With education easily accessible online, earning an online bachelor's, master's, doctorate, or other certificate is possible no matter where you live. Online programs offer higher education and professional certification though high-quality online instruction. Getting an online degree is possible with online admission and a variety of courses and programs to choose from—all without having to step foot on a college campus.
What is Distance Learning?
Distance learning uses technology to deliver learning and instruction for online classes through a structured Learning Management System (LMS). Your instructors and professors will use the LMS as their classroom to upload modules with lectures, video recordings, assignments, quizzes and whatever other learning experiences your instructor chooses.
There are a few different types of distance learning class styles, with pros and cons available to each. When choosing a type of course, take into consideration your learning style, your available time, and what kind of motivation you will need in order to be successful.
- Synchronous courses bring teacher and students together in a real-time, online setting. You will need to make sure your schedule allows you to meet up at the set time to attend lectures and class times. Synchronous courses are set up similarly to traditional face-to-face classes, but distance is no longer a barrier. You will have access to your teacher and peers, but you will also be tied to set due dates and traditional pacing.
- Asynchronous courses allow you to complete classwork and studying when it is most convenient for you. You may be reading articles and watching lectures, but the information you receive will likely be quite similar to a traditional course. You are responsible for staying on top of your assignments and deadlines. The information and content of the course is available as you move through it at your own pace. With this type of learning be careful as it may become easy to push assignments and course tasks for “later,” only to forget about them until the last minute or when it is too late.
- Hybrid courses are a combination of scheduled interactive learning sessions (either online or in-person) as well as pre-created modules to work through. There are fixed deadlines throughout the course and students have independence in their learning, but still have the structure of expected meet-ups.
- Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) allow accessible and affordable learning options, no matter where you are in the world. There are many MOOCs that are free if you desire the knowledge with some charging a nominal fee, where you can receive a verified certificate of completion or even course credit through accredited universities such as edX’s partnership with Arizona State University offering transferable college credit. With hundreds or even thousands of students enrolled in a single MOOC at any given time, these courses often have open enrollment and students using the self-paced course to view pre-recorded lectures and webinars. There may be weekly assignments that are graded by a peer using a common rubric or an auto-graded quiz.
Compare Featured Lenders
- Competitive fixed and variable APRs starting at 4.44%1
- Multiple repayment options including: full principal and interest, interest-only, deferred, and flat payment
- Flexible payment terms ranging from 5, 8, 10, and 15 years2
- Coverage up to 100% of your school-certified cost of attendance ($1,000 minimum)3
- No origination, application and processing fees, no fees for early repayment
- Apply online in 3 minutes and get an instant credit decision
- Applying with a cosigner can increase your chances of getting approved and could result in a lower interest rate
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC.. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
1Rates shown are for the College Ave Undergraduate Loan product and include autopay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
2This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
3As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000.
Information advertised valid as of 06/01/2023. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on the creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.
- Variable Rates: 5.99% APR - 16.33% APR. Fixed Rates: 4.50% APR - 14.83% APR. Lowest rates shown include 0.25% interest rate discount with auto debit payments.1
- Apply online in minutes and receive an instant credit result2
- Multiple repayment options from in-school payments to deferred.1 No origination fee or prepayment penalty3
- Last year, students were 3x more likely to be approved with a cosigner4 and it may help you get a better rate.
- Borrow up to 100% of school-certified expenses, whether you're online or on campus5
Borrow Responsibly
We encourage students and families to start with savings, grants, scholarships, and federal student loans to pay for college. Students and families should evaluate all anticipated monthly loan payments, and how much the student expects to earn in the future, before considering a private student loan.
Loans for Undergraduate & Career Training Students are not intended for graduate students and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Student must attend a participating school. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident), and provide an unexpired government-issued photo ID. Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.
1Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment.
2In 2022, instant credit decisions were provided to 97.8% of applicants. Other applications typically received credit decisions in 3 to 5 business days.
3Although we do not charge a penalty or fee if you prepay your loan, any prepayment will be applied as outlined in your promissory note-first to Unpaid Fees and costs, then to Unpaid Interest, and then to Current Principal.
4Based on the percentage of borrowers who were approved for an undergraduate loan with a cosigner compared to the percentage of borrowers who were approved for an undergraduate loan without a cosigner from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.5 For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website may be subjected to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time.
6 Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years.
Information advertised valid as of 05/25/2023.
SALLIE MAE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. CHECK SALLIEMAE.COM FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE PRODUCT INFORMATION.
Smart Option Student Loans® are made by Sallie Mae Bank. Sallie Mae, the Sallie Mae logo, and other Sallie Mae names and logos are service marks or registered service marks of Sallie Mae Bank. All other names and logos used are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
Edvisors is not the creditor for these loans and is compensated by Sallie Mae for the referral of Sallie Mae loan customers.
© 2023 Sallie Mae Bank. All rights reserved. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Sallie Mae Bank are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
- AFFORDABLE variable rates starting at 5.98% APR with Automatic Debit Discount*
- 1% CASH BACK Graduation Reward*
- NON-COSIGNED option may be available for undergraduate juniors and seniors.
- PAY AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL – Customize your loan with flexible repayment options – start payments after graduation.
- FORGET FEES – No application, origination or disbursement fees. No prepayment penalty if you choose to pay your loan off early.
- COVER UP TO 100% of your tuition and eligible living expenses.
* Ascent's undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills, Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs
Rates are effective as of 6/01/2023 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Rates
1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest APRs require interest-only payments, the shortest loan term, and a cosigner, and are only available to our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores.
Up to four repayment types (including no payments while in school) and multiple repayment terms help you find the loan that fits your budget
- Variable Rates: Starting variable rates range from 5.24% APR - 12.88% APR (with autopay)*, and will never exceed 13.95% (sometimes lower in certain states as required by law)
- Fixed Rates: Fixed rates range from 4.24% APR to 13.73% APR (with autopay)*
- Easy online application!
- No origination fees, late fees, and no insufficient fund fees. Period
- Up to four repayment types (including no payments while in school) and multiple repayment terms help you find the loan that fits your budget
- 0.25% discount when you set up autopay*
*UNDERGRADUATE LOANS: Fixed rates from 4.24% to 13.55% annual percentage rate ("APR") (with autopay), variable rates from 5.24% to 12.82% APR (with autopay). GRADUATE LOANS: Fixed rates from 5.00% to 13.35% APR (with autopay), variable rates from 5.74% to 12.82% APR (with autopay). PARENT LOANS: Fixed rates from 6.25% to 13.73% APR (with autopay), variable rates from 6.07% to 12.88% APR (with autopay). For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. Interest rates for variable rate loans are capped at 13.95%, unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law. Lowest rates are reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved for a loan, the interest rate offered will depend on your creditworthiness, the repayment option you select, the term and amount of the loan and other factors, and will be within the ranges of rates listed above. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Information current as of 05/31/2023.
Terms and Conditions Apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status and meet SoFi's underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, years of professional experience, income, and a variety of other factors. Rates and Terms are subject to change at anytime without notice and are subject to state restrictions. SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers, or may become available, such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Financing Law License No. 6054612. SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Lending Corp., NMLS # 1121636. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org)
How to Choose an Online School or Program
With online learning increasing over the past 20 years, notable institutions are offering online degrees to prospective learners who may have not had the opportunity to receive an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or even doctoral degrees. With so many courses offered, you may have to do some research on what school or program is right for you. Use the following pointers to help guide your search for what online degree or program is the right fit for you.
- Research the college you want to work with and review their accreditation and state licensing. If you school is authorized to offer federal student aid, then you can be assured the school is appropriately licensed by the state and are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor.
- Research the choices you have for majors, programs, or certificates. Depending on the institution, you may not be able to receive all courses online so check carefully as you decide on declaring a major or program. If you need a fully online course of study, ensure that the program is offered entirely online.
- Check the requirements for admission, including fees. If you have any prior college credits, you may want to see if those credits will transfer. Talk with an admissions advisor if you have questions.
- Compare the costs for your education. This is an investment in yourself, so it may be in your best interest to look at the costs associated with attending an online university. Most schools will list the cost of attendance (COA) on their website. The COA will break down the expected cost by residency status and may also include the average cost of tuition and fees, housing, food, books, supplies and transportation. Keep in mind this is just an average and may vary depending on the number of credits you’re enrolled in, if you decide to take in-person courses, and other fees the institution may require.
- Check out the online student services. Find and ask what resources are available to you as an online student. Is there online tutoring available? Can you easily contact professors and instructors? Are events on campus live-streamed or recorded?
Choosing an online institution is a choice that will impact you. It is imperative to ask questions to the admissions office to get as much information as possible to help make the correct choice for you and your situation.
Admission for Online Institutions
No matter what school, university, or program you apply for, it can be a confusing process. Once you narrow down which accredited program or institution you want to attend, you may see a variety of admission processes across the different schools. While some schools may have typical terms start dates in the Fall, Spring, or Summer, many online schools may have term start dates that are far more frequent. For example, some schools will allow you to enroll and enter you program every two weeks, while another school may offer monthly starts. This flexibility makes it easy for you to jump in and continue your education.
- Open Admissions – most everyone who applies is accepted in open admissions. Most schools or programs will require that you have graduated from high school or have a GED. Many 2-year schools, community colleges, and most academic certificate programs will have open admissions. You will need to submit an online application, but the admission requirements will be relatively few.
- Regular Admissions – competitive four-year institutions and other types of competitive enrollment programs or degrees only admit a set number of new applicants each year. Your application may be more involved with a possible essay and other required items. Carefully read and complete your applications by the deadline.
- Rolling Admissions – colleges review applications as they are received, and admissions are open until all slots for the incoming class are filled. There is no official deadline by which you need to submit your application, but spots may fill up quickly.
Check with the admissions office if you have questions regarding admission deadlines or requirements.
Work Load
When it comes to the expected workload of an online course, some students enter the learning sphere with the idea that online learning will be easier than a face-to-face course. While that may be true for some students, others can easily find themselves buried under overdue assignments, readings, and video lectures. Online learning requires more personal responsibility. Depending on the structure of the course, you as the student may have to take the given materials and teach yourself the content. While some students thrive in the less-structured schedule of online learning, others may find they thrive on structure and must create it for themselves.
You can expect a good portion of your time spent in your courses will be watching live or pre-recorded lectures. You may be able to rewatch these recorded lectures when needed. Many courses will have class readings and required discussion posts, assignments, and/or quizzes over the readings or lectures. Your instructor may assign group projects or other group work to promote class interaction and discussion. If you need assistance or clarification, clear and timely communication with your instructor or TA will be your greatest resource. Another great tip, take advantage of your instructor or TA’s office hours.
Keeping a schedule and consistently checking your calendar can help prevent assignments, quizzes, and tests from sneaking up on you. You can also see if there is an option to receive email notifications of upcoming assignments and deadlines. Online classes can be stressful but understanding what is required of you and when it is due can help ease some of the stress of online learning.
