Institutions of higher education formed, chartered, or established in the Commonwealth of Virginia that have maintained a main campus under the same ownership for 10 years and have remained fully accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are exempt from the requirements of certification or approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The exemption entitles these institutions to conduct academic affairs or business without seeking or obtaining SCHEV approval. The resulting scope of the institutional autonomy includes:
| Private Institution | Website | Accredited by | City |
| Appalachian School of Law | www.asl.edu | ABA | Grundy, VA |
| Averett University - Danville | www.averett.edu | SACS | Danville, VA |
| Bluefield College | www.bluefield.edu | SACS | Bluefield, VA |
| Bridgewater College | www.bridgewater.edu | SACS | Bridgewater, VA |
| Christendom College | www.christendom.edu | SACS | Front Royal, VA |
| Eastern Mennonite University | www.emu.edu | SACS | Harrisonburg, VA |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School | www.evms.edu | SACS | Norfolk, VA |
| ECPI Technical College - Glen Allen | www.ecpitech.edu | ACCSCT | Glen Allen, VA |
| ECPI Technical College - Richmond | www.ecpitech.edu | ACCSCT | Richmond, VA |
| ECPI Technical College - Roanoke | www.ecpitech.edu | ACCSCT | Roanoke, VA |
| ECPI College of Technology - Newport News | www.ecpi.edu | SACS | Newport News, VA |
| ECPI College of Technology - Northern Virginia Campus | www.ecpi.edu/campus/nva/ | SACS | Manassas, VA |
| ECPI College of Technology - Virginia Beach | www.ecpi.edu | SACS | Virginia Beach, VA |
| Emory and Henry College | www.ehc.edu | SACS | Emory, VA |
| Ferrum College | www.ferrum.edu | SACS | Ferrum, VA |
| George Washington University - Alexandria Graduate Education Center | nearyou.gwo.edu | MSCHE | Alexandria, VA |
| George Washington University - Graduate Education Center | nearyou.gwo.edu | MSCHE | Arlington, VA |
| George Washington University - Hampton Roads Center | nearyou.gwo.edu | MSCHE | Newport News, VA |
| George Washington University - Loudoun Campus | nearyou.gwo.edu | MSCHE | Loudoun, VA |
| Hampden-Sydney College | www.hsc.edu | SACS | Hampden-Sydney, VA |
| Hampton University | www.hamptonu.edu | SACS | Hampton, VA |
| Hampton University - Virginia Beach | www.hamptonu.edu/cofvb | SACS | Virginia Beach, VA |
| Hampton University - Roanoke Higher Education Center | www.hamptonu.edu/con_ed/ | SACS | Roanoke, VA |
| Hollins University | www.hollins.edu | SACS | Roanoke, VA |
| Institute for the Psychological Sciences | www.ipsciences.edu | SACS | Arlington, VA |
| Jefferson College of Health Sciences | www.jchs.edu | SACS | Roanoke, VA |
| Liberty University | www.liberty.edu | SACS | Lynchburg, VA |
| Lynchburg College | www.lynchburg.edu | SACS | Lynchburg, VA |
| Mary Baldwin College - Staunton | www.mbc.edu | SACS | Staunton, VA |
| Marymount University | www.marymount.edu | SACS | Arlington, VA |
| National College - Bluefield | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Bluefield, VA |
| National College - Bristol | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Bristol, VA |
| National College - Charlottesville | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Charlottesville, VA |
| National College - Danville | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Danville, VA |
| National College - Harrisonburg | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Harrisonburg, VA |
| National College - Lynchburg | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Lynchburg, VA |
| National College - Salem | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Salem, VA |
| National College - Martinsville | www.ncbt.edu | ACICS | Martinsville, VA |
| Randolph-Macon College | www.rmc.edu | SACS | Ashland, VA |
| Randolph College | www.randolphcollege.edu | SACS | Lynchburg, VA |
| Regent University - Alexandria | www.regent.edu | SACS | Alexandria, VA |
| Regent University - Virginia Beach | www.regent.edu | SACS | Virginia Beach, VA |
| Roanoke College | www.roanoke.edu | SACS | Salem, VA |
| Saint Paul's College | www.saintpauls.edu | SACS | Lawrenceville, VA |
| Shenandoah University - Winchester | www.su.edu | SACS | Winchester, VA |
| Sweet Briar College | www.sbc.edu | SACS | Sweet Briar, VA |
| Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education | www.union-psce.edu | ATS | Richmond, VA |
| University of Management and Technology | www.umtweb.edu | DETC | Arlington, VA |
| University of Richmond | www.richmond.edu | SACS | Richmond, VA |
| Virginia Intermont College | www.vic.edu | SACS | Bristol, VA |
| Virginia Union University | www.vuu.edu | SACS | Richmond, VA |
| Virginia Wesleyan College | www.vwc.edu | SACS | Norfolk, VA |
| Washington and Lee University | www.wlu.edu | SACS | Lexington, VA |