EXTERNAL STUDENT COMPLAINT REPORTING PROCESS

Villanova University provides students and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student’s complaints.

See information on filing a complaint with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Commission expects individuals to attempt to resolve the issue through the institution's own published grievance procedures prior to submitting a complaint to the Commission.
Students have a right to file complaints concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the implementing regulations. Complaints should be addressed to the Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-8520 or submitted online.
This page also lists information regarding filing complaints with State approval or other licensing agencies.

Distance Education

Villanova University is committed to offering courses and programs to a geographically diverse population of students. To do so, it must seek approval where necessary and applicable to offer education to students while they are physically located outside of the state of Pennsylvania. Please refer to the Important Notices for Distance Education Students.

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA)

Learn more about SARA:

Filing a Complaint within Pennsylvania

Contact the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Veteran Affairs Complaints

Students using the GI Bill can submit a complaint with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs due to a school or employer’s failure to follow the Principles of Excellence using the VA GI Bill Feedback Tool.

Out of State Complaints

If you live outside of Pennsylvania, you can file a complaint in the state where you reside.

State Agency Information

State	Agency
Alabama	In-State: Alabama Commission on Higher Education - Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning Out-of-State: ACCS Private School Licensing Division
Alaska	Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
American Samoa	Department of Education
Arizona	Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education Arizona Board of Regents Arizona Community College Coordinating Council
Arkansas	Arkansas Department of Higher Education Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education (501-371-2000)
California	California Department of Consumer Affairs
Colorado	Colorado Department of Higher Education and Private Occupational Schools
Connecticut	The Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education
Delaware	Delaware Department of Education
District of Columbia	Education Licensure Commission
Federated States of Micronesia	FSM Department of Education
Florida	Commission for Independent Education- Department of Education
Georgia	Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
Guam	University of Guam Helpline
Hawaii	Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program
Idaho	Idaho State Board of Education
Illinois	Illinois Board of Higher Education
Indiana	Indiana Office for Career and Technical Schools Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Iowa	Iowa College Student Aid Commission
Kansas	Kansas Board of Regents
Kentucky	Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
Louisiana	Louisiana Board of Regents
Maine	Maine Department of Education, Office of Higher Education Services
Maryland	Maryland Higher Education Commission
Michigan	Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
Massachusetts	Office of Private Occupational School Education Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Minnesota	Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Mississippi	Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration
Missouri	Missouri Department of Higher Education
Montana	Montana University System, Montana Board of Regents
Nebraska	Nebraska Department of Education, Private Postsecondary Career Schools Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Nevada	Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
New Hampshire	Department of Education, Division of Higher Education, Higher Education Commission
New Jersey	New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Center for Occupational Employment Information Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
New Mexico	New Mexico Higher Education Department
New York	Office of College and University Evaluation Adult Career and Continuing Ed. Services Distance Education
North Carolina	The University of North Carolina System Office The North Carolina Community College System (Office of Proprietary School Services)
North Dakota	North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical Education North Dakota University System
Northern Mariana Islands	unknown
Ohio	The Ohio Board of Regents Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
Oklahoma	Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education The Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools
Oregon	Higher Education Coordinating Commission Office of Degree Authorization Department of Education Private and Career Schools Office
Pennsylvania	Department of Education
Puerto Rico	Puerto Rico Council on Education
Republic of Palau	Complaints and third-party comments may be submitted to the Accreditor, ACCJC.
Republic of the Marshall Islands	Department of Education
Rhode Island	Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
South Carolina	South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
South Dakota	Secretary of State (South Dakota Attorney General)
Tennessee	Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Texas	Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
U.S. Virgin Islands	Department of Education
Utah	Utah Division of Consumer Protection
Vermont	Vermont State Board of Education
Virginia	Private & Out- of-State Postsecondary Education, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
Washington	Washington Student Achievement Council Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
West Virginia	WV Higher Educ. Policy Commission WV Council for Community & Technical College Education
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
Wyoming	Wyoming Department of Education

Originally based upon the SHEEO (State Higher Education Executive Officers) “Compendium of (State Authorization) Laws and Regulatory Practices,” this summary was created with support from WCET’s (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies) State Authorization Network. SHEEO and WCET collaborated in directing the work of NCHEMS (National Center for Higher Education Management Systems) in gathering, updating and compiling the information.