State Authorization

UWL complies with regulations in other states to offer online education and clinical placement opportunities to students. This is often referred to as "state authorization."

UWL is part of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

California Residents: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse does not require licensure to offer courses and externships/clinicals in California. 

File a Complaint

In compliance with U.S. Department of Education regulations, UWL provides information to students about their rights to make a complaint about the institution.

To file a complaint against the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse directly, students may learn about the Universities of Wisconsin Complaint Process for resolving complaints and complete the form at the Universities of Wisconsin website.

Professional Licensure Notice

If a student is planning to apply for licensure in a state other than Wisconsin after completion of their program, the student should refer to the Professional Licensure Disclosure website and contact the other state's appropriate licensing board to determine whether the UWL program meets licensure requirements in that state.

Please note that licensure requirements are always subject to change. Although the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse will confirm the licensure requirements on a routine basis, we strongly recommend that you inquire with the state board to confirm that you understand and will meet the requirements for licensure before enrolling in your program of choice.

Additionally, you should note that licensing requirements vary by state and relocating could impact whether you will meet eligibility requirements for licensure. Check with the state licensing board where you desire licensure before relocating to ensure that you will be eligible for licensure or reciprocity.

For individual Professional Licensure Disclosures, student location will be determined as follows:

  • A ​student who enrolls in a program that holds instruction primarily at a physical location on the UW-La Crosse campus (on-campus instruction) shall be considered located in the state of Wisconsin.

  • A student enrolling in a program that offers instruction in a hybrid learning format will be considered located in Wisconsin.

  • A ​student enrolling exclusively in distance education will be considered located at their current home address listed on their official application and/or acceptance into the program.

All students are prompted to update their address in the Student Information System (WINGS) each term. See SYS #100-09 for full Universities of Wisconsin policy.