If you ask me what is the most important fact to look for in a university while planning to study abroad. ‘Accreditation’ is my answer, without a doubt! Accreditation is the “most important” word when planning to apply to schools today. Previously, I was of the opinion that scholarship schools or schools in big cities are the best options, but I have started to believe that because of a 2-year scholarship or just living in a big city, no one should or can afford to put their entire career in jeopardy. Accreditation decides your career and your life in an important way when you are on foreign soil. A friend of mine who was younger than me in medical school went to an unaccredited school in the UK. After his graduation, he was not considered for any job or higher education options. By contrast, his British-born classmates got jobs even though they had lower GPAs. It is important for an international student as natives have opportunities regardless of the accreditation status of the school they attended.

In common terms, accreditation is the official recognition of a school, university, or institution for providing satisfactory education, training, or test preparation. This in turn can help employers/recruitment agencies know who they are hiring when you complete your education. If an institution decides to obtain accreditation, the agencies mentioned below give it the opportunity to make decisions, to exercise its will regarding accreditation. The accreditation process requires the school to meet certain standards and criteria set by various regional accreditation agencies listed below:

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) provides accreditation to schools inConnecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA) Provides accreditation to schools in-Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Navajo Nation, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA) Provides accreditation to schools inDelaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Central America, Europe, and the Middle East.

The Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS) provides accreditation to schools inAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Latin America.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) provides accreditation to schools in-California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, and other locations in Australasia.

The Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU) provides accreditation to schools inAlaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington There is no legally designated accreditation agency in the United States and Europe. The only safe route in the US to apply to schools is thorough consideration of the aforementioned agencies. I do not deny the existence of numerous agencies in the USA, but here are those that are widely recognized.