Who SACSCOC is
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits degree-granting colleges and universities across the eleven Southern states — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia — and, since 2020, may accredit beyond them. It is the largest of the former regionals by region and long considered the Southern gold standard.
The 2026 rename and new leadership
The Principles of Accreditation
SACSCOC bases accreditation on The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2024 Edition) — its single source document of standards. The Principles are organized into Core Requirements (threshold requirements every institution must meet) and additional Standards covering mission, governance, faculty, academics, student services, finances, and institutional effectiveness. Compliance is documented in a Compliance Certification.
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
SACSCOC’s signature, and what sets it apart from other accreditors, is the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Every institution undergoing reaffirmation must develop a focused, data-driven plan (no more than about 75 pages) targeting a specific area of student learning or student success, commit resources to it, and assess its results.
- Identified through self-assessmentThe QEP topic emerges from the institution’s ongoing evaluation.
- Broad-based involvementFaculty, staff, and students help shape it.
- Focused on student outcomesIt targets specific learning or success goals.
- Assessed for impactIts results are reported later in the Fifth-Year Impact Report.
The 10-year cycle & Fifth-Year Interim Report
SACSCOC reaffirms accreditation on a 10-year cycle, with a mandatory Fifth-Year Interim Report at the midpoint that documents continued compliance with selected standards and reports the impact of the last QEP. The reaffirmation review runs through an Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee (which meets in Atlanta) and an On-Site Committee, culminating in action by the Board of Trustees. Initial accreditation typically takes three to five years or more.
At the center of the accreditation fights
SACSCOC is the accreditor most affected by the 2025-26 upheaval. Florida’s 2022 law and North Carolina’s 2023 law require their public colleges to change accreditors each cycle, prompting institutions to move to HLC and others. And six Southern public university systems launched the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE) as a direct SACSCOC alternative. See the tier overview for the full picture.
What SACSCOC accreditation means for you
- Federal aid & recognitionSACSCOC accreditation confers Title IV eligibility and national recognition of degrees and credits.
- Student-success focusThe QEP means your institution is actively working a specific student-outcomes project.
- TransferCredits and degrees transfer and are accepted for graduate study.
- Switching noteIf your public college is required to change accreditors, its accreditation continues through the move — confirm the current accreditor.
Verify a college
Common misconceptions
- “SACSCOC only covers the South.”That is its historic region; since 2020 it may accredit nationally.
- “The QEP is just paperwork.”It is a resourced, assessed student-success project — SACSCOC’s defining feature.
- “The rename changes accreditation.”The Sept 2026 rename to the Commission on Colleges and Universities does not change a college’s accredited status.
- “Leaving SACSCOC means losing accreditation.”Colleges switching accreditors under state law keep accreditation through the transition.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
- What is SACSCOC? The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges — the institutional accreditor for degree-granting colleges across eleven Southern states, and since 2020 beyond.
- Is SACSCOC changing its name? Yes. Effective September 1, 2026, it is being renamed The Commission on Colleges and Universities, alongside a standards revision. The change does not alter colleges' accredited status.
- What is the QEP? The Quality Enhancement Plan — SACSCOC's signature requirement. Every institution develops a focused, resourced, data-driven plan to improve a specific area of student learning or success.
- What are the SACSCOC standards? The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2024 Edition), organized into Core Requirements and additional Standards, documented in a Compliance Certification.
- How long does SACSCOC accreditation last? Reaffirmation is every ten years, with a mandatory Fifth-Year Interim Report at the midpoint.
- Why are colleges leaving SACSCOC? Florida (2022) and North Carolina (2023) laws require their public colleges to change accreditors each cycle, and six Southern systems launched the Commission for Public Higher Education as an alternative.
- Is SACSCOC recognized by the government? Yes. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for Title IV and by CHEA for academic quality.
- How do I verify a SACSCOC-accredited college? Search the institution in the SACSCOC directory and confirm current status, then cross-check the USDE DAPIP database.