University of the People
University of the People, often called UoPeople, is a nonprofit American online university offering tuition-free degree programs.
But "tuition-free" does not mean completely free. You do not pay traditional tuition, textbooks, room and board, or campus fees. Instead, students pay an application fee and an assessment fee for each course.
Here's What Tuition-Free Really Means
Application Fee
$60 one-time application fee.
Undergraduate Course Assessment Fee
$180 per course.
There is no separate tuition charge for taking the class. Think of the $180 assessment fee as the main cost attached to completing each undergraduate course.
Estimated Degree Cost If You Take All Courses at UoPeople
Associate Degree
Approximately $3,660
Typically 20 courses.
Bachelor's in Business Administration
Approximately $7,260
40 courses / approximately 120 credits.
Bachelor's in Computer Science
Approximately $7,260
40 courses / approximately 120 credits.
Bachelor's in Health Science
Approximately $7,080
39 courses / approximately 122 credits.
Bachelor's in General Studies
Depends on transfer credits
Cost depends heavily on the number of credits transferred because this is a degree-completion program requiring students to enter with at least 60 transfer credits.
Fees can change, so always confirm current pricing directly with University of the People before enrolling.
No Pell Grant or Federal Student Aid
Can I Use FAFSA or a Pell Grant?
No.
University of the People does not participate in federal or state financial aid programs and does not receive Title IV federal student aid funds. That means you generally cannot use:
- Pell Grants
- Federal Direct Loans
- Federal Work-Study
- Traditional FAFSA-based federal aid
However, UoPeople offers its own scholarships and financial assistance that may help students cover assessment fees.
Explore UoPeople ScholarshipsIs University of the People Legit?
Yes. It is an accredited American university. University of the People is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), and received WSCUC accreditation in February 2025.
Beginning January 1, 2026, WSCUC became UoPeople's sole institutional accreditor after UoPeople voluntarily ended its previous accreditation relationship with DEAC.
Accreditation matters.
UoPeople's WSCUC accreditation makes this very different from an unaccredited online school or certificate website. However, students should still verify requirements if they plan to enter a licensed profession, graduate school, or an employer with specific degree requirements.
What Degrees Can I Get?
Associate Degrees
Bachelor's Degrees
B.S. Business Administration
Approximately 120 credits / 40 courses
Potential careers:
- Operations Manager
- Management Analyst
- Administrative Supervisor
- Project Coordinator
- HR Specialist
- Recruiter
- Business Analyst
- Account Manager
- Sales Manager
- Marketing Coordinator
- Customer Success Manager
Good fit for: someone who wants a flexible business degree that can apply across many industries.
B.S. Computer Science
Approximately 120 credits / 40 courses
Potential careers:
- Software Developer
- Web Developer
- Junior Software Engineer
- QA Analyst
- Data Analyst
- Systems Analyst
- IT Specialist
- Application Support Specialist
- Technical Support Engineer
Mellie Says: For technology careers, do not rely on the degree alone. Build projects, create a portfolio, develop technical skills, and pursue internships or real-world experience while completing the degree.
B.S. Health Science
Approximately 122 credits / 39 courses
Potential careers:
- Community Health Worker
- Health Education Specialist
- Wellness Coordinator
- Healthcare Program Coordinator
- Medical Services Administration
- Public Health Program Assistant
- Healthcare Operations Roles
Important: This is not a nursing degree and does not automatically lead to clinical licensure.
B.A. General Studies
This program is different. It is designed primarily as a degree-completion program for people who already have college credits.
Students generally need to transfer at least 60 credits into the program and may transfer as many as 90 credits, subject to UoPeople approval.
Specialization options include Project Management or Organizational Management.
Potential career areas:
- Human Resources
- Project Coordination
- Operations
- Administration
- Customer Success
- Sales
- Communications
- Marketing
- Management
Graduate Degrees
University of the People also offers graduate programs.
MBA
Master of Business Administration
$490 per course · about $5,940 total
- Business Manager
- Operations Leader
- Consultant
- Project Manager
- Senior Business Analyst
- Entrepreneur
- Department Leader
MSIT
Master of Science in Information Technology
$490 per course · about $5,940 total
- IT Manager
- Technology Project Manager
- Systems Manager
- IT Consultant
- Technology Operations Leader
M.Ed.
Master of Education in Advanced Teaching
$430 per course · about $5,650 total
- Teaching
- Instructional Leadership
- Curriculum Development
- Education Programs
- Training and Development
Licensure requirements vary by state and country. Students pursuing teacher licensure or another regulated occupation should check their jurisdiction's requirements before enrolling.
This Is Where You Need a Strategy
University of the People accepts transfer credits. For most bachelor's programs, UoPeople may allow students to transfer up to 90 credits toward a bachelor's degree, subject to its evaluation and transfer-credit policies. Transfer credit acceptance is not guaranteed. UoPeople currently charges approximately $17 per accepted transferred course.
Why This Matters
Instead of automatically taking every class through UoPeople, students who already have college credits should have those credits evaluated first.
Students starting from scratch can also research approved lower-cost transfer-credit options before completing all of their coursework directly through UoPeople.
Want to potentially finish faster?
UoPeople has previously partnered with Sophia Learning, and students may be able to transfer eligible Sophia coursework into UoPeople. However, do not blindly take 20 or 30 Sophia courses first. Transferability can change and individual courses must be approved by UoPeople.
- Choose your intended UoPeople degree.
- Review the exact degree requirements.
- Apply to UoPeople.
- Determine what credits UoPeople will accept.
- Compare those requirements with eligible Sophia courses.
- Complete transferable courses strategically.
- Submit them for transfer evaluation.
- Finish the remaining degree requirements through UoPeople.
Here's the Step-by-Step
- 01
Choose your degree.
Decide between Business Administration, Computer Science, or Health Science. Or explore General Studies if you already have significant previous college credit.
- 02
Apply to University of the People.
Complete the online application and pay the current $60 application fee.
- 03
Submit your education documents.
You will generally need evidence that you completed high school or an equivalent credential for undergraduate admission. If you already attended college, submit those transcripts for evaluation.
- 04
Get your previous credits evaluated BEFORE creating your degree plan.
Do not repeat classes you may already have credit for.
- 05
Review exactly what is left.
Create three categories: Already Completed, Can Potentially Transfer, and Must Complete at UoPeople.
- 06
Consider lower-cost transfer options.
Research whether eligible courses from providers such as Sophia Learning can fulfill remaining requirements. Always verify transferability before spending money.
- 07
Complete UoPeople Foundations requirements.
Students begin through UoPeople's Foundations process before becoming fully admitted degree-seeking students.
- 08
Take your UoPeople courses.
Courses are online and asynchronous. There are no required live lectures or fixed class meeting times.
- 09
Increase your course load strategically.
Degree-seeking students may generally enroll in multiple courses per term. Students with stronger academic performance may qualify to take as many as four courses in a term under UoPeople's registration rules. More courses = faster completion, but do not overload yourself just to finish quickly.
- 10
Graduate without traditional university-sized tuition bills.
Continue paying the required assessment fee for the courses you take until all degree requirements are satisfied.
How Fast Can I Finish?
Traditional Pace
- Associate: approximately 2 years
- Bachelor's: approximately 4 years
Faster Pace
Taking heavier course loads and transferring eligible credits can substantially shorten the timeline. Some bachelor's programs advertise completion in less than 2.5 years depending on course load and transfer credits.
Degree Completion
For students entering the General Studies bachelor's program with at least 60 transfer credits, UoPeople states that full-time students may be able to complete the remaining program in approximately 20 months.
Your actual timeline depends on transfer credits, course availability, academic performance, how many classes you take each term, and whether you need to repeat any courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
UoPeople makes the most sense when the alternative is not going to college at all because traditional college costs too much.
The biggest mistake would be seeing "tuition-free" and assuming the entire degree costs nothing. It doesn't.
But a regionally accredited bachelor's degree that can cost roughly $7,000 before transfer-credit savings is still dramatically different from taking on tens of thousands of dollars in student debt.
My strategy would be: choose the career first, choose the degree, maximize legitimate transfer credits, minimize the number of courses you have to pay for, and build work experience while you're in school.
The goal isn't just to get a degree. The goal is to get a degree that moves your life forward without burying yourself financially.
Ready to Explore?
Last reviewed by Mellie Talks: August 2026
Educational information only. University fees, transfer policies, program requirements and admission requirements can change. Always confirm current requirements directly with the school before enrolling or paying for outside coursework.