Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement
Purpose
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University offers several programs leading to professional licensure within the State of New York through in-person and online program delivery. States vary in what professions they require to be licensed/certified and how licensure/certification is acquired. Some states require an individual to graduate from an accredited program. Others require individuals to obtain additional coursework, additional fieldwork, background checks, passage of additional state licensing exams, additional fees, or other requirements.
Accreditation Statement
The State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) https://www.msche.org/. DHSU’s accreditation status is Accreditation Reaffirmed. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on June 26, 2025 was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States. For more information, please see Downstate's Statement of Accreditation Status https://www.msche.org/institution/0398/.
State Authorization
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), which allows us to provide distance learning programs and coursework to residents of states other than New York. NC-SARA membership, however, does not grant reciprocity or exempt us from state professional licensing requirements. As a result, licensing requirements in New York may not be recognized as sufficient to obtain a license in any other state.
Determination of Student Location for State Authorization and Program Licensure Disclosures
These procedures outline how SUNY Downstate Healh Sciences University determines student's location to comply with federal regulations on state authorization (34 CFR 600.9) and disclosure of information about licensed programs (34 CFR 668.43). These procedures do not apply for any other determination of student location, including tuition residency, IPEDS reporting, or other purposes.
Relocation
Should a student relocate during the course of a program to another state, it may impact the student’s ability to remain in the program, meet the state licensure requirements, and/or continue to receive financial aid funding. Prior to considering relocation, please contact your program to discuss authorization and licensure eligibility requirements. (See also, Student Location Procedure.)
International Students
Prior to enrolling in any program at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, prospective students living and/or working outside of the United States should confirm with the appropriate certifying agency whether successful completion of any degree program at Downstate will meet the credentialing requirements of the country in which they intend to seek employment, as to certain types of employment or for advanced/specialized educational programs.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
The U.S. Department of Education regulations, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires an institution to disclose whether an academic program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state in which a student is enrolled and taking classes. Further, effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified.
Our academic programs leading to licensure only accept distance education students who are located in and intend to practice in New York State. (See "Student Location Procedures.") New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. A number of programs at SUNY Downstate lead to eligibility for a professional license or certification that is required for employment. Such programs are carefully designed to meet and exceed these requirements. The below programs at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University are registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meet the initial educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State.
Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with federal regulations, we have determined that the programs listed below meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the State of New York; however, should you move to or decide to practice in another US State, it is important to note that SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is not the licensure/certification authority in other US States and cannot access whether an indivicual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in other US States and instead each individual candidate must contact the licensure/certification authority in the US State in which they are seeking licensure/certification to obtain guidance on the application policies and procedures for licensure certification.
Programs this applies to:
- College of Medicine: Doctor of Medicine
- College of Nursing: Accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing; the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science program in Nursing; Masters of Science in Nursing- with concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner; Advanced Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Certificate in Women’s Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice
- School of Health Professions: Master of Science and Advanced Certificate in Midwifery; Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy; Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy in Physical Therapy; Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis; and Master of Science in Physician Assistant
Attestation Form
Federal regulation, § 668.14(b)(32)(i) and (ii), requires students to complete an attestation at the time of initial enrollment or change of address outside of New York State when they are enrolled in a professional licensure or state certification program. The attestation serves as a crucial tool to ensure that students engage in the decision-making process with full awareness and consent.
SUNY Downstate is committed to complying with federal regulations and demonstrating transparency. SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University has implemented a robust student attestation process to ensure that students are fully informed about how the University’s professional licensure and certification programs align with the educational standards of a state or territory, empowering them to make informed decisions about their education and future career paths.
Last Updated: March 2026
College of Medicine
This Disclosure is strictly limited to the SUNY Downstate’s determination of whether its educational programs, specifically the following program(s): Doctor of Medicine — that if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure and/or certification requirements in a State for the practice of medicine.
Read College of Medicine Disclosure
College of Nursing
This Disclosure is strictly limited to the SUNY Downstate’s determination of whether its educational programs, specifically the following programs: Accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing; the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science program in Nursing; Masters of Science in Nursing- with concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Midwifery; Advanced Certificate in Family Nurse Practiitioner, Advanced Certificate in Nursing Education and Women’s Health Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice — that if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure and/or certification requirements in a state for the practice of nursing.
Read College of Nursing Disclosure
School of Health Professions
This Disclosure is strictly limited to the SUNY Downstate’s determination of whether its educational programs, specifically the following programs: Master of Science and Advanced Certificate in Midwifery; Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy; Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy in Physical Therapy; Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis; and Master of Science in Physician Assistant — that if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure and/or certification requirements in a state for the practice of Health Care Professions.
Read School of Health Professions Disclosure
Last Updated: March, 2026