Faith-based accreditor · Updated 2026
AARTS Accreditation: An Honest Explanation
The American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions accredits small theological schools, Bible institutes, and ministry training programs. Students find it while researching a specific school and reasonably assume all accreditation is equivalent. It is not, and the difference here is worth understanding clearly before you pay tuition.
At a glance
American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions
- Abbreviation
- AARTS
- Type
- Faith-based
- Recognition
- Not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and not recognized by CHEA. AARTS describes itself as a private, faith-based accrediting body.
- Scope
- Theological institutes, Bible schools, and ministry training programs, many of them small or church-based.
- Founded
- 1980s-era origins as a private religious accrediting association.
- Members
- A small membership relative to ABHE, ATS, or TRACS.
What AARTS accreditation does and does not do
Private religious accreditation is legal and, for some schools, entirely appropriate. A church-based institute training lay leaders and bivocational pastors may have no interest in federal aid, transfer articulation, or secular graduate school pipelines. For that mission, a private accreditor providing peer review and accountability is a reasonable fit.
What it cannot do is substitute for federally recognized accreditation. Because AARTS is not recognized by the Department of Education, a degree accredited only by AARTS does not unlock Title IV aid, does not reliably transfer, and will generally not satisfy ordination requirements in denominations that specify accredited degrees.
- Pell Grants and federal loans: no.
- GI Bill: generally no.
- Credit transfer to accredited colleges: rarely accepted.
- Admission to ATS seminaries and accredited graduate programs: usually does not satisfy the prerequisite.
- Military and board-certified hospital chaplaincy: does not meet the requirement.
How to evaluate a school that holds AARTS accreditation
Start with what you need the degree to do. If the honest answer is "deepen my Bible knowledge and get recognized by my local church," the accreditation question may be genuinely irrelevant and the school may be excellent. If the answer involves financial aid, transfer, ordination in a denomination with formal standards, chaplaincy, or a later graduate degree, you need a school accredited by ABHE, ATS, TRACS, or a regional accreditor.
Ask the school directly, in writing: is this institution eligible to award Title IV federal financial aid? A school that dodges that question is telling you the answer.
How to check any accreditor's recognition status
This is the most useful skill in the whole accreditation conversation, and it takes two minutes. Search the accreditor's name in the Department of Education's database of recognized accrediting agencies, then search CHEA's directory. An agency absent from both is not recognized accreditation for federal purposes, regardless of how established or official it appears.
Frequently asked questions
Is AARTS accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education?
No. AARTS is a private religious accrediting association and is not on the Department of Education's list of recognized accrediting agencies, nor is it recognized by CHEA.
Can I get financial aid at an AARTS-accredited school?
Not federal aid. Title IV programs including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and Federal Work-Study require accreditation by a Department of Education-recognized agency. Some schools offer their own scholarships or payment plans instead.
Is an AARTS-accredited degree worthless?
No, but it is limited. It can serve real purposes in local church ministry and lay leadership training. It will not transfer reliably, will not qualify for federal aid, and will not satisfy denominations, chaplaincy endorsers, or graduate programs that require recognized accreditation.
Other accreditors to know
Faith-based
ABHE
Association for Biblical Higher Education
Faith-based
ATS
Association of Theological Schools
Faith-based
TRACS
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
Regional
SACSCOC
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Regional
HLC
Higher Learning Commission
Regional
MSCHE
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Regional
NECHE
New England Commission of Higher Education
Regional
WSCUC
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Regional
NWCCU
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
← Back to the full accreditation guide
Accreditation status changes. Recognition details reflect publicly available information as of 2026 — always verify a school's current standing in the accreditor's own directory and the U.S. Department of Education's DAPIP database before enrolling.