennsylvania
Distance education providers are not required to have PDE approval to employ faculty members who might reside in PA or be located in PA when they provide instruction via distance education.
Internships
Out-of-state institutions are not required to have PDE approval to place students in internships in Pennsylvania. Students are not required to have PDE approval to arrange their own internship in Pennsylvania. Businesses are not required to have PDE approval to accept interns.
The institution and the student are responsible for ensuring that an internship, externship, preceptorship or practicum placement complies with all legal requirements specific to the field of study and all professional licensing and certification standards.
If an institution employs or pays representatives with a physical presence in Pennsylvania to support internships, that institution may have established a physical presence in Pennsylvania requiring approval as an Education Enterprise under Chapter 36.
Advertising
Out-of-State degree-granting institutions are not required to have PDE approval to advertise in Pennsylvania. Out-of-state non-degree career and technical schools are required to be registered with the Private Licensed School Board if they have a physical presence to advertise or recruit in Pennsylvania.
Degree-Granting Authority
Authorization as a distance education provider in Pennsylvania does not convey Pennsylvania degree-granting authority.
Physical Presence
The regulatory definition of physical presence provided in 22 Pa. Code §31.2 is:
Physical presence—The operation of an entity that offers courses, programs, or degrees or maintains a campus, or an administrative, corporate or other address, including a post office box, telephone number, recruiters, instructors, advertising in local media and publications at a location in this Commonwealth.
Confirmation as a distance education provider in Pennsylvania does not permit a physical presence in Pennsylvania. Approval of a physical presence to offer courses is required under Chapter 36 or Chapter 73.
If an institution employs or pays representatives with a physical presence in Pennsylvania to support internships, that institution may require approval as an Education Enterprise under 22 Pa. Code Chapter 36.