Chicago State University

CSU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This independent corporation was founded in 1895 and is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. For further information, please contact hlc@csu.edu.

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation assures the public, students, faculty, and staff that our University meets stated HLC criteria. Accreditation signifies the certification of acceptable institutional quality and integrity, and it acknowledges that the institution has undergone rigorous internal and external evaluation. Accreditation is the official standing and affirmation that a university provides the quality of higher education that the general public has the right to expect and that is recognized by the educational community.

On January 30, 2023, CSU submitted its Assurance Argument and Federal Compliance document to the HLC as required in anticipation of the HLC's February 27-28, 2023 campus visit. The Assurance Argument is available here.

Accrediting organizations set the academic standards by which their member institutions must comply. This quality assurance process is performed by private membership associations to assure a school meets high standards with respect to:

The public is invited to submit comments on HLC’s website or to the following address:

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. Comments must be in writing. We appreciate your response!

There is a difference between institutional and program accreditation. Institutional accreditation looks at an entire institution without making judgments about specific programs. Program accreditation is carried out by specific accrediting bodies examining curricula and course content to evaluate programs meeting specific criteria.