Louisiana: A Step-By-Step Guide to Obtain State Approval for a Private Postsecondary Institution

Licensing Agencies

Louisiana Board of Regents (BoR) – Oversees all non-public colleges and universities that grant academic degrees (associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral) or award credit-bearing certificates to Louisiana residents. The BoR issues the formal License to Operate a Postsecondary Institution and individually authorizes each degree program.

Louisiana Board of Regents – Board of Proprietary Schools (LBPS) – A subsidiary board within the BoR that licenses non-degree proprietary schools (career, trade, and technical schools offering certificates or diplomas below the associate level). LBPS regulates admissions practices, curriculum quality, faculty credentials, tuition refunds, bonding, and student protections for vocational institutions.

Degree-Granting Institutions (Associate Level and Above)

Process

1. Determine Licensure Need – Any private or out-of-state college that teaches, recruits, or advertises to Louisiana residents for degree study must hold a BoR license unless explicitly exempt. Purely online out-of-state schools that are active members of SARA and have no physical presence in Louisiana may operate under SARA reciprocity instead of a BoR license; all others require licensure.
2. Pre-Application Consultation – Prospective institutions contact BoR’s Academic Affairs unit for guidance. The BoR encourages a conference call to clarify statutory requirements, fees, timelines, and documentation before submitting the formal packet.
3. Compile Application Package – Assemble the following:
   • Institutional Profile – Articles of incorporation, corporate bylaws, ownership table, governing board roster, and Louisiana registered-agent designation.
   • Mission Statement & Strategic Plan – Statement showing how proposed Louisiana operations align with institutional mission and state workforce priorities.
   • Program Prospectus – Catalog pages or narrative describing each degree (level, title, credit hours, learning outcomes, course sequence) and any embedded certificates.
   • Faculty Roster – Name, credential, discipline, and teaching assignment for each instructor; include curriculum vitae, official transcripts, and licensure where applicable.
   • Academic Policies – Admissions standards, transfer-of-credit rules, grading, satisfactory progress, appeals, graduation requirements, and learning-assessment plans.
   • Student-Support Resources – Library collections, tutoring, advising, career services, technology support, disability services. Provide evidence of access for distance learners as well.
   • Facilities & Instructional Sites – Louisiana campus addresses, floor plans, lease or deed, maximum classroom capacities, laboratory equipment lists, and current fire / safety inspection certificates.
   • Accreditation Evidence – Current institutional accreditation letter or, for start-ups, a detailed plan and timeline to achieve candidacy and full accreditation within the normal cycle; include correspondence with the accreditor confirming eligibility.
   • Financial Statements – Most recent audited statements (or, for new ventures, pro-forma financials and a three-year budget) demonstrating positive net assets or, at minimum, a 1.0 current ratio.
   • Tuition & Fees Schedule – Itemized charges, estimated cost of attendance, and methodology for calculating refunds.
   • Student Protection Instrument – Surety bond, irrevocable letter of credit, or escrow account sufficient to cover unearned tuition and records preservation (minimum $50,000 or 10 % of projected first-year Louisiana tuition, whichever is higher).
   • Marketing Samples – Draft brochures, web pages, social-media ads, and recruiter scripts; BoR reviews for accuracy and consumer disclosures.
4. Submit Application & Initial Fees – File the packet electronically and mail two hard copies plus fees. Base application fee: $7,500 for an in-state degree institution; $10,000 for an out-of-state institution. Program evaluation fee: $1,000 per associate program, $2,000 per bachelor’s, $3,000 per master’s, $4,000 per doctoral program. Fees are non-refundable and must accompany the submission.
5. Staff Review & External Evaluation – BoR academic affairs analysts verify completeness, then convene an external review panel of subject-matter experts (typically two to three reviewers per program). Panelists examine curricula, faculty qualifications, learning resources, and outcomes assessment plans. The institution responds in writing to panel recommendations.
6. Site Visit – BoR schedules an on-site evaluation (or virtual inspection for distance-only providers) to validate facilities, interview faculty, and audit student-services readiness.
7. Regents Committee & Board Action – After staff and panel reports are complete, the Academic Affairs Committee places the application on the Regents’ agenda. The Board votes to grant a Provisional License (usually two years) or full License. Provisional status requires the school to submit progress reports toward accreditation and meet any stipulations.
8. Post-Approval Compliance – Licensed institutions must:
   • Operate only approved programs at approved sites.
   • Maintain surety bond and accreditation in good standing.
   • Seek BoR approval before adding programs, closing programs, relocating, or changing ownership.
   • File annual enrollment, completion, and financial reports.
   • Undergo periodic monitoring; BoR may conduct focused reviews or renew the license with conditions.
9. Annual Renewal – Due each July 1. Submit renewal application, updated documents, and pay a renewal fee equal to 0.5 % of prior-year Louisiana tuition revenue (minimum $2,500, maximum $25,000). Provide updated bond documentation and accreditation status. Failure to renew on time results in late penalties and potential suspension.

Checklist of Required Items (Degree Licensure)

• Completed BoR license application form
• Corporate charter / bylaws / governance roster
• Strategic plan and mission alignment statement
• Catalog and detailed curriculum outlines
• Faculty vitae and credentials matrix
• Academic and administrative policy manual
• Student-support services plan
• Facility floor plans, leases, safety certificates
• Institutional accreditation letter or candidacy plan
• Audited (or pro-forma) financial statements
• Tuition, fee, and refund schedule
• Surety bond or letter of credit ( $50,000 minimum )
• Marketing and recruitment samples
• Application and per-program evaluation fees receipt
  
  

Fees & Timelines
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Timeline: 4–6 months typical from submission to final Board vote; add 30–60 days if revisions are required.

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Agency Contact

Louisiana Board of Regents – Academic Affairs / Institutional Licensure
Phone: 225-342-4253
Email: academic.affairs@laregents.edu
Mail: P. O. Box 3677, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677

Vocational and Career Schools (Non-Degree)

Process

1. Confirm KCPE Jurisdiction – Schools offering certificates, diplomas, or associate degrees with a primary purpose of occupational training must be licensed by the Board of Proprietary Schools (LBPS). Out-of-state career schools enrolling Louisiana residents—online or on-ground—also require LBPS approval unless SARA-eligible associate degrees are involved (rare).
2. Request Application Packet – Contact LBPS staff for the proprietary-school application, surety-bond form, and rules handbook.
3. Prepare Documentation:
   • Ownership disclosures and principal officers’ résumés.
   • Catalog listing programs, objectives, length (clock or credit hours), tuition, fees, and refund policy.
   • Course syllabi and equipment lists for each program.
   • Instructor qualifications (licenses, certificates, four years’ trade experience, or associate/bachelor’s degree as appropriate).
   • Facility description: classrooms, labs, safety inspections, handicap accessibility.
   • Financial plan: start-up budget or latest financial statement showing positive net worth.
   • Surety bond: $10,000 minimum or 10 % of projected gross tuition, whichever is larger.
   • Sample enrollment agreement and all advertising items.
4. Submit Application & Fees – Initial fee $1,000 (in-state) or $2,000 (out-of-state). Schools also remit a $500 contribution to the Student Recovery Fund. Fees are non-refundable.
5. Staff Review & On-Site Inspection – LBPS compliance officers verify documents, inspect facilities, check instructional equipment, and interview staff. Deficiencies must be corrected within 30 days.
6. Board Approval – The 11-member Board of Proprietary Schools meets quarterly to vote on new licenses. Approved schools receive a one-year license authorizing specified programs and teaching locations.
7. Ongoing Obligations – Maintain the bond; display the license and tuition-refund notice prominently; comply with advertising rules; keep student records for five years; and file quarterly enrollment reports. Substantive changes (ownership, address, new programs) require advance Board approval and fees.
8. Annual Renewal – Renewal packets and $500 base fee are due by March 1. Additional renewal fee: $20 per student enrolled in the prior year, capped at $3,000 total. Late filings incur a $250 penalty first month, $500 thereafter, and possible suspension.
   
   

Checklist of Required Items (Proprietary Licensure)

• Proprietary-school license application
• Ownership and management résumés
• Program catalog, course outlines, objectives, tuition, refunds
• Instructor credential forms
  
  
• Facility lease/deed, fire and health certificates
• Equipment inventory list
• Surety bond documents
• Audited or compiled financial statement / start-up budget
• Sample enrollment agreement and disclosure forms
• Copies of all advertisements
• Fee and Student Recovery Fund payments

Fees & Timelines
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Timeline: 2–4 months from complete submission to Board vote; schools should plan a full quarter in advance.

Agency Contact

Louisiana Board of Regents – Board of Proprietary Schools
Phone: 225-342-7084
Email: proprietary.standards@laregents.edu
Mail: P. O. Box 3677, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677

State Exemptions

Entities not required to hold a license include:

• State-operated colleges and universities and Louisiana Community & Technical College System campuses.
• Religious seminaries conferring only ecclesiastical or theological degrees not aimed at secular employment (must register and provide consumer disclosures).
• Employer-sponsored training provided strictly to employees with no tuition charged.
• Programs fully regulated by another Louisiana board (for example, cosmetology, barbering, nurse-assistant training, law-enforcement academies) when no academic credit or degree is awarded.
• Avocational and recreational instruction not intended for occupational advancement.
• Short test-prep seminars for professional or college-entrance exams.
• SARA-participating accredited degree institutions offering only distance education and with no Louisiana physical presence beyond permitted activities.

Exempt providers may voluntarily seek licensure—for example, to participate in federal student-aid programs—but are otherwise free from BoR or LBPS jurisdiction. Institutions should request a letter of exemption for recordkeeping before advertising in Louisiana. Operating without required approval subjects schools to cease-and-desist orders, fines, restitution, and referral to consumer-protection authorities.

For personalized guidance on navigating the authorization process for your private post secondary institution in Louisiana, reach out to Expert Education Consultants (EEC) at +19252089037 or email sandra@experteduconsult.com