25 U.S.C. § 1804

To be eligible for assistance under this subchapter, a tribally controlled college or university must be one which— (1) is governed by a board of directors or board of trustees a majority of which are Indians; (2) demonstrates adherence to stated goals, a philosophy, or a plan of operation which is directed to meet the needs of Indians; (3) if in operation for more than one year, has students a majority of whom are Indians; and (4) (A) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary of Education to be a reliable authority with regard to the quality of training offered; or (B) according to such an agency or association, is making reasonable progress toward accreditation.