Distance Education Authorization

Distance Education Authorization

The Interstate Distance Education Act, Sections 21-23B-1 through 21-23B-6 NMSA 1978 authorizes the New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) to adopt rules and regulations for the receipt of distance education by students in New Mexico and the provision of distance education by New Mexico participating post-secondary educational institutions to students located outside New Mexico. All institutions that are operating under the Act must apply for Distance Education Authorization (DEA) through NMHED, however there are some exemptions including institutions that participate in NC-SARA.

If your institutions’ home state is not New Mexico and it is not applying for NC-SARA membership or membership renewal, but would like to offer distance education programs in New Mexico, your institution must apply for New Mexico Distance Education Authorization. Please CLICK HERE to access the application information page.

If you have any questions about the Distance Education Authorization process please contact NMHED's Private-Post Secondary Schools Division at private.schools@hed.nm.gov or (505)476-8409.

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that sets national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. NC-SARA allows students to benefit from educational services across state lines. NC-SARA centralizes the authorization process for each institution in a single state, referred to as the “home state.” By reducing the number of states in which an institution needs to apply for authorization, students benefit from expanded access to educational offerings and institutions benefit by reducing state authorization costs. New Mexico became a member on May 12, 2015 through the WICHE State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (W-SARA). Institutional membership in NC-SARA is voluntary and open to accredited, degree-granting institutions from all sectors of postsecondary education (private, proprietary and public).