Accreditations and Approvals
Johnson & Wales University (JWU) is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. This accreditation encompasses the university’s 4 campuses in Providence, Rhode Island; North Miami, Florida; Denver, Colorado; and Charlotte, North Carolina, and its online programs. Inquiries regarding JWU’s accreditation status should be directed to
Office of the Provost
Johnson & Wales University
One Weybosset Hill, Sixth Floor
33 Broad Street
Providence RI 02903
Phone: 401-598-4535
Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100
Burlington, MA 01803-4531
Toll-free phone: 855-886-3272
Email: Info@neche.org
Legal control is vested in the Board of Trustees of Johnson & Wales University.
The university is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students.
JWU is listed in the Education Directory of Colleges & Universities issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
JWU, its faculty and members of the administrative staff hold affiliation with numerous organizations.
Johnson & Wales University will make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student, upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution’s accreditation, approval or licensing. This information, as well as contact information for accreditors, may be obtained by contacting
Vice Provost
Office of the Provost
Johnson & Wales University
One Weybosset Hill, Sixth Floor
33 Broad Street
Providence, RI, 02903
Phone: 401-598-5156
Providence Campus: The State of Rhode Island has chartered Johnson & Wales University as a nonprofit degree-granting institution of higher learning.
North Miami Campus: JWU is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding the institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL, 32399-0400; toll-free phone: 888-224-6684[BWAP1] .
Denver Campus: The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has authorized JWU under the Degree Authorization Act to offer instruction leading to the award of credits and/or degrees in Colorado.
Charlotte Campus: The Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina has licensed JWU under G.S. 116-15(b) to conduct degree activity in North Carolina.
Providence and Denver Campuses — BS in Dietetics and Applied Nutrition Program: The Providence Campus and Denver Campus Dietetics and Applied Nutrition programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995; phone: 312-899-0040, ext. 5400. The Providence Campus and Denver Campus Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD) meet the standards of education set by ACEND.
Providence Campus — MS in Physician Assistant Studies: At its September 2017 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) placed the Johnson & Wales University Physician Assistant Studies Program sponsored by Johnson & Wales University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in September 2019.
Probation is a temporary status of accreditation conferred when a program does not meet the Standards and when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.
Once placed on probation, programs that still fail to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and/or risk having their accreditation withdrawn.
Specific questions regarding the program and its plans should be directed to the program director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).
Online Campus: Johnson & Wales University offers online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs and is required to publish information about state approvals of these programs.
State Licensure for Online Programs: Johnson & Wales University is approved as a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is a national initiative to provide more access to online courses while maintaining compliance standards with state regulatory agencies. SARA allows institutions to provide online courses outside of their own state borders by seeking and maintaining state approvals via a streamlined process. To learn more about SARA, please visit their website.
SARA Approval of JWU: On May 3, 2016, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) approved institutional participation for Johnson & Wales University. The State of Rhode Island approved Johnson & Wales University to participate in NC-SARA on April 14, 2016. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. As a SARA member in the State of Rhode Island authorized by the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner, Johnson & Wales University is authorized to provide distance education to students in all of the other SARA states (detailed below).
Current SARA Member States: Current authorized SARA member states include 48 of the 50 states, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands. The current non-member states include California and Massachusetts.
NC-SARA Complaint information can be found online.
Online Student Complaint Process: Information on Student Complaint Processes for students enrolled in the College of Online Education is available online.