Defunct for-profit university that operated in Virginia (1998–2014) and South Dakota (2013–2014).
The University of Northern Virginia was a for-profit private institution founded in 1998 and headquartered in Annandale, Virginia. It operated until July 2013, when the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) revoked its license to operate due to lack of recognized accreditation. The university subsequently relocated to Sioux Falls, South Dakota in October 2013 but faced immediate legal challenges and ceased meaningful operations by 2014. The institution is now defunct.
UNVA offered undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees across three schools: Management (BBA, MBA, EMBA, MPA, DBA), Technology (BS and MS in Computer Science/IT, PhD in Information Technology), and Liberal Arts (general education and developmental courses). The university claimed to serve over 20,000 students globally through residential and online programs, with an international focus and partnerships with institutions in Singapore, Prague, and other locations.
UNVA was accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) until August 2008, when accreditation was revoked. The institution subsequently claimed accreditation from unrecognized bodies, including the American University Accreditation Council (whose address matched a car repair shop). In July 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided UNVA offices and suspended its authorization to admit foreign students. By October 2013, ICE permanently ended UNVA's ability to enroll international students.
UNVA enrolled approximately 2,400 students at its peak, with 90% from India. The institution was investigated for allowing students to work full-time in 'internships' without attending classes, exploiting visa loopholes. A former accountant pleaded guilty in 2010 to stealing over $225,000 from the university, and the institution faced scrutiny from Indian government officials, including a minister who called it a 'sham university.'