Contrary to what many people believe, the U.S. Department of Education does NOT accredit educational institutions and/or degrees. They do, however, publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies which have been determined to be reliable authorities of higher education. Any educational institution claiming to be accredited by the U.S. Department of Education is stating they are accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
Although many educational institutions can be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, many choose not to due to the overwhelming cost of the initial and annual fees demanded by the accrediting agency. These costs increase the costs of tuition and other fees to a point which makes higher education difficult to afford for those who do not have much money to begin with.
We have chosen to keep our costs as low as possible and even free (with the exception of degrees, certificates, and some books) yet still provide quality education and curriculum. We are continually seeking those accrediting agencies who meet our educational beliefs and provide accreditation at low cost. We have also elected to NOT participate in the federal student aid program. The U.S. Department of Education speaks about this:
"It should be noted that some institutions have chosen not to participate in the federal student aid program and therefore do not have to be approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the Department. While these institutions do not appear on the Department's list, they may be legitimate schools."