STARS Silver rating

1. Review the STARS Technical Manual and Credit Checklist: Download the current STARS Technical Manual from the AASHE website to understand all credit categories (Academics, Engagement, Operations, Planning & Administration, Innovation & Leadership) and their point values. Identify which credits are applicable to your institution.

1. Purchase a STARS Subscription: Institutions must hold an active STARS subscription to submit a scored report. Contact AASHE to obtain pricing based on your institution's Carnegie Classification or FTE enrollment. Subscriptions are typically valid for three years.

1. Assemble a Cross-Departmental Team: Identify campus stakeholders who own data for each credit area — facilities, academic affairs, student affairs, finance, HR, dining, transportation, and others. Assign a STARS coordinator to manage the overall submission process.

1. Set Up the STARS Reporting Tool: Create or log in to your institution's account in the STARS online Reporting Tool. Add team members as users so they can enter data directly into their respective credit areas.

1. Collect and Document Data: Work with stakeholders to gather required documentation and performance data for each credit you are pursuing. Enter all information into the Reporting Tool. You do not need to complete every credit — focus on those where you have capacity and data.

1. Obtain an Executive Cover Letter: A cover letter from a high-ranking institutional executive (e.g., President, Provost, or VP of Sustainability) is required for scored submissions. Prepare this letter attesting to the accuracy of the submitted data.

1. Submit Your Scored Report: Once data entry is complete and the cover letter is ready, submit your scored report through the Reporting Tool. AASHE staff will review your submission for accuracy and adherence to credit criteria, typically within 30 days.

1. Address Review Feedback and Receive Your Rating: Respond to any issues identified by AASHE staff within 60 days (or before subscription expiry). Once all issues are resolved, your report is published and your STARS Silver rating (45–64.99 points) is formally awarded.

STARS evaluates institutional sustainability performance across five major categories, each containing multiple credits worth varying point values. The total possible score is 100+ points (with bonus points available through Innovation & Leadership), and a Silver rating requires earning between 45 and 64.99 points.

Academics (AC) covers Curriculum and Research. Curriculum credits assess the breadth and depth of sustainability-focused coursework, learning outcomes, and academic programs. Research credits evaluate sustainability-related research initiatives, funding, and faculty engagement. This category rewards institutions that integrate sustainability into their core academic mission.

Engagement (EN) covers Campus Engagement and Public Engagement. Campus Engagement credits assess student sustainability programs, co-curricular activities, and employee professional development. Public Engagement credits evaluate community partnerships, outreach, and sustainability-focused external communications. This category recognizes institutions that extend sustainability beyond the campus boundary.

Operations (OP) is typically the largest category and covers Buildings & Grounds, Energy & Climate, Food & Dining, Procurement & Waste, and Transportation. Credits evaluate building energy performance, renewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable food sourcing, waste diversion rates, green purchasing policies, and transportation demand management programs.

Planning & Administration (PA) covers Coordination & Planning, Investment, and Social Equity, Wellbeing & Work. Credits assess the existence of sustainability strategic plans, dedicated sustainability staff, responsible investment policies, diversity and equity initiatives, and employee health and wellbeing programs.

Innovation & Leadership (IL) provides bonus points for exemplary or innovative sustainability initiatives that go beyond existing STARS credits. Institutions can earn additional points here without a defined cap, rewarding pioneering programs and practices.

STARS is the dominant sustainability rating framework for higher education globally, with over 1,000 institutions having participated since its launch in 2010. It is widely regarded as the gold standard for campus sustainability benchmarking, particularly in North America, where the vast majority of participants are located. Internationally, adoption has grown in Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia and Latin America, though it remains most deeply embedded in the U.S. and Canadian higher education systems. The program's credibility stems from AASHE's nonprofit status, its expert-council governance, and the collaborative review process that involves AASHE staff scrutinizing all submissions.

Within the competitive landscape, STARS faces limited direct competition for comprehensive institutional sustainability assessment in higher education. The Princeton Review Green Rating and UI GreenMetric offer alternative rankings but lack STARS' depth and self-reporting rigor. LEED certification addresses buildings rather than whole institutions. As a result, STARS has achieved near-monopoly status in its niche, and many university sustainability offices treat STARS participation as a baseline expectation rather than a differentiator. Institutional rankings and accreditation bodies increasingly reference STARS ratings as evidence of sustainability commitment.

Demand for STARS participation has grown alongside broader ESG and sustainability reporting trends. Prospective students, faculty, donors, and bond rating agencies increasingly scrutinize institutional sustainability performance, making a credible third-party-reviewed rating valuable for reputation management. The Silver tier is the most commonly held rating, representing institutions that have made substantial but not yet comprehensive progress. The shift toward STARS version 3.0 (announced in the early 2020s) is expected to raise the bar on social equity and climate action credits, which may prompt re-evaluation of existing ratings and drive renewed engagement from institutions seeking to maintain or improve their standing.

STARS was developed by AASHE and launched in 2010 following a pilot phase that began in 2007–2008. It was created in response to growing demand from higher education institutions for a credible, comprehensive, and sector-specific framework to measure and communicate sustainability performance — filling a gap that general corporate ESG frameworks did not address. The program drew on input from hundreds of campus sustainability professionals during its development, establishing a participatory, expert-council governance model from the outset.

Since its launch, STARS has undergone several major version updates — most notably STARS 2.0 (2014), STARS 2.1 (2017), and STARS 2.2 (2019) — each expanding credit categories, refining scoring methodologies, and increasing emphasis on social equity and climate action alongside traditional environmental operations metrics. By the mid-2010s, STARS had become the de facto standard for campus sustainability benchmarking in North America, with participation growing to over 1,000 institutions across more than 30 countries. AASHE has continued to develop STARS version 3.0, which is expected to further modernize the framework to reflect evolving sustainability science and social justice considerations.