International American University's website states that it is legally operating in California as an educational institution authorized to grant all degrees and/or offer credentials as indicated on its website / catalog. According to the University, it has a governing board with legal and fiduciary responsibility to exercise appropriate oversight over institutional integrity, policies, resource development, and ongoing operations. The University was approved on March 6, 2009 by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to accept and enroll foreign, non-immigrant F-1 students for academic degrees. International American University received Candidacy by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools on November 5, 2019. According to TRACS, "Candidacy (pre-accreditation) indicates that the institution is in basic compliance with the Standards and Criteria, has been evaluated by an on-site peer team, and in the professional judgment of the evaluation team and the Accreditation Commission, the institution provides sound instruction and student services. While candidacy indicates that an institution appears to have the potential to achieve accreditation within the prescribed five-year period, this level of recognition does not guarantee the institution will become accredited." TRACS is recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).