Students beware!! This is a list of colleges, universities, and other institutions that do not have educational accreditation from US Government. Some of these institutions may have legal authority to enroll students and grant degrees, but do not have educational accreditation for various reasons. Others are diploma mills that mislead customers and grant fake degrees.
This list is not complete, but we are doing our best to keep it up-to-date. By using it, you understand that we do not guarantee its accuracy. It is just one of many tools that help us identify fraudulent educational credentials.
Name of University | Country | Location | Notes |
Academy of Natural Therapies | United States | Formerly in Hawaii until closed by court order; may have reopened in Wyoming or Montana. | |
American Bible College University | United States | Arizona | |
American Central University | United States | Wyoming | |
American Century University | United States | New Mexico | Formerly known as Century University. |
American Coastline University | United States | Formerly operated from mailbox rental services in Hawaii and Louisiana. | Was owned by Dr Richard Hoyer. |
American College of Metaphysical Theology | United States | Golden Valley, Minnesota | |
American School of Metaphysics | United States | New York | |
American State University | United States | Hawaii | Aka Hamilton University and Richardson University |
American University of Hawaii | United States | Gulfport, Mississippi; Clinton, Mississippi; (also reported to be operating in India) | Not to be confused with the University of Hawaii |
Ames Christian University | United States | Florida | |
Andersonville Theological Seminary | United States | Camilla, Georgia | |
Apostolic Prophetic Bible College & Theological Seminary | United States | Rochester Hills, Michigan | |
B. H. Carroll Theological Institute | United States | Arlington, Texas | |
Barrington University | United States | Mobile, Alabama (formerly operated by Virtual Academics.com of Boca Raton, Florida) | |
Belford University | United States | Operated from a PO Box in Humble, Texas | Not to be confused with the University of Bedford which is linked to University Degree Program |
Beloved Community Seminary | United States | Oregon, Hawaii | |
Bettis Christian University | United States | Arkansas | |
Bienville University | United States | Woodville, Mississippi | |
Cal Southern University | United States | Houston, Texas, and registered in the South Pacific island of Niue. | Not to be confused with California Southern University in Irvine, California or California Southern Law School in Riverside, California. |
California Graduate School of Theology | United States | ||
Cambridge State University | United States | Jackson, Mississippi | District officials discovered the school has an extensive criminal history and is nothing more than a diploma mill. |
Canbourne University | United States | Not to be confused with Camborne School of Mines | |
Canby Bible College | United States | Canby, Oregon | Formerly Leadership Training Institute (Oregon’s Office of Degree Authorization lists this institution as “unaccredited religious exempt school”). |
Capital City Religious Institute | United States | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | |
Carolina University of Theology | United States | Manassas, Virginia | Website states that school is accredited by Accrediting Commission International[46] but notes “This accreditation is not recognized by the US Dept. of Education. It is our intention in the months ahead to pursue a full accredited status with an agency recognized by the US Dept. of Education.” |
Chadwick University | United States | Alabama | |
Charis School of Divinity | United States | Florida | |
Christian Bible College | United States | Rocky Mount, North Carolina | |
Christian Leadership University | United States | New York | |
Clarksville School of Theology | United States | Clarksville, Tennessee | Shut down in 1982. |
Clayton College of Natural Health | United States | Alabama | Same operator as Chadwick University |
Clayton Theological Institute | United States | California | |
Columbus University, Picayune, Mississippi | United States | ||
Communion of Saints Seminary | United States | Oregon | |
Cranmer Theological House | United States | Louisiana, Texas | |
Crescent City Christian College | United States | Metairie, Louisiana | Basically a coach's house — no campus, no facilities, no faculty, no library that anyone could discover. |
Crown College | United States | Tacoma, Washington | Lost accreditation in 2007 |
Delta International University of New Orleans | United States | ||
Dispensational Theological Seminary | United States | Forest Grove, Oregon | Oregon’s Office of Degree Authorization lists this institution as an unaccredited religious exempt school |
Dorcas University | United States | Honolulu, Hawaii | |
Eastern Caribbean University | United States | Texas; St. Kitts, Virgin Islands | |
Florida State Christian College | United States | Florida | |
Frederick Taylor International University | United States | Hawaii; California | |
Frederick Taylor University | United States | California | |
Friends International Christian University | United States | Florida; California | Website states, “FICU is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education.” |
Full Gospel Christian College | United States | Pontiac, Michigan | |
Geo-Metaphysical Institute | United States | New York | |
George Wythe College | United States | Cedar City, Utah | |
Golden State Baptist College | United States | Santa Clara, California | Part of Independent Baptist Bible College Movement, listed among Wikipedia category Unaccredited Christian colleges and universities. |
Golden State School of Theology | United States | Stockton, California | |
Heartland Baptist Bible College | United States | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | The School's website states that they "seek no national or regional accreditation, but seeks only God’s approval." |
Hiwassee College | United States | Tennessee | |
Holy Trinity College and Seminary | United States | New Port Richey, Florida | Seminary’s website notes its choice to remain unaccredited and states, "the degree programs of this college are designed solely for religious vocations." |
Honolulu University | United States | Hawaii | Aka Honolulu University of the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities. |
Hubbard College of Administration International | United States | Los Angeles, California | |
Hyles-Anderson College and Hyles-Anderson College Seminary | United States | Crown Point, Indiana | Part of Independent Baptist Bible College Movement. Founder asserted that the college remains unaccredited because the government would "take away our freedom." |
IICSE University | United States | Elkhart, Indiana | |
Interfaith Seminary, formerly Interfaith School of Theology | United States | New Rochelle, New York | Institution’s website says: “As a religious Seminary the Interfaith Seminary is not accredited by an [sic] government agency.” |
International American University | United States | California; Nepal | |
International Bible University | United States | Norwalk, California; Carpinteria, California; Hawaii | Also called "E M International Bible University" or "E.M.I. Bible University." |
International Seminary | United States | Plymouth, Florida | |
International Theological University | United States | California | |
International University of Ministry and Education | United States | Grandview, Missouri | |
IOND University | United States | Hawaii; Japan | |
Jacksonville Theological Seminary | United States | Southaven, Mississippi | |
Kent College | United States | Louisiana | |
Kentucky Christian University | United States | Ashland, Kentucky | Not to be confused with Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky, which is accredited. |
LaSalle University | United States | Louisiana | Not to be confused with La Salle University (Philadelphia), nor with The LaSalle Extension University (Chicago). |
Life Christian University | United States | Tampa, Florida | |
Louisiana Baptist University | United States | Louisiana | Formerly Baptist Christian University, founded in 1973 by Jimmy G. Tharpe. |
Louisiana Christian University | United States | Lake Charles, Louisiana | |
Louisiana Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary | United States | Louisiana | |
Madison University | United States | Gulfport, Mississippi | |
Master's International School of Divinity | United States | Evansville, Indiana | Oregon’s Office of Degree Authorization lists this institution as “unaccredited religious exempt school.” |
Miami Christian University | United States | Miami, Florida | |
Morris Brown College | United States | Atlanta, Georgia | Lost accreditation in 2002. |
Mountain States Baptist College | United States | Montana | Part of Independent Baptist Bible College Movement. |
New Tribes Bible Institute | United States | Jackson, Michigan; Waukesha, Wisconsin | |
New West Seminary | United States | Oregon City, Oregon | Oregon’s Office of Degree Authorization lists this institution as unaccredited religious exempt school. |
North American Reformed Seminary | United States | Flagstaff, Arizona | |
Novus University | United States | Diamondhead, Mississippi | |
Ohio Christian College | United States | Ohio | |
Oregon College of Ministry | United States | Gresham, Oregon | Oregon’s Office of Degree Authorization lists this institution as unaccredited religious exempt school |
Pacific International University | United States | Springfield, Missouri | Originally was located in Victoria, Australia. |
Pacific National University and Theological Institute | United States | Los Angeles, California | |
Patriot Bible University | United States | Colorado | Formerly Patriot University, Colorado; claims that its accreditation is by American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions, which is an unrecognized agency deemed to be an accreditation mill. |
Pensacola Bible Institute | United States | Pensacola, Florida | |
Pensacola Christian College | United States | Pensacola, Florida | |
Portland Bible College | United States | Portland, Oregon | Oregon’s Office of Degree Authorization lists this institution as unaccredited religious exempt school. |
Preston University | United States | Wyoming | Aka Fairmount International University. |
Providence Christian College | United States | Ontario, California | |
Sacramento International University | United States | Also called San Francisco International University, and Bellington University. | |
Saint Luke School of Medicine | United States | Liberia, California (US), Ghana | |
Saint Martin’s College and Seminary | United States | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | |
Saint Stephen’s Educational Bible College | United States | Los Angeles, California | |
Saint Wolbodo Seminary | United States | Baltimore, Maryland | |
Sancta Sophia Seminary | United States | Oklahoma | Claims "accreditation" by the Accrediting Commission International for Schools, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries, Inc., an unrecognized accreditation agency. |
Springsfield University College | United States | Clearwater, Florida | |
St. Paul’s College & Seminary | United States | Saint Paul, Minnesota | |
St. Regis University | United States | Dominica, Liberia, Washington D.C., and Washington | Closed by court order in June 2005. Not to be confused with Regis University in Denver, which is accredited. |
Success Seminary | United States | Oregon | |
Suffield University | United States | Operating illegally in Connecticut | |
Texas Christian Bible University | United States | Crowley, Texas | |
Texas Theological University | United States | Texas | |
The Bible Doctrine Institute | United States | Jacksonville, Florida | |
Tyndale Theological Seminary | United States | Texas | In 1999, Tyndale Theological Seminary was fined for violating a state law that required institutions to have state approval or accreditation to award degrees or use terms such as "college" or "university" in their names. The fine was appealed, and in August 2007 the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Tyndale and other seminaries that offer theological education and award religious degrees can do so without state government approval or accreditation. |
Universal Bible Institute | United States | Birmingham, Alabama | |
University of Berkley | United States | Erie County, Pennsylvania | |
University of Beverly Hills | United States | California | |
University of Central Europe | United States | Pascagoula, Mississippi | |
University of Metaphysical Studies | United States | New Mexico | |
University of Metaphysics | United States | Studio City, California, and Sedona, Arizona | Also called University of Sedona |
University of Natural Health | United States | Brandon, Mississippi | |
University of Santa Monica | United States | Also known as Kohenor University | |
University of Sedona | United States | Studio City, California, and Sedona, Arizona | Alternative name for University of Metaphysics |
Washington International University | United States | Pennsylvania | |
Washington School of Theology | United States | Oregon | |
West Coast Baptist College | United States | Lancaster, California | Website states: "Pursuing accreditation...is not our intention.” |
Western Michigan Bible Institute | United States | Muskegon, Michigan | |
Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary | United States | Washington |