§600.6. Postsecondary vocational institution. — Inbound Citations

(a) An institution described in 34 CFR 600.4, 600.5, or 600.6 that provides postsecondary education; or

(3) A postsecondary vocational institution, as defined in 34 CFR 600.6; and

(1) If an otherwise eligible institution loses its accreditation or preaccreditation, the Secretary considers the institution to be accredited or preaccredited for purposes of complying with the provisions of §§ 600.4, 600.5, and 600.6 if the Secretary determines that its loss of accreditation or preaccreditation—

(i) Is related to the religious mission or affiliation of the institution; and

(iii) A postsecondary vocational institution, as defined in § 600.6; and

(i) Whether the applicant institution qualifies in whole or in part as an eligible institution under the appropriate provisions in §§ 600.4 through 600.7; and

(i) The institution satisfies all the applicable requirements contained in §§ 600.4, 600.5, and 600.6, except that if the institution is a proprietary institution of higher education or postsecondary vocational institution, it need not have been in existence for two years before seeking eligibility; and

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, to qualify as an eligible location, an additional location of an eligible institution must satisfy the applicable requirements of this section and §§ 600.4, 600.5, 600.6, 600.8, and 600.10.

(a) For purposes of title IV of the HEA, an educational institution that otherwise satisfies the requirements contained in §§ 600.4, 600.5, or 600.6 nevertheless does not qualify as an eligible institution under this part if—

(i) More than 50 percent of the institution's courses were correspondence courses as calculated under paragraph (b) of this section;

(ii) Fifty percent or more of the institution's regular enrolled students were enrolled in correspondence courses;

(iii) More than twenty-five percent of the institution's regular enrolled students were incarcerated;

(iv) More than fifty percent of its regular enrolled students had neither a high school diploma nor the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma, and the institution does not provide a four-year or two-year educational program for which it awards a bachelor's degree or an associate degree, respectively;

(2) The institution, or an affiliate of the institution that has the power, by contract or ownership interest, to direct or cause the direction of the management of policies of the institution—

(A) Files for relief in bankruptcy, or

(B) Has entered against it an order for relief in bankruptcy; or

(i) Has pled guilty to, has pled nolo contendere to, or is found guilty of, a crime involving the acquisition, use, or expenditure of title IV, HEA program funds; or

(1) An institution described under §§ 600.4, 600.5, and 600.6 is legally authorized by a State if the State has a process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable State laws, and the institution meets the provisions of paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), or (b) of this section.

(A) The institution is established by name as an educational institution by a State through a charter, statute, constitutional provision, or other action issued by an appropriate State agency or State entity and is authorized to operate educational programs beyond secondary education, including programs leading to a degree or certificate.

(B) The institution complies with any applicable State approval or licensure requirements, except that the State may exempt the institution from any State approval or licensure requirements based on the institution's accreditation by one or more accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary or based upon the institution being in operation for at least 20 years.

(ii) If an institution is established by a State on the basis of an authorization to conduct business in the State or to operate as a nonprofit charitable organization, but not established by name as an educational institution under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, the institution—

(A) By name, must be approved or licensed by the State to offer programs beyond secondary education, including programs leading to a degree or certificate; and

(B) May not be exempt from the State's approval or licensure requirements based on accreditation, years in operation, or other comparable exemption.

(3) A postsecondary vocational institution as defined in 34 CFR 600.6.

(1) Is an eligible program under § 668.8 offered by an institution of higher education as defined in 34 CFR 600.4, or a postsecondary vocational institution as defined in 34 CFR 600.6;

(1) For purposes of §§ 600.4(a)(5)(i), 600.5(a)(6), and 600.6(a)(5)(i), the Secretary does not recognize the accreditation or preaccreditation of an otherwise eligible institution if that institution is in the process of changing its accrediting agency, unless the institution provides the following to the Secretary and receives approval:

(ii) The Secretary will not determine such cause to be reasonable if the institution—

(A) Has had its accreditation withdrawn, revoked, or otherwise terminated for cause during the preceding 24 months, unless such withdrawal, revocation, or termination has been rescinded by the same accrediting agency; or

(B) Has been subject to a probation or equivalent, show cause order, or suspension order during the preceding 24 months.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, the Secretary may determine the institution's cause for changing its accrediting agency to be reasonable if the agency did not provide the institution its due process rights as defined in § 602.25, the agency applied its standards and criteria inconsistently, or if the adverse action or show cause or suspension order was the result of an agency's failure to respect an institution's stated mission, including religious mission.

(b) To qualify as an eligible location, an additional location is not required to satisfy the two-year requirement of §§ 600.5(a)(7) or 600.6(a)(6), unless—

(1) The location was a facility of another institution that has closed or ceased to provide educational programs for a reason other than a normal vacation period or a natural disaster that directly affects the institution or the institution's students;

(2) The applicant institution acquired, either directly from the institution that closed or ceased to provide educational programs, or through an intermediary, the assets at the location; and

(i) Owes a liability for a violation of an HEA program requirement; and