When the Internet first became available for the common person, few people imagined that it would be possible to go to school online someday. The first programs that popped up were met with suspicion, as there was no way to ensure that online students were getting the same quality education found at typical campus colleges. Scams and diploma mills took advantage of student who wanted to get degrees, and employers were hesitant to hire those who got their degrees online.

Today, the world of online education is changing. Thanks to accreditation programs, which have now embraced distance learning, students and potential employers can confirm that online universities are legitimate and will provide the education needed to work in the field in question by checking a school’s accreditation.

Accreditation is available to both online and brick-and-mortar schools. The government does not accredit schools, but they do maintain a list of accrediting organizations and other accrediting information. With the accrediting process, an organization looks a school or program within a school to see if the education meets certain standards.

In addition, accreditation can ensure that you qualify for scholarships, grants, and student loans. Many private groups and government departments offer financial aid for students, but if your program isn’t accredited, you may not be able to apply. They want to make sure that the funds are actually being used for an educational program that will give you a legitimate degree.

A variety of different organizations accredit online universities. Some accredit a school overall, but most work to accredit specific programs, specializing in areas like nursing, law, or health administration. Depending on your field, you may not be able to get a license to work in your industry of choice if your online degree isn’t from an accredited program. Every state has different laws, so make sure you understand them, especially in you intend to work in medicine, insurance, or other highly regulated fields.

It takes time for a school to be accredited. Not every program you come across will be accredited, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that the school is a scam or not providing a quality education. Along with schools needing time to be accredited, some schools choose not to seek accreditation, simply because they feel it hinders their goals. If you do your research and find that a program will meet your educational needs, you should consider applying, even if it isn’t accredited.

Most online universities announce the fact that they’re accredited, so you can read on their website about their accreditations. However, it is important to follow up with the actual organizations to ensure that the schools really are accredited. You can do so by contacting the accrediting organization directly, and through these groups, you can also get an entire list of schools accredited in your field. Most of these organizations work with both online and offline programs, so you’ll have to do a little research to find out what school offer distance learning.