Is St. Francis College Accredited?

Updated

Yes. St. Francis College (sfc.edu) is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the regional accrediting body for colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic region. The college's own site confirms this and, as of July 6, 2026, reports that MSCHE has approved St. Francis College for doctoral accreditation — a milestone the site describes as historic. If you are evaluating the college for a degree, the practical takeaway is that its accreditation is current and has recently expanded in scope.

What the site says about accreditation

The homepage's "What's New" section lists several accreditation-related items:

  • July 6, 2026 — "Historic Milestone: MSCHE Approves St. Francis College for Doctoral Accreditation."
  • February 12, 2026 — "Countdown to the Middle States Site Visit," with links to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the Middle States self-study, and a "Learn More" page.
  • A note that the Team Chair Preliminary Visit is scheduled for November 12, 2026.

The site also states the college has been "driven by dreams" for more than 160 years (elsewhere on the page, more than 165 years), which is background rather than accreditation evidence — the MSCHE items are the relevant ones.

Why regional accreditation matters to you

Regional accreditation (MSCHE's category) is the type most traditional U.S. colleges hold. For students, it generally affects:

Area What accreditation supports
Federal financial aid Eligibility for Title IV aid at accredited institutions
Credit transfer Credits more likely to be recognized by other accredited schools
Graduate admission Many graduate programs require a regionally accredited bachelor's degree
Employer/licensure checks Some employers and licensure boards verify institutional accreditation
Degree recognition Signals the institution met an external review of quality

The doctoral accreditation approval is notable because it signals MSCHE has extended the college's accredited scope to include doctoral-level programs, not just its undergraduate and master's offerings.

How to verify and stay current

Accreditation status can change, and the site itself shows an active review cycle (self-study, site visit, team chair visit). To check the latest:

  1. Go to sfc.edu and open the "What's New" section for accreditation announcements.
  2. Use the Middle States Commission on Higher Education link on the site to confirm status directly with MSCHE.
  3. For program-specific accreditation (for example, nursing or business), check the individual department pages under "Explore Programs," since specialized accreditors are separate from MSCHE.

Because the site lists a November 12, 2026 team chair visit and an ongoing self-study, expect further updates — verify directly with MSCHE before relying on any single date.