Are you ready for this?

$4400 for four years of college. For a distance learning degree with an interesting international reputation. And you can take that degree in most of the subjects taught at American colleges and universities. Does it sound too cheap? Where's the catch?

Introducing UNISA - University of South Africa

UNISA is the University of South Africa, which has been offering online and distance learning degrees for a long time. The UNISA website is not the easiest to navigate on earth, but within a few minutes, you can gather the following information. To enter you must provide evidence of a US high school diploma and admission from a recognized US university, or SAT scores of 1050 or better. Your fees include an annual fee for each of three basic years, plus a slightly higher fee for your "honours" year. On the British system of education, the basic baccalaureate is 3 years. US authorities usually expect a four year degree, so students should take the final, honors year to be assured of a degree equivalent to a US baccalaureate. There are additional fees for taking the program from a foreign country, such as the US, because you will need to take examinations at specified exam centers, some of which are in Canada.
What's involved in this kind of education?

Since the University of South Africa operates on the British model of college education, your entire college experience will focus on your major. There will not be any "general education." Your education will be broken down into "modules," each of which will involve "sitting a paper," which means taking an examination, or in some cases submitting a written essay. Your studying will be largely self-directed, using study plans provided by the university. You will be responsible for getting your own books and providing your own motivation.

If you like the model, you can also pursue masters and doctoral degrees by the same method and with the same institution.
What's it worth?

Over 250,000 students enroll at the University of South Africa. On the downside, our recent research into graduate programs around the world (Nerad and Heggelund, eds. Toward a Global Ph.D.? Forces and Forms in Doctoral Education Worldwide, University of Washington Press, 2008) indicates that South Africa has lost many of its university faculty since the end of apartheid. On the upside, the University of South Africa has a long tradition of offering distance degrees on this model. There is no reason why you could not attain a good baccalaureate degree by pursuing a program of self-directed readings and research, then taking examinations and submitting papers.

Suppose you have to make several trips to Canada or to some other city to take your exams. Suppose the whole program costs you $8000 over four years. Your total cost will still be one tenth of what it would cost to attend a state university. The credential you get will be the same credential that is accepted by the US government and by US universities for admission to the US and to US universities for graduate school. If you have a particular employer or grad school in mind, such as a school district or a teacher certification program, it might be wise to ask ahead.
How can this be real?

So how can a bachelor's degree be so cheap? Let's see what you are NOT paying for: libraries, labs, a football team, student health services, office appointments with professors, class time, clubs, a pretty campus with ivy covered buildings, dorm food, a counseling service, a placement service, an alumni organization...a long list.

What are you buying? A program of readings and papers. A set of examinations in which you can show what you have learned. A final degree to demonstrate your mastery of the subject to the world.

Are you ready for that kind of focus and simplicity?

Article by ThomasTrzyna

Back to Home 

Scholarships are something often looked over by students due to the time it takes to research and apply, however, it's definitely time well invested. Depending on your ethnicity, nationality, field of study, financial status, and a host of other variables you should be able to find a grant or at least some form of financial aid for the subject/major which you would like to pursue.

For US citizens the place to start is by applying for your FAFSA, which is Federal Student Aid. This is an important step, once you've done this you will most likely be eligible for the Pell Grant.

For expats like myself I think it's worth looking at study abroad funding, see if you can find opportunities to receive aid for studying at a location near you.

College is expensive, but you can find ways to make it affordable. It just takes research. There are scholarships for just about everything you can think of, and at least one of them has your name on it. (See Nelnet)

If you're looking for Scholarships, this will give you a whole lot of places to look.

This is one Huge, Mega, list of search engines for grants (Thanks to the University of Arizona). Now, I've gone through a few of these and didn't find find a whole bunch of grants just jumping out at me. :). However, your chances for finding a grant change with a host of personal factors that vary. I think that some of these are only for US students, but some are for international students and would include studying in other countries or online. I'll be posting more on Scholarships later.

Search Engine	Information	Login
AdventuresinEducation	Students can conduct a keyword search of a data base containing 10,000 scholarships.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Arizona Community Foundation	This site has a large Arizona scholarship listing.	Create Your Login
Arizona Department of Education	Easy to read and search through national and local Arizona scholarships.	Create Your Login
Arkansas Scholarship Connection	The Arkansas Scholarship Connection is a statewide project of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Their data base contains scholarships for which Arkansas students are eligible.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
BrokeScholar	BrokeScholar has a data base with more than 650,000 scholarships with a total value of more than $2.5 billion.	Create Your Login
CanLearn	A free Canadian scholarship search site.  We don’t know any addresses in Canada… so if you are from Canada and want to use this site, you will have to create your own account.	Create Your Login
CareerInfoNet	This site, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, has a searchable data base containing more than 5,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans, and other financial aid opportunities.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
CareersandColleges	Using data provided by Wintergreen Orchard House, their data base includes 1.7 million scholarships worth a total of $7 billion.	Create Your Login
College Answer	Sponsored by SallieMae, they use the Scholarship Experts data base.	Create Your Login
CollegeBoard Scholarship Search	The College Board’s free scholarship search utilizes a database of more than 2,300 sources of college funding totaling almost $3 billion in scholarships and aid.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
CollegeData	This free scholarship search allows students to save results in a “data locker”.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
CollegeFunds	Their website says, “CollegeFunds.net helps you hunt down the most ideal student loan, scholarships and other financial aid resources available to you!”	Create Your Login
CollegeNet/Mach 25	Allows you to search through 600,000 awards for scholarship matches.	NO LOGIN NEEDED under keyword search.
CollegeToolKit	These folks allow you to search for scholarships by geography, heritage, religion, extracurriculars, family affiliation, high school, or scholarship name.	Create Your Login
$ Community Foundation for Southern Arizona	This site has a large Arizona scholarship listing.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Discover Nursing Scholarship Search	If you are or will be studying nursing, give this free scholarship search a try. You will probably find more nursing scholarships here than in any other source.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
eCampusTours	The eCampusTours search uses a database of more than 10,000 scholarship programs that distribute awards worth more than $36 million.	Create Your Login
EducationPlanner	An online scholarship search provided by the folks from Peterson's Guide.	NO LOGIN NEEDED Undergraduate Students Graduate Students
FastAid	This site claims to be, “The World's largest and oldest private sector scholarship database.	Create Your Login
FastWeb	This site has a large listing of searchable scholarships.	Create Your Login
FinAid.org | Nontraditional Students	This search engine includes more than 50 awards that have a minimum age restriction of 30 years or older. There are more than 230 awards with a minimum age restriction of 25 years or older. There are more than 1,800 awards with no age restrictions whatsoever.	Create Your Login
FinAid.org | Sports		Create Your Login
Financial Aid Officer	This free scholarship search engine lists scholarships worth $1.45 billion.	Create Your Login
FindTuition	This free scholarship search site lists $24 billion in scholarships.	Create Your Login
FreeScholarshipGuide	This site offers an online scholarship search and a free downloadable scholarship guide.	NEED LOGIN
FreeScholarshipSearch	This site doesn't list as many scholarships as some sites, but it's very well done and lists some awards not often found elsewhere.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
HotcoursesStudent Money	HotcoursesStudent Money A UK based scholarship search.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Illinois Mentor	This scholarship finder is sponsored by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission but is available to all current or collegebound students.	Create Your Login
International Education Financial Aid	This website was created to be a resource for financial aid, college scholarship and grant information for US and international students wishing to study abroad.	Create Your Login
InternationalScholarships	This scholarship search is fairly unique because it features scholarships for international students and scholarships for study abroad programs.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Joint Academic Scholarship Online Network	The introduction on their website says, “The scholarships in the database apply to Australian students wishing to study at home or abroad, and to international students wishing to study in Australia.”	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Kalamazoo Community Foundation Scholarship Search	Specifically designed to meet the needs of Kalamazoo area residents seeking scholarship information.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
KentuckyScholarshipSearch	The State of Kentucky sponsors this free scholarship search.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
MaineScholarshipSearch	State of Maine sponsors this online scholarship search.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Maryland Higher Education Commission	Although sponsored by the State of Maryland, this search may be helpful to other students as well. Search engine is down for repairs, but there is a link to many state programs and scholarships.	Create Your Login
Metropolitan Education Commission	Scholarship Search to serve Tucson and Pima County students.	Optional Profile
Military.com	Military.com This site claims to help students find, “millions of dollars in scholarships and grants exclusively for the military community”.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
myfreedegree	Their database contains, “billions of dollars of college scholarships and financial aid awards”, including some for bowlers, knitters, “C” students, cartoonists, etc.	Create Your Login
Nationally Coveted Scholarships and Fellowships	Not really a scholarship match program but a very good site that lists undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral awards.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
NextStudent	According to their site, they give you free access to a database “of more than 42,000 college funding sources comprised of more than 2.4 million individually awarded scholarships valued at over 3.4 billion dollars.	Create Your Login
Pacific Northwest Scholarship Guide	A free online scholarship match program maintained by the nonprofit College Planning Network, serving students of the Pacific Northwest.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Petersons Award Database	This ThomsonPeterson’s scholarship search includes 1.7 million awards valued at approximately $8 billion. Undergraduate Students Graduate Students	Create Your Login
Princeton Review	Free searchable database.	Create Your Login
Scholarship America	This site isn’t very userfriendly, but there are scholarships posted. So check it out!	Create Your Login
Scholarship Experts	One of the best, most comprehensive free online scholarship searches available to students, parents, and educators.	Create Your Login
ScholarshipMonkey	ScholarshipMonkey Claims a data base of one million scholarships with a value in excess of $3.5 billion. If that's not enough reason to give this site a shot, how often do you get a monkey to talk to you?	Create Your Login
Scholarships.com	This site claims a “scholarship database of 3,0000 sources worth up to $3 billion.”	Create Your Login
ScholarSite	Students can search on over 50,000 financial assistance opportunities.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
School Soup	SchoolSoup is adding almost 5,000 new scholarships each week to the database, has information on thousands of colleges and universities, has information on hundreds of careers and offers a free career aptitude test to help students make good career choices.	Create Your Login
Student Awards.com	A FREE scholarship search service devoted to helping high school seniors and college students find information on scholarships, bursaries, grants and other forms of financial assistance available from the private sector and not-for-profit organizations.	Create Your Login
Students.gov	Searchable database from the US Department of Education.	NEED LOG IN
Study Abroad Funding	Their website says, "Our comprehensive database of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and grants can help make your dream of studying abroad a financial possibility and a profound reality." Scholarship searches can be conducted by country or subject.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
Supercollege.com	This site has a searchable database of over 2.2 million awards worth more than $15 billion.	Create Your Login
The Scholarship Page	The Scholarship Page Started by a student in 1997, this site primarily featured engineering scholarships, but has since expanded to include others.	NO LOGIN NEEDED
United Negro College Fund Scholarship Search	A free online scholarship search sponsored by the United Negro College Fund.	NO LOGIN NEEDED

If you're going to pay big bucks to study university online, it's worth getting the best. I haven't checked these out in detail, as that is not the route I'm going with my education, but I've done quite a bit of research and this list summed it up pretty well.

Top 10 Ranked Online Universities & Colleges – Degrees

Marcy Lane

1. Devry University- Request FREE info packet


First established in Chicago in 1931, DeVry University has a long and prestigious history as one of the United States’ top professional training institutions. DeVry offers a multitude of career-oriented degrees, ranging from information technology to business and medical administration, and often at an accelerated pace for students who want to power through their degree and move on to bigger and better things. Meanwhile, on the convenience front, the option of studying online or at one of the schools numerous campuses makes it easy to find a program and schedule that will fit your life. As if that weren’t enough, DeVry boasts an unprecedented 90% job placement success rate. Sounds like a winner, from where we stand!

2. University of Phoenix Online- Request FREE info packet


University of Phoenix is not your parents’ correspondence college. Well, it was, when it was founded in 1976 on the idea that quality higher education should be affordable and accessible to everyone, even working students. Three decades later that foundation hasn’t changed: between flexible scheduling and its highly-qualified professors, the university still dedicates itself to providing opportunities to students with full plates. That said, University of Phoenix has since blossomed into a thoroughly modern institution. With an eBook library, a commitment to environmental sustainability practices, and a presence on every social network imaginable (check out the talented Kate Voegele’s online college experience on MySpace!), University of Phoenix knows what its 21st-century students demand, and what’s more, it delivers in full.

3. Walden University- Request FREE info packet


When business magazine Fast Company reviewed and graded five online colleges, they only handed out one straight-A. That coveted glowing review went to graduate degree haven Walden University, the same school that was singled out by U.S. News and World Report as a “respected virtual institution.” Why such praise? It may have something to do with its affordable classes and its multimedia approach to learning. Or maybe it’s the sense of community it strives to foster among its students, with forums and an online student union. One thing’s for certain: as an online college contender, Walden University has made its mark.

4. Westwood College Online – Request FREE info packet


Westwood College, originally based in Denver, CO, only entered the online college scene in 2002, but already it has had a major impact with its unique interpretation of the online college experience. Placing value on a real classroom atmosphere, Westwood utilizes audio/video technology to capture the feel of a real lecture; students are also provided with real hard-copy books, allowing them time to study away from the computer screen. Westwood also seems to realize that education doesn’t just stop once you’ve received your diploma — the school offers an Alumni Retaining program, where former students can continue to stay on top of new developments and practice updates in their field, for no tuition. Though new to the game, don’t expect Westwood Online to leave any time soon.

5. Capella University – Request FREE info packet


Though not quite as new as Westwood, Capella University is still a fairly recent addition to the correspondence college family, with fifteen years of service under its belt. Within that time, Capella has risen to become one of the most prestigious institutions in its class. Specializing in graduate degrees, the university nonetheless offers a multitude of degree programs at every level, and encourages student discourse and participation in the form of class discussions, assignment postings, and faculty and peer reviews. Although Capella is strictly an online school, representatives and faculty often travel the country to hold seminars and conferences, making connections with students of its past, present, and future.

6. Colorado Technical University Online- Request FREE info packet


Though Colorado Technical University can only lend its services to those within state lines, students from all over the world can benefit from an education at Colorado Technical University Online. Understanding that different students have different wants and needs in learning, CTU offers options in the classroom: you can choose to “show up” for live classes and chat online with your professors and classmates, or watch prerecorded lectures. One thing that doesn’t change, however, is being taught by knowledgeable professors who are respected and active in their fields. In addition, not only can you earn a valuable degree, but also resume-enhancing academic certificates as you gain important skills along the way. It all adds up to a college that consistently ranks among the top online universities in the nation.

7. AIU Online- Request FREE info packet


There are plenty of universities out there, but how many of them are truly global institutions? With campuses from Los Angeles to London, and now reaching farther than ever via the power of the internet, American InterContinental University certainly fits the bill. AIU is on a mission to cultivate a geographically and culturally diverse student population, and provide their students with quality education in a choice of many subjects to help them advance in their careers. A bustling virtual campus, interactive learning labs, crackerjack career services center, and growing global community of students and alumni all come together to make AIU an excellent choice for an online education.

8. Argosy University Online

When the powers of three recently merged colleges combine, the outcome is Argosy University, one of today’s hottest online learning institutions. Specializing in business, education, and health care, Argosy’s goal is to encourage a good sense of ethics and social skills within the professional fields to which it caters. On a related note, Argosy has an excellent relationship with all branches of the U.S. military and its veterans, offering everything from honoring of the G.I. Bill and loan repayment programs to tutorial assistance and tuition supplements for dependents.

9. Kaplan University- Request FREE info packet


If you’ve ever taken the SAT, ACT, or an advanced placement test, then you must be familiar by now with Kaplan, Incorporated — but did you know that the popular college prep institution is also a college in and of itself? If you live outside of Iowa or Nebraska, you might be unfamiliar with their campuses, but luckily Kaplan has gone online and is up there with the best of them. Kaplan knows a thing or two about enhancing your success in education, and their online university is no exception. Along with active peer forums, a commitment to professor/student communication and innovative practices like web-based “field trips” and interactive seminars, Kaplan grants students access to knowledgeable advisors and an immense resource library. It can be a comforting thought to know that a place so dedicated to helping you in your academic accomplishments doesn’t quit once you graduate high school.

10. Baker College Online- Request FREE info packet


Rounding out the top ten is Michigan-based Baker College Online. Baker is a no-frills kind of college, but it knows one thing — it shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg to get a quality education. Instead, the college offers a multitude of career-oriented graduate and undergraduate programs in the business and science fields. As far as the application process, Baker College boasts a “right-to-try” procedure: no one is turned away for an errant test score or mistakes or gaps in or after high school. If you are ready to make a commitment to education, then Baker is ready to make a commitment to you.

Back to Home

That's right, such a thing exists. There are many universities that offer lectures and courses to the public. But these are online universities that can provide you with a degree without charge, although you will, of course, need to apply and provide them with other information.

University of the People
This is a university offering degrees in business and computer technology. Set up by a rich benefactor, they offer completely free tuition and operate as a standard university.

The Open University
This university has been recommended on many sites, and although acquiring a degree with them does have a cost, it's minimal and there are options of financial aid. There are many options with this university so take the time to look around.