Off-Campus Education

Overview Off-Campus Programs Off-Campus Sites Study Abroad Contact Us

Overview

The Coordinating Board establishes administrative rules and guidance to public institutions of higher education regarding procedures for approval off-campus education. The following recently adopted rules govern off-campus education for public institutions:

Off-Campus Programs

Off-campus programs are defined as a degree program in which fifty percent (50%) or more of required instruction or coursework is in-person at an off-campus educational site. These programs require Coordinating Board approval prior to offering the program at the off-campus location.

The agency has recently adopted new rules related to off-campus education that will take effect on September 1, 2026. More information about these changes will be forthcoming in August 2026.

Key Changes to Off-Campus Program Approvals:

  • No Higher Education Regional Council (HERC) review process
  • All institutions will follow the same approval process for an off-campus degree program
  • A revised off-campus program approval form will be developed
  • Institutions are no longer required to complete a 50-mile notification prior to submitting an off-campus program to the Coordinating Board
  • Coordinating Board will complete a 30-day regional comment period for any off-campus program in the region where the program will be delivered

Off-Campus Sites

An off-campus educational site is defined as an additional location, approved by the institution’s Board-recognized accreditor, where an institution delivers in-person required instruction for courses, certificates or degree programs.

  • For universities, HRIs, and technical colleges, an off-campus site is a location away from the main campus 
  • For community colleges, off-campus site is outside of the college’s service area 

Institutions will submit an annual notification to the Coordinating Board with the name and address of any off-campus educational site in which off-campus education is provided for a given academic year.

More information about these changes will be available in August 2026.

NOTE: Sites where only dual credit, internship or clinical courses are delivered are exempt from the annual reporting requirement.

The Coordinating Board no longer requires approval of off-campus educational sites. Administrative rules in Chapter 5, Subchapter D, regarding these approvals were repealed in April 2026.

Study Abroad and Study-in-America Courses

The Coordinating Board defines study abroad courses as “off-campus, academic credit instruction which is delivered outside the United States primarily to regular on-campus students.” Study-in-America courses are defined as “off-campus, academic credit instruction which is delivered outside Texas but in the United States primarily to regular on-campus students.” Institutions are required to certify that all courses meet the Coordinating Board’s Standards for Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Courses. Institutions certify compliance with those standards through an online reporting system. Links to the standards and the reporting system are below.

Contact

Inquiries regarding study abroad and study-in-America should be directed to Andrew Lofters, Program Director, Academic and Health Affairs.

Email Andrew Loftershyperlink to fast program page