How to Verify Florida School Accreditation

Florida's Three-Tier Higher Education System

Florida structures its higher education into three distinct public sectors, plus a large private and proprietary sector, each with different oversight:

• 1.

  State University System (SUS)

  12 public universities governed by the Board of Governors. Includes University of Florida, Florida State University, University of South Florida, and Florida International University. All individually accredited by SACSCOC.

• 2.

  Florida College System (FCS)

  28 public colleges (formerly community colleges) governed by FLDOE. Offer associate's degrees and, increasingly, bachelor's degrees. All accredited by SACSCOC.

• 3.

  Independent and Proprietary Institutions

  Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education (CIE). Ranges from regionally accredited private universities (University of Miami, Rollins, Stetson) to career schools with only national accreditation — and some with no recognized accreditation at all.

The verification process differs for each tier. The databases you need to check and the authorities you need to confirm differ meaningfully depending on the type of institution.

Verifying Florida Colleges and Universities

Step 1: SACSCOC Accreditation Status

SACSCOC (the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) is the regional accreditor for Florida and ten other southern states. Regional accreditation is the gold standard: it means credits transfer, federal financial aid is available, and the institution meets minimum quality thresholds.

• Search the SACSCOC directory at sacscoc.org/member-institutions
• Confirms accreditation status: Member in Good Standing, Warning, Probation, or Loss of Accreditation
• Includes both main campuses and off-campus instructional sites
• Covers all 12 SUS universities and all 28 Florida College System institutions

Step 2: Commission for Independent Education (CIE) License

Florida requires all private postsecondary institutions to hold a license from the CIE before operating in the state. This is a separate requirement from accreditation — a school can be CIE-licensed but not regionally accredited.

• Search the CIE licensed institution database at fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/cie
• Confirms whether the institution holds a valid Florida operating license
• An unlicensed private institution is operating illegally in Florida — any degrees it issues are not recognized under Florida law
• The CIE database shows license status: active, expired, or revoked

Step 3: U.S. Department of Education Database

The DoE's College Accreditation database at ope.ed.gov/accreditation confirms both institutional accreditation (regional or national) and programmatic accreditation (nursing, law, engineering, business).

This matters most for professional degrees. A Florida nursing school, for example, should show both SACSCOC institutional accreditation and ACEN or CCNE programmatic nursing accreditation. Check both for regulated professions.

Verifying Florida K-12 Schools

Public K-12: FLDOE School Directory

Florida public schools — including charter schools — are overseen by FLDOE. The state maintains a searchable school directory that confirms which schools are officially recognized public schools in Florida.

• Search the FLDOE school directory at fldoe.org/accountability/data-sys/edu-info-accountability-services/pk-12-public-school-data-pubs-reports
• The NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) also covers Florida public schools at nces.ed.gov/ccd
• Confirms school name, district, operational status, and grade configuration

Private K-12: Cognia and FAIS

Florida private K-12 schools are not required by the state to hold accreditation, but accredited schools provide more credible credentials. Primary accreditors for Florida private schools:

• Cognia (formerly SACS-CASI / AdvancED) — the dominant K-12 accreditor in Florida; search at cognia.org/accredited-institutions
• FAIS (Florida Association of Independent Schools) — member directory covers Florida's leading independent day schools
• ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) — for faith-based schools
• Florida League of Christian Schools (FLCS) — additional accreditor for evangelical Christian K-12

A private K-12 school that holds no accreditation from any recognized body warrants extra scrutiny before accepting its credentials.

Florida's Public Universities and Colleges: Verification Notes

State University System (SUS) — 12 Campuses

Florida's 12 SUS universities are among the most impersonated institutions in the state. Each is individually accredited by SACSCOC. When verifying, confirm the specific campus:

• University of Florida (Gainesville), Florida State University (Tallahassee), University of South Florida (Tampa), Florida International University (Miami), University of Central Florida (Orlando)
• Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida A&M University, University of North Florida, University of West Florida, New College of Florida, Florida Polytechnic University
• Verify enrollment and graduation through the institution's registrar or the National Student Clearinghouse

Florida College System (FCS) — 28 Institutions

Florida's public colleges (formerly community colleges) increasingly award bachelor's degrees in high-demand fields. A bachelor's degree from Miami Dade College or St. Petersburg College is fully legitimate and regionally accredited. Verify in SACSCOC as you would any Florida institution.

Florida-Specific Diploma Mill Red Flags

Florida has historically been a hotspot for unaccredited and fraudulent institutions. These patterns are particularly common:

• ✗

  Unaccredited "Bible colleges" and religious institutions

  Florida has a large number of religious educational institutions that use college-level terminology but hold no recognized accreditation. Some are legitimate religious programs that don't pursue accreditation intentionally; others are vehicles for credential fraud. Verify through CIE and confirm which accreditor (if any) is claimed — then verify that accreditor against the DoE list.

• ✗

  Proprietary schools with lapsed CIE licenses

  Florida's for-profit career school sector has seen significant closures and license revocations. A school may have been legitimate when a student attended but may no longer hold a valid CIE license. Check current license status and note any gaps in the school's history.

• ✗

  National-only accreditation passed off as equivalent to regional

  Many Florida career schools hold national accreditation (ACCSC, ABHES, etc.) rather than SACSCOC regional accreditation. National accreditation is recognized by the DoE but is generally not accepted for credit transfer and may not satisfy employer requirements for a "regionally accredited" degree. Verify which accreditation the specific institution holds.

• ✗

  University of Miami / FIU / UCF name spoofing

  Fraudulent institutions use names that echo Florida's well-known universities: "South Florida University," "Central Florida Institute," "Miami International University." Verify any unfamiliar Florida institution name in both SACSCOC and the CIE database before accepting credentials.

• ✗

  Closed Corinthian / ITT / Everest campuses

  Florida had numerous Corinthian Colleges (Everest, WyoTech, Heald) and ITT Technical Institute campuses that closed in 2015-2016. These closures are documented — credentials from these institutions require careful handling, and students who attended may be eligible for discharge of federal student loans. Verify claims against closure dates.

Florida Accreditation Verification Checklist

Quick Reference: Florida Verification Databases