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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73720</law_id><section_number>23.1-220</section_number><catch_line>Approval procedures</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="23.1">Institutions of Higher Education; Other Educational and Cultural Institutions</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">General Provisions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">State Council of Higher Education for Virginia</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Regulation of Certain Private and Out-of-State Institutions of Higher Education</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Prior to <span class="dictionary">Council</span> approval for a <span class="dictionary">postsecondary school</span> to use the term &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">college</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">university</span>&#x201D; or abbreviations or words of similar meaning in its name or in any manner in connection with its academic affairs or business, offer courses or <span class="dictionary">programs</span> for <span class="dictionary">degree credit</span>, enroll students in any courses or <span class="dictionary">programs</span>, or confer or award <span class="dictionary">degrees</span>, each <span class="dictionary">postsecondary school</span> shall be evaluated by the <span class="dictionary">Council</span> in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Authority of the Council; regulations; standards for postsecondary schools; delegation of authority to Executive Director" href="/23.1-215/">23.1-215</a>. <a id="paragraph-265135" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-220/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that the applicant has fully complied with the regulations adopted pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Authority of the Council; regulations; standards for postsecondary schools; delegation of authority to Executive Director" href="/23.1-215/">23.1-215</a>, the <span class="dictionary">Council</span> shall approve the application. <a id="paragraph-265136" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-220/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Council</span> may defer a decision on an application upon determining that additional information is needed. <a id="paragraph-265137" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-220/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Council</span> shall not take into account duplication of effort by public <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> of higher education and private <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> of higher education or other questions of need when considering an application. <a id="paragraph-265138" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-220/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 23-269; 1980, c. 658; 1996, cc. 691, 832; 2002, c. 178, &#xA7; 23-276.5; 2003, c. 461; 2004, c. 991; 2005, c. 447; 2016, c. 588.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
