Bay Atlantic University is a Washington DC based private, non-profit University that offers the very best in higher education programs to US and international students at its centrally located campus, just a short walk from the White House. Accreditation and Rankings Bay Atlantic University (BAU) is certified to operate as an institution of higher education by the Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) of Washington, D.C. Bay Atlantic University is recognized by both the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the Department of Education.