Defunct for-profit college that operated 1983–2018 across the southeastern US.
Virginia College offered career-focused programs including health care, cosmetology, business, criminal justice, paralegal studies, network engineering, and professional trades such as truck driving. The institution provided both in-person and online classes and degrees. Programs were designed for specific professional certifications and diplomas rather than traditional liberal arts education.
Initially accredited by ACICS, Virginia College sought accreditation from ACCET after the U.S. Department of Education withdrew recognition from ACICS in September 2016. The college's accreditation proposal was rejected by ACCET in March 2018, with the appeal also denied. In December 2018, all campuses closed citing financial challenges and accreditation issues.
Virginia College faced multiple lawsuits and regulatory actions. In 2012, it was sued for allegedly misleading students about degree value and targeting women and minority students with deceptive advertising. In 2022, the college was included in a class action settlement involving 200,000+ student borrowers, with the court finding substantial misconduct. The Supreme Court upheld the debt cancellation in April 2023.