2027 Best Online Colleges With Scholarship Options
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Choosing an online college is difficult enough without discovering that a promising scholarship excludes online students or your intended program. Cost makes that distinction important: the College Board reports average published tuition and fees of $11,610 for in-state students at public four-year colleges in 2024-25, before aid. This guide is for prospective undergraduate and graduate students comparing online colleges. It identifies institutions worth investigating, explains which scholarship rules to check, and shows how to compare the amount you would actually pay - not just a school's advertised tuition.
Key Things You Should Know
- Start with accredited colleges that offer your intended program online, then confirm whether its scholarships cover your degree level, enrollment status, and location.
- For 2025-26, the maximum federal Pell Grant was $7,395; your eligibility may be lower or zero, and scholarships can change your remaining financial need.
- Compare each school's written aid offer against tuition, required fees, books, technology, and any travel or placement costs - not scholarship advertisements alone.
Top 10 Best Online Colleges With Scholarship Options
Business Programs
Online business master's programs include the MBA, master's in accounting, and specialized degrees in analytics or management. Compare scholarships at the program level: a university-wide award may exclude graduate students or professional degrees. An MBA may suit experienced professionals seeking broader management training; a specialized degree may better fit a specific skill gap. Check required work experience, prerequisite courses, program fees, and whether an internship or residency adds costs. For accounting, confirm that coursework meets the education rules of the state where you plan to seek licensure.
Healthcare Programs
Online master's programs in public health, healthcare administration, and health informatics prepare students for different work. An MPH may emphasize population health and applied practice; administration focuses on organizational operations; informatics connects healthcare workflows with data systems. Scholarships may be restricted by concentration or professional background. Ask whether fieldwork is required, who arranges a placement, and whether it can be completed locally. A healthcare master's degree does not, by itself, confer a clinical license.
Information Technology Programs
Online master's programs in information technology often cover systems, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, or IT management. Some accept applicants from varied undergraduate majors but require foundation courses; those courses can affect time and aid eligibility. Compare technical labs, capstones, and employer-relevant skills alongside scholarship terms. If your goal is a particular security role, check whether the curriculum supports its experience or certification expectations. A degree is not a substitute for the professional experience many advanced IT positions require.
Computer Science Programs
An online computer science master's degree may emphasize algorithms, software engineering, artificial intelligence, or research. Applicants without a computing background should check prerequisites before comparing award amounts: required bridge courses may add substantial cost. Review whether the program offers a thesis, project, or coursework-only path and whether its scholarship covers prerequisite study. Choose a research-oriented path if you need preparation for doctoral work; a practice-focused option may better serve an existing software career.
Nursing Programs
Online MSN programs often require an active RN license and nursing degree, while an RN-to-MSN pathway has separate entry requirements. Concentrations such as nursing education, leadership, and nurse practitioner preparation have different clinical obligations. Confirm scholarship eligibility for your concentration and whether you must find local preceptors. For an advanced practice goal, verify program accreditation and the licensing and certification rules in your state before enrolling. Online coursework does not eliminate in-person clinical hours.
Psychology Programs
Online psychology master's programs may focus on general psychology, applied behavior, or research; counseling programs are a distinct option with different professional requirements. Do not assume a psychology master's qualifies you to practice as a licensed psychologist. If licensure is your goal, check the specific credential and your state board's education and supervised-practice rules. Compare any practicum requirements and whether scholarships cover the full program, including fieldwork terms. A research-focused program may be a better fit for doctoral preparation than clinical practice.
Education Programs
Online education master's degrees may serve licensed teachers seeking advancement or career changers pursuing initial certification. Those are not interchangeable paths. Before comparing scholarships, determine whether an award covers licensure-track students and whether the program meets your state's teacher-preparation rules. Student teaching, observations, and other placements may require weekday availability even when courses are online. If you already teach, compare leadership, curriculum, and subject-specialist tracks against your district's advancement requirements.
Criminal Justice Programs
Online criminal justice master's programs commonly study policy, administration, criminology, or analysis. They can suit professionals seeking deeper subject knowledge, but a master's is not a universal requirement for law enforcement or promotion. Compare scholarships with employer tuition assistance and check whether awards can be combined. Review capstone or internship requirements if you work irregular shifts. Applicants with a specific federal or state role in mind should check that employer's hiring criteria rather than relying on a program's career examples.
Engineering Programs
Online engineering master's degrees usually build on an undergraduate engineering or closely related technical background. Compare disciplines and laboratory, project, or campus requirements before treating a program as fully remote. Departmental scholarships may be limited to certain specializations or enrollment levels. If professional engineer licensure matters, check your state board's rules and the accreditation status of the undergraduate engineering degree used for eligibility; a master's alone may not resolve an undergraduate accreditation issue.
Social Work Programs
An online MSW can prepare students for social work practice, but field placements take place in person. Advanced-standing tracks generally require a qualifying bachelor's in social work; applicants from other majors typically enter a standard track. That distinction can substantially change total cost and scholarship eligibility. Check the program's social work accreditation, placement support, and your state's licensing requirements. Ask whether an advertised award lasts through fieldwork terms, when paid employment hours may be harder to maintain.
What Are the Best Online Colleges With Scholarships?
There is no single best online college for every scholarship applicant. Penn State World Campus and Oregon State University Ecampus are useful starting points because each publishes information about scholarships for its online student population. Arizona State University's ASU Online students can investigate university scholarship opportunities, but eligibility depends on the individual award. These are comparison candidates, not a claim that every applicant or program qualifies.
The table shows what makes each institution worth checking and what remains to be verified before you count an award in your budget. Scholarship availability, deadlines, and eligibility can change by academic year.
| Online college | Scholarship starting point | Decision-critical check |
| Penn State World Campus | World Campus scholarship information | Eligibility for your credential, course load, and application cycle |
| Oregon State University Ecampus | Ecampus scholarship opportunities | Whether your degree and enrollment meet each award's rules |
| Arizona State University Online | ASU scholarship listings and aid office | Whether a listed award explicitly includes online students |
Compare these options on your intended degree, accredited status, written net-cost estimate, award renewability, and required in-person activities. Students considering other non profit colleges can use the same checklist; nonprofit status alone does not establish scholarship eligibility or a lower price.
Accreditation and scholarship eligibility are separate checks. Institutional accreditation helps determine eligibility for federal student aid, while some fields also require specialized program accreditation. A scholarship listing does not prove either status, and accreditation of the college does not mean every online program meets professional licensing rules.
Use this sequence to narrow your options before spending time on applications:
- Find the exact online degree in the college's current catalog, including any campus, clinical, or placement requirements.
- Confirm the institution and, where relevant, the program with its recognized accreditor or applicable state licensing board.
- Read each scholarship's official eligibility rules for online enrollment, degree level, residency, credit load, and renewal.
- Ask the financial aid office for an estimated award package and identify costs the award will not cover.
Watch for a common red flag: a school that advertises "scholarships available" but cannot identify which awards an online student in your program may apply for.
Complete the FAFSA for the academic year you will attend if you want to be considered for federal aid and any institutional awards that require it. Submit it as early as practical, because college and state aid deadlines can differ from the federal deadline. The FAFSA is an application for aid, not an automatic scholarship award.
Scholarships often have a separate process. These steps help prevent an otherwise eligible application from being missed:
- Check the college's aid portal and your program department for awards open to online students.
- Record each deadline, essay or recommendation requirement, minimum enrollment level, and renewal condition.
- Submit the FAFSA and scholarship applications, then monitor your student portal for verification requests.
- Compare the final aid offer with your full cost estimate and ask how outside scholarships affect other aid.
If you are starting with an associate's degree and plan to transfer, ask both institutions which scholarships are reserved for first-time students and which remain open to transfers. Also request a degree-specific transfer evaluation; accepted credits do not necessarily satisfy your intended major.
Online students may encounter institutional merit awards, need-based awards, department scholarships, transfer scholarships, employer-sponsored assistance, and outside scholarships. Some awards are restricted to undergraduates, residents of a particular state, or students taking a minimum course load. Others require annual reapplication. Federal Pell Grants are need-based grants for eligible undergraduates, not scholarships; graduate students generally cannot use them.
The most useful distinction is usable aid versus advertised aid. A large one-time scholarship may be worth less over an entire degree than a smaller renewable award. Ask whether the scholarship applies to summer courses, prerequisite classes, and mandatory fees, and whether reducing your enrollment will change it. Be cautious of any scholarship service demanding payment to apply.
The cost after aid is your tuition and required expenses minus grants and scholarships you can actually use. Loans do not reduce the price of college; they change when you pay it. The College Board's 2024-25 average published tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year colleges was $11,610. That campus-sector benchmark is not an online-program price or your likely net cost, but it shows why comparing only a scholarship amount is misleading.
This comparison separates charges that schools may quote differently. Use each college's current, program-specific figures when building your own estimate.
| Cost component | Why it changes the comparison |
| Tuition and mandatory fees | Online, graduate, and out-of-state rates may differ from headline undergraduate rates. |
| Books and technology | Required materials, equipment, and software may not be covered by an award. |
| Travel and placements | Residencies, labs, or local clinical requirements can add costs. |
| Grants and renewable scholarships | Eligibility, covered terms, and renewal rules determine the reduction in cost. |
| Accepted transfer credits | Credits that fulfill degree requirements may reduce remaining coursework and charges. |
Request a term-by-term estimate through graduation. A low per-credit rate can still lead to a higher total bill if the program requires more credits or an award expires before completion.
Undergraduate online colleges commonly request a high school credential or evidence of prior college work. Graduate programs generally require a bachelor's degree and may set program-specific prerequisites, professional experience, a portfolio, or licensure requirements. Test policies and GPA thresholds vary; admission to the university does not guarantee admission to a selective major or clinical track.
Transfer applicants should request an evaluation showing how credits apply to general education, major, and elective requirements - not merely how many the school accepts. Ask about minimum grades, course age limits, and credits you must complete at the new institution. If admission depends on finishing prerequisites first, include those courses in your scholarship and cost comparison.
An online degree can cover the same academic subject as a campus-based degree, but the experience may differ substantially. Some courses allow students to view materials on their own schedule; others require live sessions and fixed deadlines. Nursing, teaching, social work, and similar programs may combine online coursework with in-person placements.
Online study may reduce commuting and make relocation unnecessary. Campus study may offer easier access to particular labs, facilities, or face-to-face activities. Neither format is automatically cheaper or faster. Compare required credits, course availability, support services, placement arrangements, and total cost for the specific program - then choose the format whose obligations you can reliably meet.
Career options depend more on your field, credential level, experience, and applicable license than on whether you studied online. Business graduates may pursue operations or accounting-related work; computing graduates may seek software or systems roles; education and healthcare graduates must check role-specific certification or licensing requirements. A degree does not guarantee employment, promotion, or a particular salary.
If a prior conviction affects your plans, investigate both admission policies and occupational restrictions before paying tuition. Guidance on online degrees for felons can help frame that search, but a school's willingness to admit you does not establish eligibility for a regulated profession. Ask the relevant state board about your circumstances before choosing a licensure-oriented program.
How Should You Choose a Reputable Online College and Program?
Choose an online college by working backward from your intended credential and career requirements, then comparing schools on the same cost and eligibility assumptions. A strong option is one you can enter, afford, complete in its actual format, and use for your goal - not simply the one with the largest advertised scholarship.
Before committing, get clear answers to these final comparison questions:
- Is my exact program offered online, and what live sessions, campus visits, labs, or placements are required?
- Which scholarships am I eligible for now, what expenses do they cover, and how do I renew them?
- How many of my existing credits satisfy this degree, and what must I complete here?
- What will I owe across the expected completion period after grants and scholarships, excluding loans?
- Does the program meet any accreditation, certification, or state licensing requirements for my goal?
These checks matter just as much when comparing an online masters degree. Graduate awards may be more limited, and an advertised short timeline may assume full-time study, prior preparation, or a particular course sequence.
Other Things You Should Know About
Yes. Online learners can qualify for Federal Pell Grants if they complete the FAFSA, show financial need, and enroll in an eligible program at a Title IV school. For 2026–27, the federal Pell Grant maximum is $7,395, and scholarships may be added separately.
Not for every scholarship. Many colleges use FAFSA information for need-based institutional aid, while other awards have separate applications. Check each award's requirements and deadlines.
Usually not. Institutional awards generally apply only at the awarding school; outside scholarships have their own restrictions. Confirm that the award can be used for your college and online program.
Ask for a full aid offer and estimate the remaining tuition, fees, materials, and any required travel or placements. Compare that amount across schools, and treat loans as borrowing rather than a price reduction.
- Cost of Attendance (Budget) | 2025-2026 Federal Student Aid Handbook https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/fsa-handbook/2025-2026/vol3/ch2-cost-attendance-budget
- College Affordability and Transparency | ed.gov http://www.ed.gov/higher-education/paying-college/college-affordability-and-transparency
- Types of Aid and Eligibility | Federal Student Aid https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/learn/types.jsp
- Finding and Applying for Scholarships | studentaid.gov https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/scholarships
- Scholarship renewal guide | Tuition and Aid | ASU https://tuition.asu.edu/scholarship-renewal-guide
- Academic Scholarship Renewal Policy | Gordon College https://www.gordon.edu/admissions/financial-aid/resources/renew-scholarship
- Scholarships | Student Services Center - NC State University https://studentservices.ncsu.edu/finances/scholarships-and-financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/
- Institutional Scholarship Renewal Requirements | WVU Hub https://hub.wvu.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/renewal-reqs
- Your Guide to ASU Online Scholarships https://asuonline.asu.edu/newsroom/asu-online-news/asu-online-scholarship-guide/
- Financial aid/scholarships and VA/TA benefits | ku.edu https://masc.ku.edu/aid
