Accreditation is a regular process of quality assurance for universities carried out by nonprofit organizations. University-level accreditation also is required in order for students to gain access to federal funds including student grants and loans. In addition to university-level accreditation, individual academic programs and/or professional schools may be accredited by their respective professional accreditors.
Columbia University, as a whole, is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). MSCHE is one of seven regional institutional accreditors recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). To prepare for Columbia’s next accreditation review in academic year 2024-2025, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Programs leads the development of a self-study that will be the basis for on-campus evaluations by a site visit team April 6-9, 2025.
Share your ideas about Accreditation
While the comment period by the Columbia community for a draft report has closed recently, we continue to welcome ideas about effective and strategic educational initiatives by schools and programs.
Useful Links
Columbia University Accreditation History
For questions or suggestions regarding the accreditation process for Columbia University, please email [email protected].