Posted by Are you a student, worker, or parent looking for online education? Not just any online education but one that pays you as you even learn for free!
Well, welcome to the right place because in this article we would be showing you the Top 20 online colleges that pay you to attend them.
Let’s dive in!
What is an Online School?
An online school is simply a school like other normal schools but gives its education through the internet or technological devices over usually a long distance.
The class materials here are usually sent online and accessed by the student through his devices at his best time.
Online education is beautiful because we can access quality education that is not available around us even at a very far distance.
Why Is Online School Effective?
Although we are already used to the old learning style and may not accept online school. But online school is very effective as it aids students in learning at their own pace.
It helps students who cannot learn fast learn smoothly and slowly.
10 Reasons Why Online Learning is Effective.
- Efficient learning
Learning online ensures that the student learns efficiently. Each student knows what time best suits understanding for them.
When a student learns in the best possible way at his best understanding time, good academic progress will be made.
- Good teacher-student communication
Unlike traditional schools where teachers and professors might be difficult to reach, online education bridges this gap.
Students have easier access to their professors, can ask questions easily, and get goods at their best time.
Regular communication ensures a good relationship with college lecturers which helps students love their courses.
- Learning Discipline
The “you must come to class” fear is not in online learning. Students attend class out of their own will and responsibility.
Knowing that they have to attend class even if they are not forced and have to learn well is something about learning online.
- Learning Comfort
Discomfort is said to affect learning efficiency greatly. This is conquered while learning online.
An environment that is not noise filled, safe, and very ventilated is always available while we learn from home.
Students are not distracted too by other students and events going on around the class. They don’t have to sit for hours learning and can learn anywhere they wish.
- Cost-effectiveness
The cost of learning is almost every student’s issue. Textbooks purchase, transport, etc
This problem is solved when we have digital education. Textbooks can easily be downloaded for free over the internet. Transport fares don’t have to be paid as the education has been brought home.
Also, the tuition of online schools is generally lower than that of traditional schools. This is because even the college lecturers don’t have to stress themselves administering education
- Good timely access to course materials
The unavailability of books and students having to find books in the library have too made education tedious.
These materials are available when a student learns digitally. The lecturer just had to send them to the students and they would download them.
With easy access to materials, students study when they best wish with a variety of materials.
- Free time
Traditional students cannot multitask. Students nowadays are advised to learn beyond schools but how can this be done in traditional schools?
The problem is solved here as students have the flexibility of learning on their own time. They could spend the remaining time on other important things.
If you are a parent learning this is best as it gives you free time for work and your kids and still learns properly.
- No stress
Imagine how easier education would be if you don’t have to struggle to get it to you.
No need to worry about being late to class, traffic, money for the purchase of lecture materials, and more. This is one of the places digital education beats traditional one.
- Easy Understanding
Why would you not absorb more when you learn at your comfort and ease?
A good one-to-one lecturing, students move at their own pace and are not rushed by others.
Parents who are going to school, don’t have to worry about the whereabouts of their kids as they would be around them as they learn.
- Immediate Evaluation
Learning online brings a different spice of evaluation to the educational system.
Unlike the traditional system of education that waits till the term ends. Here assessments are immediate, frequent, and understandable.
Now we are convinced that learning online is the way forward, let us now look at those institutions that would offer to teach and give certificates for free.
Best Online Colleges That Pay You To Attend Them
Below is a list of the top 20 Online Colleges that pay you to attend:
- University of The People
- Berea College
- University of Columbia
- Barclay College
- Edx
- Webb Institute
- College of Ozarks
- University of Cambridge
- Deep Spring College
- Alice Lloyd College.
- Edinboro University
- Boston University
- St Leo University
- Bethel University
- University of Missouri — Columbia
- Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- The University of Arizona Global Campus
- New Mexico State University
Top 20 Online Colleges That Pay You To Attend Them
1. University Of the People
About the institution: Founded in 2009 and popularly known for being one of the world’s first accredited online colleges, the University of the People has brought a change to the lives of a lot of people by providing tuition-free education for students far and near.
There are four undergraduate degrees offered by UoPeople: a Bachelor of Science, an Associate of Science, a Bachelor of Science, and an Associate of Science, all in the field of computer science.
Accreditation: Yes, it is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accreditation body. University of the people became accredited in February 2014
Tuition fee: The school is an online school and the tuition fee is free, but there are other minimal fees to pay. The total cost would be a little over $2,000
Physical Location: Pasadena, California, United States.
2. Berea College
About the institution: With one of its goals is “To offer high-quality education to academically promising students with limited economic resources” Berea college has done its best to achieve this.
It was founded in 1885 by Rev John G. Fee and to date has worked hard to give economically disadvantaged students.
They offer courses like Education Studies, English Foreign Languages, General Studies, Health & Human Performance, History, Mathematics, Music, Nursing, Peace & Social Justice Studies, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and more visit here for more.
Accreditation: Yes, Berea College is accredited and its accreditation was given by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees.
Its accreditation is recognized regionally.
Tuition fee: Berea College offers tuition-free education for both their on-site students and their online students. Rush now and apply for yours.
Physical Location: Berea College is located in Berea, Kentucky.
3. University of Columbia
About the institution: Founded in 1754 first as Kings College by King George II of England, has then grown to rank 7 in the Best Global universities.
They are known for giving scholarships to well-deserving students and have a low acceptance rate. This does not apply to their online lectures which are easy to reach.
Courses offered include Art, History, Artificial Intelligence, Accounting, Business Analytics, health housing and educational services, Artificial intelligence, Robotics, Machine Learning, and more. All of which have certificates.
Accreditation: They are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), granted in 1921 and reaffirmed in 2016.
Tuition fee: Tuition is free for all online courses and is available on different online learning platforms like Coursera, Udacity, etc
Physical Location: Although Physically located in New York, United States, it is now everywhere thanks to online learning.
4. Barclay College
About the institution: Originally known for its Ministry degrees but has since cooperated with professional degrees the Barclays College.
This college has been a Christian Stated full tuition scholarship since 2007 and has since then affected the life of a lot of people positively both offline and as an online school.
They have bachelor’s degrees in the following: Business Administration, Management And Operations, Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology, Bible/Biblical Studies, and more.
Accreditation: Accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (1975) and regionally by Higher Learning Commission (2018).
Tuition fee: Tuition fees are present but this college offers full-time tuition scholarships for both on-campus and online students
Physical Location: It is located in Haviland, Kansas, United States
5. Edx
About the institution: In May 2012, a great college was created for online learners. This institution is CEOed by Anant Agarwal but was built together by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Edx is massively recognized as a free online learning platform for learners all over the world. Edx allows users to learn from mammoth institutions like Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, and more.
They allow students to access over 2000+ courses which may include courses: Digital Marketing, Product Management, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Coding, FinTech, and more.
Edx gives certificates to a good number of courses when completed. With certificates that are recognized in different institutions and different places all over the world.
Accreditation: It would be sad to know they are not accredited but that is not the end. The good news is that they are known to offer accredited courses at well-known universities around the world.
Tuition fee: A good majority of courses offered online are free but just a few certificated courses have minimal fees that would be paid to learn and get the certificates. Overall, it is worth it!
Physical Location: It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
6. Lewis University
About the institution: Next in line is Lewis university. Initially opened only as a school for boys in 1932 is the Lewis university founded by Bishop Bernard J. Sheil.
Courses offered here include Public Safety Administration, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Aviation and Transportation, Healthcare Systems Leadership, Nursing Education, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Organizational Leadership, and more.
All of the above courses are available online.
Tuition fee: The online tuition fee is about $18,796. But the scholarships available help you reduce the cost of almost free learning.
Accreditation: First accreditation by North Central Association in 1963 then accredited by Higher Learning Commission
Physical Location: Located at 1 University Pkwy, Romeoville, Illinois, United States.
7. College Of Ozarks
With an enrollment of over 1,426 and 30 academic majors in Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs this Christian College. The private nonprofit college was founded by Reverend James Forsythe in 1906.
The mission of this college is “to provide the advantages of a Christian education for the youth of both sexes, especially those found worthy, but who are without sufficient means to procure such training” notice how they mentioned ‘worthy’ speaking of having what it takes but having no funds.
The Offer Courses like Accounting, Journalism, Marketing, Communication Art, Economics, Photography, Education, Political Science, and More. Check out their website to find which would suit you.
Tuition fee: They have tuition of over $433 per credit hour but have scholarships that are available to support students. These include Online Gold Scholarship, Online Platinum Scholarship, Online Silver Scholarship, and Online Bronze Scholarship. For more info on scholarships visit here.
Accreditation: Yes, the College of the Ozarks is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Physical Location:100 Opportunity Ave, Point Lookout, Missouri, United States.
8. University Of Cambridge
About the institution: One of the Oldest Universities In England (1209) and ranked 2 in QS World University Rankings 2023 is the University of Cambridge.
Founded by Hugh Balsham, Bishop of Ely, the university aims “to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.”
Although famous for courses like Economics, Law, and Science, some free online courses they offer include: Building your Screenplay, Applied Corporate Finance, Financial Accounting, and capital, Foundations of Finance, Forensic Science: DNA Analysis, and more visit here.
Tuition fee: This university is famous for offering free courses on different platforms including Edx and others.
Accreditation: Cambridge University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education
Physical Location: The Old Schools, Trinity Ln, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
9. Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University is a Private Christian University founded in 1981 by David Lipscomb and James A. Harding.
They currently have a ranking of No 75 in Best Value Schools, No 212 in National Universities, and No 140 in Best Colleges for Veterans
Business, management, marketing, communication, health professions and related programs, education, visual and performing arts, engineering, biological and biomedical sciences, journalism, and related programs are among Lipscomb University’s best-known majors.
Tuition fee They offer different courses online. The school believes that finance should not be a barrier to any scholar and therefore offers financial aid to whoever wishes to study.
Accreditation: Yes, they were accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in 1954.
Physical Location: 1 University Park Dr, Nashville, Tennessee, United States.
10. Alice Lloyd College
This institution is a private and nonprofit institution created in 1923 and co-founded by Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd and June Buchanan.
They have a graduation rate of 33% and an acceptance rate of 21% and its mission is “to educate mountain people for positions of leadership”. The institution has done well to fulfill this.
The courses offered include: Accounting and Business Management, Communication Studies, English, History, Criminal Justice, Liberal Arts, Business Administration
Tuition fee: They have tuition of over $11,550 for international students and grant $0 payments to students residing around their service area.
Alice Lloyd College also offers online courses and degrees at a minimum tuition fee which is almost free.
Accreditation: They are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Physical Location: Pippa Passes, Knott County, Kentucky.
11. Ashford University
In 1918 the sisters of St Francis Founded this beautiful institution.
The university is so good that for good dedication, it is possible to finish a degree in as little as 1- 2 years.
They offer an MBA in Human Resources Management, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management, and an Organizational Leadership
Tuition fee: This is not free but comes at a cheap tuition fee ( about $432 for commencing of Masters courses). Compared to the degree to be gotten, it is worth it.
Accreditation: They are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Physical Location: Located at 180 S Arizona Ave Suite #301, Chandler, AZ 85225, USA
12. Edinboro University
This university is one of the top 20 online colleges that pay you to attend them.
It was established in 1857 and has since then provided value as it has been part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
In this online college that pay you to attend them there are diverse courses, some of which include the following
education, nursing, social work, business, arts and sciences, among the many others.
Accreditation:Yes this online college is accredited.
Its accreditation was handed to it by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). This accreditation proves that this online school has a high standard education.
Tuition fee:The Tuition fee of this online college varies $7,716 – $15,210.
It feels expensive but don’t worry, they offer financial aid i.e. grants loans and other for you if you need financial assistance.
Physical location: Edinboro, Pennsylvania.
13. Boston University
Boston University is one of the Top 20 online colleges that pay you to attend them. The payment is in the quality of education that his online college offers you.
The university is one of the largest online and physical colleges and was established in 1839 in the United states.
In Boston University as an online student you have access to different courses, some of which include programs in arts and sciences, business, communications, engineering, education, fine arts, health sciences, law, and social work.
Accreditation: Yes this online college is accredited. It accreditation was given to it by New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
Tuition fee: The Tuition fee of this online college varies from about $57,954 to $63,416. It seems large right.
Fret not as Boston University offers financial aids like grants, work-study programs, and loans to help online students and onsite students that are not able to pay for these fees.
Physical location: Boston, Massachusetts along Commonwealth Avenue.
14. St Leo University
Next in our top 20 online colleges that pay you to attend them is this Roman catholic University.
This free online college was established in 1889 making it rank high among the oldest catholic universities in Florida, United states.
The university offer courses like
- Arts And Sciences,
- Business,
- Criminal Justice,
- Education,
- Healthcare,
- Human Services,
- Theology.
Accreditation: Yes it is accredited by accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Tuition fee: As much as the courses vary, so do the Tuition vary. The online college that pays you to attend them has a Tuition range of $23,900 to $34,600.
What makes it among the top 20 online colleges that pay you to attend them is it financial aid as the university also gives financial aids to deserving students.
Physical location: St. Leo, Florida
15. Bethel University
In 1871 this online college that pays you to attend them was established.
Bethel university is Christian university that aims at giving quality education to the learners both online and offline.
In this free online college a good number of courses are offered which includes.
- Business,
- Education,
- Health Sciences,
- Humanities,
- Natural Sciences,
- Social Sciences, And Theology.
This does not just end here as they go ahead to offer even seminary degrees like divinity, ministry, and theological studies.
Accreditation: Yes, this free online college is accredited. Its accreditation is given to it by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The accreditation shows the proper good educational quality of Bethel University.
Tuition fee: Bethel Tuition fee may seem a little huge but it has a financial aid program that relieves this.
The Tuition fee ranges from $35,710 to $38,120 per year.
Remember it is a one of the free online colleges that pay you to attend them because of Ghia Tuition that relieves all financial burdens off you.
Physical location: Arden Hills, Minnesota
16. University of Missouri — Columbia
In 1839 this great free online college was founded and has then grown to become a well known research university in Columbia, Missouri in the USA.
This online college that pays you to attend them has a lot of colleges and their individual courses.
This colleges includes
College of Agriculture,
- Food and Natural Resources,
- College of Arts and Science,
- Trulaske College of Business,
- School of Education,
- School of Health Professions,
- School of Journalism,
- School of Law,
- School of Medicine,
- School of Social Work, and more
Accreditation: Yes, they are accredited. The accreditation of this free online college was given to them by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Aside from that , some of its programs have also been able to acquire their own accreditation like Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Bar Association (ABA) and more.
Tuition fee: The Tuition fee varies. This from about $12,216 to $28,023 per year.
But this free online college has proven it is free with the financial aids and grants it offers to students who are not able to pay the Tuition fees.
Physical location: Columbia, Missouri,USA.
17. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Even though this free online college is one of the youngest if it was founded in 1932, it has grown to get the title of one of the largest universities in England.
This online college that pays you to attend them is a private, non-profit one and has a current record of about 135,000 online students.
The courses offered in this free online college include the following.
- Creative Writing,
- Education,
- Healthcare,
- Psychology And Many Others
Accreditation:Yes, the Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is accredited. This online college is accredited by New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
Aside from its general accreditation, this free online college has accreditation for some of its individual programs.
One that catches my interest particularly is the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Tuition fee: The financial aid as usual makes me recommend this university as one of the top 20 online colleges that pay you to attend them.
The Tuition fee is about $627 to $1,881 per credit hour. Remember Financial aid is available.
Physical location: Manchester, New Hampshire, England.
18.University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
This one deserves it.
University of Texas Rio is a public research university in Texas.
This online college that pays you to attend them has an impressive online learning presence with about 30 fully online degree programs available.
They offer different degrees in the following.
- Business,
- Education,
- Engineering,
- Health Sciences,
- Liberal Arts,
- Sciences,
- Social Work, And More.
Accreditation:Yes, this online college is accredited. Its accreditation was given to it by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Tuition fee: The tuition is about 8,000 to $20,000 per year.
Financial aids are there to save the day. As they aid your studying in this free online college for free.
Physical location: Main Campus Edinburgh, Texas. But it also has other universities scattered across Texas.
19.The University of Arizona Global Campus
In 2018 University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) was established.
This university was established as a private university and a nonprofit university for students.
The university is well known for their massive online presence as a good majority of their courses are offered online.
The courses offered in this free online college that pay you to attend include the following.
- Degrees In
- Business,
- Education,
- Health Care,
- Information Technology
- And Social Sciences.
Accreditation: Yes, this free online college is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
Tuition fee: The Tuition fee varies from about 510 to $645 per credit hour, depending on the course and if it is a graduate or undergraduate program.
This free online college has financial aids that will unburden you of financial difficulty and let you learn for free.
Physical location: It is everywhere. The door to the university is simply your internet connection.
20.New Mexico State University
Earning the title of the oldest public institution of higher education in the state is this free online college.
New Mexico State University is a public research university and was founded in 1888.
The offer a wide range of degrees which includes degree in
- Agriculture,
- Engineering,
- Business,
- Education,
- Health Sciences,
- Humanities,
- Social Sciences
- STEM Fields
Accreditation: Yes, this free online college is accredited by Higher Learning Commission (HLC), recognized by the United states division of education.
Tuition fee: As normal the Tuition fee varies from $5,704 to $6,978 depending on the course graduate or undergraduate program.
Financial aids are available to reduce this burden.
Physical location: Las Cruces, New Mexico.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone do online school?
Yes, anyone can do online school. Now unlike the standard and traditional online school, the online school allows for flexibility in learning.
Be it a parent, an adult learner, or a worker it is possible to complete online school. You only need dedication, discipline, good internet access, and good knowledge of how to operate technology for learning.
What are the 7 Best online colleges?
- Penn State World Campus
- Arizona State University
- Colorado State University
- Indiana University
- University of Minnesota
- Florida International University
- University of CentFlorida.
Is online learning harder than onsite?
There are more bad sides to online learning than the normal than normal education. This includes the fact that sometimes traditional learning helps the students to have good communication with one another and a proper relationship with themselves. Secondly, the learners get to be properly observed by their teachers.
But generally online learning is easier than traditional learning. In many ways which include the flexibility of learning, the stresslessness of learning, easier access to course materials, and many more things.
What kind of courses can I take online?
Of recent, almost all courses can be taken online. Ranging from Medicine to courses like bricklaying etc.
Recently some courses are preferred as they have more chances of jobs online and offsite. These include:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
- Data Learning.
- Project Management.
- Software Development.
- Content Marketing.
- Social Media Marketing.
And many more courses.
How do I pick A College Online?
A good majority of us do not know how to pick a college online because of the wide variety of choices available.
To pick a college online we must consider these factors:
- The courses they offer. If it aligns with the course you love
- If they offer certificates for the courses you offer. Some courses don’t have certificates and we must know if our choice course provides a certificate after learning.
- If the institution is accredited. Knowing if the institution is accredited is best to know if your certificate is going to have worth.
- The tuition of the institution. It should be affordable or free as the ones we have listed here in our article.
- The duration of the study. Knowing the time taken to offer the school courses is important too as different schools have different times for their classes.
Thank you for reading through this article. I do hope it helped you find your free university of choice.
Leave a comment below on how this article helped you.