Accepted Accreditation
Colleges and universities must ensure the quality of their education by adhering to a specified set of evaluation criteria determined by private educational associations called accrediting agencies. Colleges and universities that meet an agency's criteria are then "accredited" by that agency.
San Mateo County Community College District only accepts courses taken at institutions accredited by one of the following regional accrediting agencies:
| MSCHE | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| NWCCU | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (Before 2003: Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges) |
| HLC | Higher Learning Commission (North Central Association of Colleges and Schools) |
| NEASC | New England Association of Schools and Colleges |
| SACSCOC | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| ACCJC | Western Association of Schools and Colleges - Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges |
| ACSCU | Western Association of Schools and Colleges - Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities |