State law requires that the SC Commission on Higher Education license most private institutions. Licensed institutions are required to meet minimal standards and provide accurate and useful information to prospective and current students. Some institutions are required to seek licensure with other state agencies. These include cosmetology, barbering, truck driving, and real estate schools. South Carolina's public technical colleges and state colleges and universities are exempt from licensure.
Accreditation is a nongovernmental, voluntary, peer evaluation process.
To become accredited by an appropriately recognized accrediting agency, institutions and programs must show that they meet certain standards established by the accrediting agency. Accreditation does not provide automatic acceptance by an institution of credit earned at another institution, nor does it give assurance of acceptance of graduates by employers. The US Department of Education reviews and recognizes accrediting agencies. Accreditation by a USEd recognized accrediting agency is one criterion for institutional eligibility for Federal funds. CHEA is a nongovernmental organization that evaluates and recognizes the work of its member accrediting agencies.