Bluffton University must comply with a state's regulations before any educational activity can occur within that state. Bluffton is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), which allows students from NC-SARA approved states outside of Ohio to enroll in online degree programs and earn credit for campus-based courses with out-of-state educational experiences.
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four regional education compacts.
Most states now belong to SARA, as indicated in the map below. Ohio became a member state in March 2015. Bluffton University became a SARA institution on August 15, 2016. This allows students to enroll in courses from other NC-SARA approved states and member institutions.
States participating in SARA
as of August 1, 2022