P.R. Laws tit. 18, § 852i
(1) No natural or juridical person shall operate a higher education institution of academic, professional or technical level in Puerto Rico, that declares, promises, advertises or states the intention to grant certificates, diplomas, degrees or licenses, without the authorization of the Council on Higher Education.
(2) The processing of a license shall not exceed one hundred and twenty (120) working days from the date the corresponding application is filed. This term may be extended for just cause. After the expiration of said term the license shall de deemed as granted unless a decision to the contrary has intervened.
(3) The Council shall require the payment of a fee for each application for a license or amendment of a license that is filed by a higher education institution. For each authorization license or license renewal application, there shall be a basic fee of five thousand dollars ($5,000) plus an additional fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each of the institutional units included in the application. A fee shall be required for each amendment application, to be established by the Council, between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000), for each substantial change that the institution requests to amend its license. The fee for the issuing or amendment of a license shall be revised at least every three (3) years.
The authorization license shall be issued for a period that shall not exceed five (5) years. The renewed license shall be issued for a period that shall not exceed ten (10) years. The length of the term of a license shall be established by the Council taking in consideration the results of the evaluation made. It is hereby provided that the length of the term of the renewed license shall be determined by the level of compliance with the evaluation criteria established in § 852k of this title. The license shall be renewed when the term for which the same was issued expires, in accordance with the procedure established therefor by the Council.
(4) The authorization license and the subsequent renewal shall be granted by the Council to every institution that requests it, and meets all the requirements of the laws and regulations. The license renewals shall be granted for the offerings and in the place or places indicated in the license, or in the certification of the Council which complements said license.
(5) The license may also be suspended, cancelled or modified for any institution which fails to comply with the terms established in the license issued by the Council on Higher Education, or with the requirements of this chapter.
History —June 16, 1993, No. 17, § 11; Dec. 26, 1997, No. 190, § 1; Nov. 1, 2007, No. 154, § 2.