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Reciprocity Agreement National Council for State Authorization

State Authorization of Distance Learning

State authorization is a requirement in the Higher Education Act that requires institutions to be authorized to offer distance education (online) content to students who reside in a state other than the institution's home state.

Harford Community College is an approved institution of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). As a NC-SARA institution, Harford Community College is approved to offer distance education to students who reside in other NC-SARA approved states.

California is not an NC-SARA state. Students with California residency who are interested in distance education opportunities offered by Harford Community College should carefully review the Student Grievance Process for Out-of-State Students (below) and contact the home-state's educational entity with questions prior to enrolling in distance education courses at Harford Community College.

Supervised Field Experiences for Out-of-State Students

Regardless of NC-SARA membership, some states continue to regulate supervised field experiences including, but not limited to, internships, externships, and practicums. For this reason, Harford Community College may not be able to admit students to courses requiring such supervised field experiences.

Programs Leading to Professional Licensure for Out-of-State Students

NC-SARA does not regulate professional licensing board approval for courses or programs leading to professional licensure. If you are not a resident of Maryland and are taking or have interest in taking courses that lead to professional licensure, Harford Community College recommends that you contact the appropriate licensing agency within your home state prior to beginning coursework at Harford Community College to determine whether the program meets the requirements for licensure in your home state.

Refund Policies

When submitting your registration, you assume responsibility for tuition, fees, and charges. Additionally, if your charges become delinquent and are sent to collections, you will be responsible for additional collection costs equaling 17% of the delinquent amount. Tuition and fees are non-refundable after the refund deadline. In order to avoid an outstanding financial obligation to the college, you must officially drop your class within the stated refund period. Non-attendance does not constitute a refund or removal of the debt. See Tuition and Fees for more information.

Student Grievance Process for Out-of-State Students

Harford Community College is committed to providing clearly stated, timely, and accessible methods for resolving student grievances. Students who attend Harford Community College, but reside outside of Maryland should follow Harford Community College's established student grievance process in order to file a grievance. Students should file a complaint with the NC-SARA State Portal Entity for Maryland in the event that the College's grievance process has been exhausted and the student remains unsatisfied with the outcome. The NC-SARA Complaint Process for Maryland can be downloaded from the Maryland Higher Education Commission website. Complaints regarding student grades or conduct violations are governed by the institution and the laws of the institution's home state. The NC-SARA process does not affect grading policies or conduct violations appeals. For more information about NC-SARA, please visit the NC-SARA website.

To file complaints or make other contact with applicable regulatory agencies, contact the Maryland Attorney General's Office.

Students who are residents of California, a non-NC-SARA state, and who are engaged in distance education with Harford Community College should contact their home state's educational agency for information on how to file a complaint.