How to Verify Louisiana School Accreditation

Key takeaway

Louisiana colleges and universities are regionally accredited by SACSCOC. The Louisiana Board of Regents oversees public higher education, while the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) regulates K-12. The LCTCS covers most two-year institutions. Louisiana has historically been a jurisdiction where unaccredited religious and online institutions have operated — verify every unfamiliar institution through VerifyED before accepting credentials.

Louisiana's accreditation landscape

Louisiana's public four-year universities operate under the Louisiana Board of Regents. Major institutions include Louisiana State University (LSU) and its branch campuses, the University of Louisiana System (UL Lafayette, UL Monroe, Nicholls State, McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana, Northwestern State, and Grambling State), and Southern University System (Southern University Baton Rouge, Southern University New Orleans, and Southern University Shreveport). All are SACSCOC-accredited.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) coordinates 12 community colleges and 9 technical college systems with campuses across the state. Notable institutions include Delgado Community College, Bossier Parish Community College, and the Louisiana Delta Community College. LCTCS institutions are individually SACSCOC-accredited.

Private institutions must obtain approval from the Louisiana Board of Regents. Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Dillard University are among the well-known accredited private colleges. Xavier is the only HBCU in the United States with a predominantly Catholic affiliation.

The right database for each institution type

Institution type	Database to use
4-year colleges & universities	SACSCOC Accredited Members directory
Community & technical colleges	LCTCS institution list + SACSCOC
Private institutions	Louisiana Board of Regents approved list
K-12 schools	BESE school directory + Cognia
Unknown/unfamiliar school	VerifyED search + CHEA database

Step-by-step verification

Step 1 — Search VerifyED

Start at VerifyED. Enter the institution name. VerifyED covers 912,000 institutions and flags known diploma mills. For Louisiana institutions, VerifyED cross-references SACSCOC, the Board of Regents, and the LCTCS directory.

Step 2 — Check SACSCOC for colleges and universities

SACSCOC accredits all degree-granting institutions in Louisiana. Search the SACSCOC Accredited Members directory at sacscoc.org. Review the institution's current accreditation status and any sanctions or warnings. SACSCOC accreditation is the standard for employer and graduate program recognition.

Step 3 — Verify LCTCS membership for two-year colleges

For community and technical colleges, check the LCTCS website (lctcs.edu) for the current list of member institutions. If a two-year institution claims Louisiana accreditation but is absent from the LCTCS list and from SACSCOC, it is not state-recognized.

Step 4 — Confirm Board of Regents approval for private institutions

Louisiana requires private degree-granting institutions to be approved by the Board of Regents under Louisiana Revised Statute 17:1808. The Board of Regents (regents.la.gov) maintains a list of approved out-of-state institutions operating in Louisiana and approved online programs. An institution offering degrees in Louisiana without Board of Regents approval is operating illegally.

Step 5 — Screen against diploma mill list

Louisiana has historically been a permissive state for unaccredited institutions. Run any unfamiliar school through VerifyED to check it against 2,592 known diploma mills. Pay particular attention to online-only institutions claiming Louisiana registration but no recognized accreditation.

Louisiana-specific fraud patterns

Historically permissive incorporation laws

Louisiana was historically known as a state where diploma mills could incorporate easily and claim state registration without any accreditation oversight. While enforcement has tightened under the Board of Regents, fraudulent institutions continue to cite Louisiana incorporation as evidence of legitimacy. State incorporation is not accreditation.

Southern University System name confusion

The Southern University System is a legitimate network of HBCUs with SACSCOC accreditation. Fraudulent institutions occasionally use "Southern University" as part of their name. Verify the exact legal name matches the SACSCOC listing. Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO) is a real, accredited institution — "Southern Online University" or similar names are not.

Tulane name fraud

Tulane University is one of the most impersonated names in Louisiana. Variations like "Tulane Online," "Tulane Global," or "Tulane Institute" are not affiliated with Tulane University. Always confirm degrees reference Tulane University (New Orleans) and appear in the SACSCOC database.

Quick reference

Regional accreditor SACSCOC (sacscoc.org)

State oversight (higher ed) Louisiana Board of Regents (regents.la.gov)

Community & technical colleges LCTCS (lctcs.edu)

K-12 oversight BESE + Cognia

Diploma mill screening VerifyED

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