**§21.4266 Approval of courses at a branch campus or extension.**

\(a\) *Definitions*. The following definitions apply to the terms used
in this section.

\(1\) *Administrative capability* means the ability to maintain all
records and accounts that §21.4209 requires.

\(2\) *Certifying official* means a representative of an educational
institution designated to provide VA with the reports and certifications
that §§21.4203, 21.4204, 21.5810, 21.5812, 21.7152, and 21.7652 require.

\(3\) *Main campus* means the location where the primary teaching
facilities of an educational institution are located. If an educational
institution has only one teaching location, that location is its main
campus. If it is unclear which of the educational institution's teaching
facilities is primary, the main campus is the location of the primary
office of its Chief Executive Officer.

\(4\) *Branch campus* means a location of an educational institution
that:

\(i\) Is geographically apart from and operationally independent of the
main campus of the educational institution;

\(ii\) Has its own faculty, administration and supervisory organization;
and

\(iii\) Offers courses in education programs leading to a degree,
certificate, or other recognized education credential.

\(5\) *Extension* means a location of an educational institution that is
geographically apart from and is operationally dependent on the main
campus or a branch campus of the educational institution. (Authority: 38
U.S.C. 3675, 3676, 3684)

\(b\) *State approving agency jurisdiction*.

\(1\) The State approving agency for the State where a residence course
is being taught has jurisdiction over approval of that course for VA
education benefit purposes.

\(2\) The fact that the location where the educational institution is
offering the course may be temporary will not serve to change
jurisdictional authority.

\(3\) The fact that the main campus of the educational institution may
be located in another State from that in which the course is being
taught will not serve to change jurisdictional authority. (Authority: 38
U.S.C. 3672)

\(c\) *Approving a course offered by a branch campus or an extension of
an educational institution*. Before approving a course or a program of
education offered at a branch campus or an extension of an educational
institution, the State approving agency must ensure that:

\(1\) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, each location
where the course or program is offered has administrative capability;
and

\(2\) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, each location
where the course or program is offered has a certifying official on
site. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3672)

\(d\) *Exceptions to the requirement that administrative capability
exist at each location*.

\(1\) A State approving agency may approve a course or program offered
by a branch campus that does not have its own administrative capability
if:

\(i\) The main campus of the educational institution within the same
State maintains a centralized recordkeeping system that includes all
records and accounts that §21.4209 requires for each student attending
the branch campus without administrative capability. These records may
be originals, certified copies, or in an electronically formatted record
keeping system; and

\(ii\) The main campus can identify the records of students at the
branch campus for which it maintains centralized records.

\(2\) The State approving agency may approve a course or program offered
by an extension that does not have its own administrative capability if:

\(i\) The extension and the main campus or branch campus it is dependent
on are located within the same State;

\(ii\) The main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on
has administrative capability for the extension; and

\(iii\) The State approving agency combines the approval of the
course(s) offered by the extension with the approval of the courses
offered by the main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent
on.

\(e\) *Combined approval*. The State approving agency may combine the
approval of courses offered by an extension of an educational
institution with the approval of the main campus or the branch campus
that the extension is dependent on, if the extension is within the same
State as the campus it is dependent on. Combining the approval of
courses offered by an extension, with the approval of courses offered by
the main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on, does not
negate the minimum period of operation requirements in §21.4251 for
courses that do not lead to a standard college degree offered by an
extension of a proprietary educational institution. The State approving
agency will list the extension and courses approved on the notice of
approval sent to the educational institution pursuant to §21.4258 of
this part.

\(f\) *Exceptions to the requirement that each location where the course
or program is offered must have a certifying official on site*.
Exceptions to the requirement in paragraph (c) of this section, that
each location with an approved course or program of education must have
a certifying official on site, will be permitted for:

\(1\) Extensions of an educational institution when the State approving
agency combines the approval of the courses offered by the extension
with a branch campus or main campus. (See paragraph (e) of this
section.)

\(2\) Educational institutions with more than one campus within the same
State if the main campus:

> \(i\) Maintains a centralized recordkeeping system. (See paragraph
> (d)(1) of this section.);
>
> \(ii\) Has administrative capability for the branch campus (or branch
> campuses) within the same State; and
>
> \(iii\) Centralizes its certifying official function at the main
> campus.

\(3\) Educational institutions with multi-state campuses when an
educational institution wants to centralize its certifying official
function into one or more locations if:

\(i\) The educational institution submits all required reports and
certifications that §§21.4203, 21.4204, 21.5810, 21.5812, 21.7152, and
21.7652 require via electronic submission through VA's Internet-based
education certification application;

\(ii\) The educational institution designates an employee, at each
teaching location of the educational institution that does not have a
certifying official present, to serve as a point-of-contact for
veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons; the
certifying official(s); the State approving agency of jurisdiction; and
VA. The designated employee must have access (other than to transmit
certifications) to VA's Internet-based education certification
application to provide certification information to veterans,
servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons, State approving
agency representatives, and VA representatives;

\(iii\) Each certifying official uses the VA facility code for the
location that has administrative capability for the teaching location
where the student is training when submitting required reports and
certifications to VA; and

\(iv\) Each certifying official has full access to the administrative
records and accounts that §21.4209 requires for each student attending
the teaching location(s) for which the certifying official has been
designated responsibility. These records may be originals, certified
copies, or in an electronically formatted record keeping system.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3672)

(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information
collection requirements in this section under control number 2900-0073)

**Cross Reference**: *Minimum period of operation requirement for
educational institutions*. See §21.4251.

\[43 FR 35303, Aug. 9, 1978, as amended at 44 FR 62503, Oct. 31, 1979;
61 FR 26115, May 24, 1996; 72 FR 16975, Apr. 5, 2007; 72 FR 20427, Apr.
25, 2007\]

**Supplement *Highlights* references**: 27(1), 73(1), 74(1).