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California Postsecondary Education Commission Home Page

State-Approved and Exempt College and University Information

Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Status

The Status of the Current Act:

The Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE) went out of existence on June 30, 2007, pursuant to current law. Currently, the legislature and administration are working jointly on two proposals intended to replace the BPPVE - AB 1525 (Cook) and SB 823 (Perata). AB 1525 is the Administration’s solution for the temporary plan needed to provide guidance to private institutions and protections to students attending private institutions between June 30, 2007 and January 1, 2008. (A temporary plan is needed because a new agency cannot be created with urgency legislation.) SB 823 is the democratic legislators’ long term remedy for creating a new entity to oversee the approvals and operations of private institutions and provide protections to their students.

The Status of Pending Legislation as of July 13, 2007

AB 1525, by Assemblymember Cook, was signed into law by the Governor on Thursday. The bill’s provisions temporarily extend student protections at California's private postsecondary vocational education institutions. The bill allows the state Department of Consumer Affairs to enter into voluntary agreements with for-profit teaching institutions to abide by state rules so that the schools can remain in good standing through January 31, 2008. In the meantime, the Legislature and Administration are continuing to work to construct a more permanent entity and streamlined process for both students and institutions.

SB 823 passed out of the Assembly Higher Education Committee with several amendments on a 5-2 vote, on July 2, 2007. It will now move on to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

Updates regarding the status of these bills and any other related bills will be posted on this page.

For additional information on these measures contact the offices of Assemblyman Paul Cook, (916) 319-2065, or Senator Don Perata, (916) 651-4009. Also contact the Department of Consumer Affairs (http://www.dca.ca.gov).

The Commission's Role

The Commission acts as a clearinghouse for private postsecondary and vocational education institutions that are approved by the state of California by maintaining a list of licensed schools. However, the Commission does not have any authority regarding licensure or oversight of the schools. For any questions about licensure or oversight of these institutions, please contact the Department of Consumer Affairs at http://www.dca.ca.gov/, call (800) 952-5210, e-mail: dca@dca.ca.gov or write Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Information Division, 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112, Sacramento, CA 95834.

The information below was accurate prior to June 30, 2007. See above for the status of pending legislation. Private postsecondary schools, colleges, and universities are approved by the State with oversight authority vested in the Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE).

Listed in this section are 202 state approved degree-granting institutions offering a variety of academic programs. Some institutions are exempt from the regular state approval process and are also listed in this section. To qualify for an exemption there are requirements that must be met as listed in the California Education Code, Title 3, Division 10, Part 59, Chapter 7, Private Postsecondary and Vocational Institutions.

A listing of state-approved and exempt schools is available in our Guide.

Generally, institutions that are exempt from state approval are exempt for the following reasons:

  • The institution is accredited by a national accrediting agency such as the American Bar Association (ABA)
    • .
  • The institution is accredited by a regional accrediting agency such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
    • .
  • The institution teaches religion and meets all the requirements for a religious exemption
    • .
The BPPVE also approves approximately 2,400 non-degree granting vocational schools and programs leading to licensing.

For additional information about state approved institutions, exemptions, or vocational school licensing requirements, contact the BPPVE or access their website:

Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education
Department of Consumer Affairs
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (800) 952-5210,
http://www.dca.ca.gov/