Accreditation
How to Verify North Dakota School Accreditation
North Dakota's colleges and universities are accredited by HLC. The North Dakota University System governs 11 institutions. Five tribal colleges serve Native American communities. Private institutions require State Board of Higher Education authorization.
Key takeaway
North Dakota's regional accreditor is HLC (Higher Learning Commission). The North Dakota University System (NDUS) operates 11 institutions: University of North Dakota (Grand Forks), North Dakota State University (Fargo), Minot State, Valley City State, Dickinson State, Mayville State, and five two-year colleges. Five tribal colleges — Cankdeska Cikana, Fort Berthold, Sitting Bull, Turtle Mountain, and United Tribes Technical College — serve tribal communities and are typically HLC-accredited. The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) and the Office of the State Board of Higher Education authorize private postsecondary institutions. Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) and Jamestown University are notable private options.
North Dakota's accreditation landscape
The North Dakota University System includes four universities: University of North Dakota (UND, Grand Forks) — the flagship with law, medicine, and aerospace; North Dakota State University (NDSU, Fargo) — the land-grant research university; Minot State University; Valley City State University; and Dickinson State University and Mayville State University as smaller liberal arts/teacher preparation institutions.
Two-year colleges include Bismarck State College, Dakota College at Bottineau, Lake Region State College (Devils Lake), Williston State College, and North Dakota State College of Science (Wahpeton). All are HLC-accredited.
Jamestown University (Jamestown), University of Jamestown, and Presentation College (Aberdeen, SD — serves ND border area) are private options. All regionally accredited by HLC. Concordia College is Minnesota-based but serves many North Dakota students.
The right database for each institution type
| Institution type | Database to use |
|---|---|
| NDUS public institutions | NDUS institution list + HLC directory |
| Tribal colleges | AIHEC member list + HLC directory |
| Private institutions | HLC directory + NDSBHE authorization |
| Unknown/unfamiliar school | VerifyED search |
Step-by-step verification
Step 1 — Search VerifyED
Start at VerifyED. 912,000 institutions and 2,592 flagged diploma mills.
Step 2 — Check HLC for regional accreditation
HLC (hlcommission.org) accredits degree-granting institutions across the North Central region, including North Dakota. Search the HLC directory by institution name. No HLC record = no regional accreditation.
Step 3 — For tribal colleges, check AIHEC and HLC
North Dakota's five tribal colleges are members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and typically hold HLC accreditation. Check both the AIHEC member list and HLC's directory for the specific tribal college.
Step 4 — Verify SBHE authorization for private institutions
The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education requires authorization for private degree-granting institutions operating in the state. Contact NDUS or check the SBHE's published list for any private institution not found in HLC's directory.
Quick reference
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