Policies
State Authorization
Biola welcomes online degree or certificate applications from prospective students who are residents in most states within the United States. However, applications from residents of Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin cannot be considered at this time because of extensive requirements and costs for registering and maintaining compliance under the regulations on distance education in these states. If you are a resident of the abovementioned states, Biola University welcomes your inquiry and your application to one of our on-campus only programs.
Professional Licensure & Certification
Biola University has not determined if our programs provide all the educational requirements necessary for professional licensure or certification in a student’s country or state, outside of California. Students considering a program that leads to a professional license in a state are highly encouraged to contact the appropriate licensing agency and organization(s) in that state to seek information and additional guidance before beginning the program, and students should also continually monitor changes throughout the program as licensure requirements may change over time.
Biola encourages students to resolve complaints internally. The student may also file a complaint with their respective state of residence. The contact information to file a complaint with the states is listed below:
View State Authorization and Licensure Matrix
State | State Authorization Status | Registration Disclosure Status | Agency Contact | |
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Alabama | Not Initiated | Alabama Commission on Higher Education PO Box 302000 Montgomery, AL 36130-2000 |
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Alaska | Exempt | Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education PO Box 110505 Juneau, AK 99811-0505 |
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Arizona | Exempt | Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education 1400 W. Washington Street Room 260 Phoenix, AZ 85007 |
Visit Arizona's website | |
Arkansas | Not Initiated | Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board Arkansas Department of Higher Education 114 East Capitol Ave Little Rock, AR 72201 |
Visit Arkansas's website | |
California | Approved | California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education P.O. Box 980818 W. Sacramento, CA 95798-0818 |
Visit California's website | |
Colorado | Exempt | Colorado Department of Higher Education 1560 Broadway, Suite 1600 Denver, CO 80202 |
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Connecticut | Approved | The Office of Financial & Academic Affairs for Higher Education 61 Woodland Street Hartford, CT 06105-2326 |
Visit Connecticut's website | |
Delaware | Approved | Delaware Department of Education Higher Education Office John G. Townsend Building 401 Federal Street Dover, DE 19901 |
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District of Columbia | Not Initiated | District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education Education Licensure Commission 810 First Street, NE 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20002 |
Visit District of Columbia's website | |
Florida | In Progress | Florida Commission on Independent Education 325 W. Gaines Street Suite 1414 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400 |
Visit Florida's website | |
Georgia | In Progress | Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission 2082 E. Exchange Pl. #220 Tucker, GA 30084-5334 |
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Hawaii | Exempt | Hawaii State Board of Education PO Box 2360 Honolulu, HI 96804 |
Visit Hawaii's website | |
Idaho | Exempt | Idaho State Board of Education 650 West State Street PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0037 |
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Illinois | Exempt | Illinois Board of Higher Education 431 East Adams, 2nd Floor Springfield, IL 62701-1404 |
Visit Illinois's website Institutional Complaint Hotline: (217) 557-7359 |
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Indiana | Approved | Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education Attn: Director of Regulatory Compliance 302 W Washington Street, Room E201 Indianapolis, IN 46204 |
Visit Indiana's website | |
Iowa | Not Initiated | Iowa College Aid 603 E. 12th Street, 5th Floor Des Moines, IA 50319 |
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Kansas | Not Initiated | Kansas Board of Regents 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520 Topeka, KS 66612-1368 |
Visit Kansas's website | |
Kentucky | Not Initiated | Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education 1024 Capital Center Dr. #320 Frankfort, KY 40601-7512 |
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Louisiana | In Progress | Louisiana Board of Regents PO Box 3677 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677 |
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Maine | Approved | Maine Department of Education Complaint Investigator 23 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0023 |
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Maryland | Not Initiated | Maryland Higher Education Commission 6 N. Liberty Street Baltimore, MD 21201 |
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Massachusetts | Exempt | Massachusetts Department of Higher Education One Ashburton Place Room 1401 Boston, MA 02108 |
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Michigan | Approved | Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth Office of Postsecondary Services Proprietary School Unit Staff 201 N. Washington Sq. Lansing, MI 48913 |
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Minnesota | In Progress | Biola University is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions. | Minnesota Office of Higher Education 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55108 |
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Mississippi | Exempt | Mississippi Commission on Proprietary Schools and College Registration 3825 Ridgewood Road Jackson, MS 39211-6453 |
Visit Mississippi's website | |
Missouri | Exempt | Missouri Department of Higher Education 205 Jefferson Street PO Box 1469 Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469 |
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Montana | Approved | Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education 560 N. Park Avenue PO Box 203201 Helena, MT 59620-3201 |
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Nebraska | Exempt | Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education PO Box 95005 Lincoln, NE 68509-5005 |
Visit Nebraska's website | |
Nevada | Exempt | Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education 3663 East Sunset Road Suite 202 Las Vegas, Nevada 89120 |
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New Hampshire | Exempt | New Hampshire Higher Education Commission 101 Pleasant Street Concord, NH 03301-3494 |
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New Jersey | Exempt | New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs 124 Halsey Street Newark, NJ 07102 |
Visit New Jersey's website | |
New Mexico | In Progress | New Mexico Higher Education Department 2048 Galisteo Street Santa Fe, NM 87505 |
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New York | Approved | New York State Education Department 5 North Mezzanine Albany, NY 12234 |
Visit New York's website | |
North Carolina | Exempt | The University of North Carolina General Administration Post-secondary Education Complaints c/o Assistance Director of Licensure and Workforce Studies 910 Raleigh Road Chapel Hill, NC 27514 |
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North Dakota | Approved | North Dakota Consumer Protection Division Office of Attorney General Gateway Professional Center 1050 E. Interstate Ave. Suite 200 Bismarck, ND 58503-5574 |
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Ohio | Exempt | Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools 30 East Broad Street, Suite 2481 Columbus, OH 43215 |
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Oklahoma | Exempt | Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 655 Research Parkway Suite 200 Oklahoma City, OK 73104 |
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Oregon | In Progress | Oregon Office of Degree Authorization 1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100 Eugene, OR 97401 |
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Pennsylvania | Exempt | Pennsylvania Department of Education 333 Market Street, 12th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333 |
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Rhode Island | Not Initiated | Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education Shepard Building 80 Washington Street Providence, RI 02903 |
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South Carolina | Exempt | South Carolina Commission on Higher Education 1122 Lady Street, Suite 300 Columbia, SC 29201 |
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South Dakota | Exempt | South Dakota Board of Regents 306 E. Capitol Ave, Suite 200 Pierre, SD 57501-2545 |
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Tennessee | Approved | Tennessee Higher Education Commission 404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900 Nashville, TN 37243 |
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Texas | Exempt | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 1200 E. Anderson Lane Austin, TX 78752 |
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Utah | Exempt | Utah Division of Consumer Protection 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111 |
Visit Utah's website | |
Vermont | Exempt | Vermont Department of Education State Board of Education 120 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2501 |
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Virginia | Exempt | State Council of Higher Education for Virginia 101 N. 14th St., 9th Floor James Monroe Building Richmond, VA 23219 |
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Washington | Exempt | Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board 917 Lakeridge Way PO Box 43430 Olympia, WA 98504-3430 |
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West Virginia | Not Initiated | West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission 1018 Kanawha Blvd E., Ste 700 Charleston, WV 25301-2800 |
Visit West Virginia's website | |
Wisconsin | Not Initiated | Wisconsin Educational Approval Board 201 W. Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor P.O. Box 8696 Madison, WI 53708 - 8696 |
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Wyoming | Approved | Wyoming Department of Education 2300 Capitol Avenue Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050 |
Status | State Authorization Legend |
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Approved | The University has secured authorization to offer online programs. |
Exempt | The University is exempt from securing authorization to offer online programs per state regulations. |
In Progress | The University is completing the application for state agency review and approval. |
Not Initiated | The University has not yet initiated an application for authorization or exemption. |
Student Complaint Process
The U.S. Department of Education has promulgated regulations to improve the integrity of programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) as amended (the “Program Integrity Rule”). The Program Integrity Rule requires, among other things, that each college or university authorized to offer postsecondary education in one or more states ensure access to a complaint process that will permit student consumers to address the following:
- Alleged violations of state consumer protection laws that include but are not limited to fraud and false advertising;
- Alleged violations of state laws of rules relating to the licensure of postsecondary institutions;
- Complaints relating to the quality of education or other State or accreditation requirements.
Students who reside in Connecticut and would like to file a complaint may do so in writing or by phone through the Connecticut Office of Higher Education 450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 707, Hartford, CT 06103-1841, Phone: 860-947-1800.
Biola University, as an institution authorized to provide postsecondary education in the State of California, is committed to full compliance with the Program Integrity Rule, and provides the following confirmation to all current and prospective students:
Biola University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Please review the University's accreditation status on the WSCUC website.
The university encourages students to work through internal university complaint processes for resolution of complaints. If you believe that the university’s academic appeal procedures have not adequately addressed concerns identified under the Program Integrity Rule, the following links and contact information are provided:
General
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95833
Phone: (916) 431-6924
FAX: (916) 263-189
Academics
WASC Senior College and University Commission
985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: (510) 748-9001
See also the Public Comments and Complaints page on the WSCUC
website.
Out-of-State Student Complaints
In addition to submitting an unresolved grievance to the WASC Senior College and University Commission, students may also submit their grievances to the state in which they reside by using the links below:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Online
Under section 508 of the ADA, the government requires Biola to provide disabled students with specific accessibility standards for electronic and information technology. As an online Biola student, you will be using Canvas, our online learning environment and management system -- Canvas is section 508 ADA compliant. If you have any specific needs, questions or concerns regarding technology access, please contact Disability Services.
Student Handbook(s)
- Undergrad Student Handbook & Guide to University Policies
- Graduate Student Handbook & Guide to University Policies
- Graduate Handbook: School of Education
- For other specific degree program handbooks, contact the school.