University of the People

What is the cost of studying for a year at University of the People?

University of the People charges no tuition, but attending is not cost-free. Its published model includes an application fee and course assessment fees. IPEDS figures for 2024-25 report $0 undergraduate tuition and $1,400 in required fees for a full-time academic year, with the same reported amounts for in-state and out-of-state students.

• Undergraduate tuition, 2024-25 IPEDS: $0 for both in-state and out-of-state students.
• Undergraduate required fees, 2024-25 IPEDS: $1,400 for a full-time academic year.
• Graduate tuition, 2024-25 IPEDS: $0 for both in-state and out-of-state students.
• Graduate required fees, 2024-25 IPEDS: $3,500 for a full-time academic year.

Those annual reporting figures are not a quote for an individual degree. The amount a student pays depends on the current assessment fee per course, the number of courses taken, accepted transfer credit, any repeated courses, and applicable assistance. Students should calculate a degree estimate from the current fee schedule and their planned course load, rather than multiplying an annual IPEDS figure by an assumed number of years.

Budget separately for internet access, a suitable computer, and personal living costs. The university does not provide campus housing or a meal plan, so a conventional residential room-and-board charge is not part of its published student experience. Financial assistance may reduce fees for eligible students, but tuition-free instruction does not mean every student will owe the same amount.

What are the work-study opportunities at University of the People?

Students should not assume that University of the People offers Federal Work-Study or a conventional pool of on-campus student jobs. Its online structure provides no ordinary residential-campus job market, and Federal Work-Study is a specific financial-aid program - not a general term for working while enrolled.

Some students may combine their studies with employment in their own communities or seek independent remote work. Such jobs are separate from university financial aid, and an internship is separate from either unless an employer and academic program have formally arranged it. Students who need paid work to cover course fees should build a budget around income they can reasonably secure, rather than an unconfirmed campus position.