The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) implemented new regulations on July 1, 2024, for practical nurse (PN), registered nurse (RN) and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) programs:
if they participate in Title IV HEA funding; and
are designed to meet the educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment.
The regulation requires nursing programs:
Determine that its curriculum satisfies the state educational requirements for a license or certification where the institution is located.
For students who enroll on or after July 1, 2024, the curriculum must satisfy state educational requirements for licensure or certification in the state where the student is enrolled in distance education at the time of enrollment or meet the state educational requirements for licensure or certification where the student intends to seek employment.
Public disclosures
Institutions must provide a list of states where its program meets and does not meet the educational requirements.
Distance education programs or correspondence courses offered to a student in a state different from where the nursing program is located must determine that the program meets the licensure/certification requirements in the state where each student is located at the time of initial enrollment in the program. If such determination is not made or if the institution has determined the program does not meet such requirements, it cannot enroll students located in that state, and it should not be advertising the program.
Prospective Students
Programs must notify prospective students in writing if their curriculum does not meet the educational requirements in the state where the student is located or if a determination hasn't been made.
Enrolled Students:
Programs must notify enrolled students in writing if their curriculum no longer meets state educational requirements where the student is located. The notification must be provided to the student within 14 calendar days of the institution making this determination.
The student may continue in the program, but notifications must be provided if the curriculum does not meet state educational requirements for an already enrolled student.
It is the responsiblity of the nursing program to ensure their program meets the licensure/certifiation requirements of the USDE.
Licensure Requirements by State
To easily find nursing licensure requirements (RN, PN and APRN programs), please select the states/jurisdictions where you want to know their licensure requirements.
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