The office of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is located on the traditional homelands of the Duwamish, Stillaguamish, and Coast Salish peoples who have lived in these territories from time immemorial, and are still here today. We extend our honor, respect, and gratitude to them, and to their elders and descendants—past and present—in continuing to enrich our lives through sharing their wisdom in allowing us to gather on their traditional lands.
Independent | Non-profit | Membership-driven
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit postsecondary institutions.
NWCCU is incorporated as a legally established, private 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and accredits institutions of higher education in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and British Columbia, along with other domestic and international geographic areas.
NWCCU recognizes higher education institutions for performance, integrity, and quality to merit the confidence of the educational community and the public. Our accreditation of postsecondary institutions is a voluntary, non-governmental, self-regulatory process of quality assurance and institutional improvement.
Accreditation or preaccreditation by NWCCU also qualifies institutions and enrolled students for access to Title IV federal funds to support teaching, research, and student financial aid.
