Is ED Allowing Accreditors To Waive Distance Education Review Requirements For Study Abroad Students Who Never Began Attendance Due To Coronavirus?

This AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&A was updated on February 1, 2023 to note that the COVID-19 national emergency will end on May 11, 2023.

Scenario: In the March 5, 2020 Electronic Announcement, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) states: “We are also permitting accreditors to waive their distance education review requirements for institutions working to accommodate students whose enrollment is otherwise interrupted as a result of COVID-19. We are currently limiting that permission to distance learning opportunities developed for the purpose of serving students who were already in attendance, but whose attendance was interrupted by COVID-19.” We are wondering about the “already in attendance” piece. There are students who never began attendance this term because their study abroad program was cancelled at the last minute, and schools would like to be able to offer them distance education/online classes.

Answer: Yes. According to guidance NASFAA has received from ED, it is ED's intention to also extend all flexibilities related to distance education, including accreditation agency waivers of approval processes, to students who never began their study abroad programs because of COVID-19.

In general, the December 11, 2020 Federal Register extends all distance education flexibilities in the March 5, 2020 Electronic Announcement, the April 3, 2020 Electronic Announcement, and the May 15, 2020 Electronic Announcement through the end of the payment period that begins after the date on which the federally declared qualifying emergency related to COVID-19 is rescinded.

Notes: 

• This AskRegs Q&A was previously updated on December 18, 2020 to reflect extended timeframes in the December 11, 2020 Federal Register through the end of the payment period that begins after the date on which the federally declared qualifying emergency related to COVID-19 is rescinded.
• This AskRegs Q&A was previously updated on August 26, 2020 to reflect extended timeframes in the August 21, 2020 Electronic Announcement.
• For additional flexibilities and requirements related to accreditation of distance education programs, see the December 11, 2020, Federal Register.
• This AskRegs Q&A was previously updated to include the May 15, 2020 Electronic Announcement extension of distance education flexibilities to any payment period or term that overlapped March 5, 2020, or that began between March 5, 2020, and December 31, 2020.