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State Authorization

NC-SARA

State Authorization Notification for Distance Education Students

In recent years, many states have adopted rules and regulations for distance education programs and courses offered by out-of-state institutions. TN eCampus provides access to high-quality, student-centered distance education through a partnership of Tennessee universities, community colleges and colleges of applied technology. Through this partnership, TN eCampus supports the efforts of our partner institutions to comply with the rules and regulations of each state.

What is SARA?

The National Council-State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA) is an agreement among member states that “established comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs.”  Verify State Actions Regarding SARA. SARA pertains to educational programs and courses only and does not have any effect on state professional licensing requirements. 

Note: Tennessee was approved by the Southern Regional Education (SREB) in June 2015 to join the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Notification to Students

Programs that require clinical, internships, field experiences, etc. and lead to professional licensure must also abide by state and board regulations in the state where the student resides. Students who wish to complete any experience in a state other than Tennessee, may need to take additional steps to comply with the requirements of that state before starting a program. We strongly advise ALL current and prospective students to become familiar with their state’s regulations and professional licensing requirements by seeking information, and/or approval with their state boards where they reside or have plans to reside as a practitioner. 

Students may be allowed to participate in clinical experiences if their professional licensing boards (Nursing, Teaching and Psychology) do not regulate out-of-state programs. However, additional requirements may apply to students who will become practitioners in their state upon program completion. Links to state agencies and professional licensure boards can be found under Authorization Disclosures by State.

State Board of Nursing contacts and resources

Authorization Disclosures by State

Alabama

State Agencies & Resources*

Additional Resources

*Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.   
Arkansas

State Agencies & Resources*

The Arkansas Board of Nursing has the statutory authority to require licensure for faculty teaching online didactic programs to Arkansas nurses. At this time, the Arkansas Board of Nursing is not enforcing licensure for faculty teaching the didactic portion of an online program, but it is subject to change. The Arkansas Board of Nursing does approve online programs, but institutions need to either be a SARA school or certified by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. *Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.  
Georgia

State Agencies & Resources*

The Georgia Board of Nursing does not approve post licensure programs. Post licensure programs must be accredited by a national nursing accrediting body. All students in Georgia enrolled in a post licensure program must be duly licensed by the Georgia Board of Nursing. Additionally, any faculty or preceptors teaching or working in Georgia must be duly licensed by the Georgia Board of Nursing. *Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.
Kentucky

State Agencies & Resources*

Nursing faculty who oversee students in the clinical setting/serve as preceptors in Kentucky for an online MSN/DNP APRN program, must possess an unencumbered active Kentucky RN license. Nurse faculty who teach didactic information via distance or online and who do not physically practice within the state must hold an unencumbered active nursing license to practice as a registered nurse in the nurse faculty’s primary state of residence. Clinical faculty members who do not reside in a compact state will need to possess unencumbered active RN & APRN Kentucky license(s). If the clinical faculty member resides in a compact state, the APRN clinical faculty member would require a KY APRN license to oversee students in Kentucky without seeking a separate Kentucky registered nurse license. Faculty members who are not participating in clinical activities are not required to possess a Kentucky nursing license, provided that the faculty member holds an unencumbered active nursing license in his/her home state/primary state of residence. See Using Kentucky Clinical Sites for additional information. The Kentucky Board of Nursing currently does not have any jurisdiction over out-of-state programs. As a result, a university is not required to submit any information to the Board (e.g., student rosters, faculty lists, field experience locations). *Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.   
Mississippi

State Agencies & Resources*

Students attending an out-of-state university can be licensed in Mississippi as long as they are able to sit for their national certification boards. *Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.   
Missouri

State Agencies & Resources*

The Missouri State Board of Nursing does not have jurisdiction over graduate nursing programs. The student must have an RN license in Missouri or a multi-state license from another compact state. To be eligible for recognition as an APRN in Missouri, the APRN must complete a graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a concentration in an advanced practice nursing clinical specialty area, which includes advanced nursing theory and clinical nursing practice. From and after January 1, 2009, the program shall provide a minimum of five hundred (500) faculty supervised clinical hours. Any faculty working with the student, whether in Missouri or not, must be licensed in Missouri. Further clarification about faculty: Practice is where the patient/student is. Faculty, whether clinical or didactic, must be licensed in MO or hold a multi-state license from another compact state. If the faculty is reviewing/providing education that is specific to the care being provided to patients in Missouri, the faculty would need to be recognized as an APRN in Missouri. Compact State Requirements: Tennessee and Missouri are both Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) states. When moving from one compact state to another, a nurse can practice on the former residency license for up to 30 or 90 days (states are individually implementing the 90-day rule– from NCSBN). Nurses are required to apply for licensure by endorsement. It is recommended that nurses apply 1-2 months in advance of practicing in a new state. The practicing nurse (faculty) would have to pay any applicable fees and complete a declaration of primary state of residency in Missouri (NCSBN, n.d.). The faculty will then be issued a new multi-state license and the former is inactivated (NCSBN, n.d.). The fee to apply for an APRN license in Missouri is $150. (State of Missouri advanced practice registered nurse application instructions, 2015). *Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.   
North Carolina

State Agencies & Resources*

If there is a clinical component to the program you plan to meet in North Carolina, the program needs to have approval. Students: See the following information on the North Carolina Board of Nursing website:   What is NP Registration?  and What is Initial Approval to Practice?  If you meet these requirements, you are eligible to apply for NP registration and approval to practice as a NP in North Carolina. Institutions: Out-of-state programs are approved by the Board of Nursing in the state in which they reside.  Please see 21 NCAC 36.0223  regarding the education program rules. Clinical Experiences: If there is a clinical component to the program that you plan to meet in North Carolina, the program must have approval from the University of North Carolina General Administration. Contact ncsaa@northcarolina.edu for more information on approved programs. This is a mandate from the United States Department of Education and is not associated with the North Carolina Board of Nursing. Programs that the North Carolina Board of Nursing does not have jurisdiction over include RN-BSN programs, masters and doctoral programs. Clinical site rotations beyond the pre-licensure level are within the purview of the academic institution. The North Carolina Board of Nursing does not regulate post-licensure: http://www.ncbon.com/dcp/i/nursing-education-faq–nursing-education *Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.   
Virginia

State Agencies & Resources*

  • Virginia State Council of Higher Education  (links to external website). View Virginia’s Distance Education Policy here.
  • Virginia Board of Nursing  (links to external website) – The Virginia Board of Nursing does not regulate advanced practice programs or distance learning programs. The section in the Code of Virginia that allows advanced practice students from other states to conduct clinicals in Virginia is as follows: “The practice of nursing by any registered nurse who holds a current unrestricted license in another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States possession or territory, or a nurse who holds an equivalent credential in a foreign country, while enrolled in an advanced professional nursing program requiring clinical practice. This exemption extends only to clinical practice required by the curriculum; To be eligible for licensure in Virginia as an advanced practice nurse, the person would need to have graduated from an approved masters program in whatever state they are in and pass the certification exam for their specialty area.”
  • National Council of State Boards of Nursing  (links to external website)
*Information is subject to change. Questions about requirements should be addressed to the relevant state board of nursing for guidance.

TN eCampus Institutions Approved by SARA

The following TN eCampus partner institutions are approved within the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) to offer distance education programs and courses to students who reside in states that have joined SARA. Please note professional licensure board approval for programs leading to state licensing are NOT covered under SARA.

Austin Peay State University
Chattanooga State Community College
Cleveland State Community College
Columbia State Community College
Dyersburg State Community College
Motlow State Community College
Nashville State Community College
Northeast State Community College
Pellissippi State Community College
Roane State Community College
Southwest Tennessee Community College
Tennessee State University
Tennessee Technological University
University of Memphis
Volunteer State Community College
Walters State Community College

Additional State Resources

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