Students living outside of Arkansas have some special considerations.

Accreditation

NWACC is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which is one of several institutional accreditors in the United States. The Higher Learning Commission accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions. This means that college credits earned at NWACC will transfer to other colleges and universities, and makes benefits such as federal financial aid available to NWACC students.

NWACC is a member of NC-SARA, a national organization that establishes a state-level reciprocity process for online students. The SARA agreement establishes necessary and reasonable standards of practice, as well as an enhanced grievance process for students who live in SARA states.

Programs Leading to Licensure

Out-of-state students who wish to enroll in a program of study that leads to licensure should be aware that licensure may have different requirements depending on the state in which the student resides. Information will be provided by the program of study to out-of-state students, but it is the student's responsibility to check with the appropriate state licensure board to determine if NWACC's courses and programs will meet the licensure requirements of the student's state of residence.

A directory of professional licensure entities per state has been provided by NC-SARA. Go to this link https://publish.smartsheet.com/6e3fb27658f443588ff16ad36ccf5a94 and choose your field of study to access the contact information for your state.

Grievance and Complaint Process

NWACC encourages students to resolve concerns that affect their college experience as informally as possible. In some cases, students may discuss a concern with the staff member, instructor, program coordinator, department chairperson, or division dean. Often, such concerns can be resolved informally. However, if resolution is not obtained, the student should proceed with the Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure.

Out-of-State students who live in a SARA state and have exhausted the NWACC procedure above and who remain unsatisfied may file a complaint with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education [ADHE] Note that complaints must follow the institution's customary resolution procedure prior to being referred to the state under SARA procedures. Grade appeals and student conduct appeals are not allowed under SARA.

As of June, 2021, California is the only US state that is not a member of the SARA agreement. California students may file a complaint online at www.dca.ca.gov or call toll-free 833-942-1120.

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