Regional accreditor · Updated 2026
WSCUC Accreditation for West Coast Bible Colleges and Seminaries
WSCUC — commonly still called WASC — accredits degree-granting institutions in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific territories. California alone holds a remarkable concentration of nationally known Christian institutions, and WSCUC is the agency behind nearly all of them.
At a glance
WASC Senior College and University Commission
- Abbreviation
- WSCUC
- Type
- Regional
- Recognition
- Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
- Scope
- Institutional accreditation in California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and the Pacific Basin, plus select international institutions.
- Founded
- 1962 (WASC), with the Senior College Commission operating independently as WSCUC.
- Members
- Roughly 200 institutions.
Christian schools in the WSCUC region
Fuller Theological Seminary, Biola University and Talbot School of Theology, Azusa Pacific University, Westmont College, Point Loma Nazarene, The Master's University and Seminary, and Vanguard University all hold WSCUC accreditation. The seminaries among them typically hold ATS as well.
California is also the state where accreditation vigilance matters most. Its regulatory environment has historically allowed a large number of unaccredited religious institutions to operate legally, which means "state-approved" appears on more school websites here than anywhere else in the country.
The California state-approved trap
California law provides a religious exemption allowing certain schools to grant degrees without accreditation. Those schools are operating legally. They are not accredited, their credits generally do not transfer, and their degrees do not qualify for federal financial aid.
If a California school's website says "approved by the State of California" or "religious exemption" and does not name a recognized accreditor, treat that as the answer to your accreditation question.
Verifying WSCUC accreditation
Search the WSCUC institution directory for accredited status and the approved degree levels, then cross-check DAPIP. For seminaries, separately verify the graduate degree in the ATS directory.
Frequently asked questions
Which states does WSCUC cover?
California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and the Pacific Basin, plus a small number of international institutions.
Is Fuller Theological Seminary accredited?
Yes. Fuller holds regional accreditation from WSCUC and holds Association of Theological Schools accreditation for its graduate theological degrees.
What does 'religious exemption' mean on a California school's website?
It means the school grants degrees under a state exemption without holding accreditation. Those degrees do not qualify for federal financial aid and generally will not transfer to accredited institutions.
WSCUC-accredited schools in our directory
These schools in the Find Bible Schools directory list WSCUC accreditation. Always confirm current status directly with the accreditor before applying.
Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, California · Non-denominational Evangelical
Broadly evangelical multi-denominational seminary with three schools.
Gateway Seminary
Ontario, California · Southern Baptist
SBC seminary on the West Coast with multiple regional campuses.
Talbot School of Theology — Biola University
La Mirada, California · Non-denominational Evangelical
Evangelical seminary of Biola University offering MDiv, MA, DMin, PhD.
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
Faith-based
AARTS
American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions
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
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.