University of the People

The University of the People (UoPeople) is the Education Revolution

University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally.

UoPeople provides a unique and essential opportunity for qualified high school graduates to overcome financial, geographic, political, and personal barriers to higher education. Our tuition-free model offers students an affordable solution to earn a quality degree with minimal fees, which are waived if a student cannot afford them.

Founded in 2009 and accredited in 2014, UoPeople currently serves 152,933 students from 209 countries and territories. These include over 18,824 students who are refugees and 4,328 Afghan women studying online from the safety of their homes.

Quality higher education, Tuition-Free

Specifically designed for real-world applicability to in-demand careers, the University offers accredited certificates, associate and bachelor's degree programs in Business Administration, Computer Science, and Health Science, as well as master’s degree programs in Business Administration, Information Technology, and Education.

UoPeople's success is best reflected in the career paths of our graduates. UoPeople graduates are employed at companies such as Amazon, Apple, Dell, Deloitte, IBM, Microsoft, and JP Morgan and organizations such as the UN and the World Bank.

Prominent educational leadership

UoPeople is led by Founder and President Shai Reshef and a distinguished group of international trustees and advisors. President Reshef’s dedication to democratizing education and fostering a more peaceful world earned him the Yidan Prize for Educational Development, regarded as "the Nobel Prize of higher education".

UoPeople is staffed by thousands of volunteers, including President Reshef, the distinguished members of our international boards of trustees and advisors, and our faculty. The President’s Council consists of two dozen leaders from the world’s foremost institutions, including Berkeley, Columbia, George Washington, Vassar, and the American University of Cairo (see here for the full list). More than 43,000 professionals have volunteered for leadership roles, serving as deans, administrators, or faculty. UoPeople also has collaborations with the University of Edinburgh, Effat University, McGill University and NYU.

The university's operations are generously supported by individuals, corporations, foundations, and institutions, including the Gates, Hewlett, and Ford Foundations, Fondation Hoffmann, and others. These philanthropic contributions provide crucial support for UoPeople operations, development of new projects, and funding scholarships for students in need, enabling thousands of graduates to pursue their educational goals and positively impact their lives.

Our Vision

UoPeople envisions a world in which all qualified high school graduates have access to higher education, regardless of financial, geographic, political, and personal circumstances.

Our Mission

The mission of the University of the People is to offer an accessible, quality education to any qualified student through flexible, affordable, online, accredited degree-granting programs that give graduates the potential to lead successful, fulfilling lives as individuals and members of society.

Our Goals

To provide the opportunity for higher education to students from diverse backgrounds through:

• Utilizing the internet to provide distance education
• Offering programs at minimal costs
• Providing a wide range of financial assistance options
• Promoting the University’s programs in underserved regions of the world

To offer quality programs that:

• Maintain high academic standards
• Include core components to foster critical thinking, communication, and commitment to lifelong learning
• Focus on competencies and skills required for success in the global economy
• Are continually assessed and improved through regular outcome assessment and external reviews
• Promote a culture of shared learning through collaboration, interaction and peer-to-peer teaching and assessment
• Are designed around open educational resources (OER)

To provide students with services that contribute to the achievement of the desired learning outcomes by:

• Engaging in a constant process of continual improvement
• Utilizing technology and automation to improve service and accuracy

To assist students in developing, evaluating, and implementing employment decisions and plans by:

• Helping students develop self-knowledge related to career choice and work preferences
• Providing educational and occupational information to guide students’ career and educational planning and to develop their understanding of the world of work
• Linking students with alumni, employers, and professional organizations that can provide opportunities to integrate academic learning with the work environment and explore future career possibilities

To ensure institutional financial stability and growth through:

• Utilizing volunteers for leadership, academic and administrative work
• Maintaining highly efficient processes
• Developing a community of supporters

Our Values

• Opportunity
• Community
• Integrity
• Quality

Undergraduate Admission

If you’re 16 or older, have completed high school (or home school equivalent), or have completed at least 24 college credits and can study in English, you can apply online today in just a few simple steps. All you need to do is complete our short online application form and choose your admissions pathway, and you will be ready to start studying with us!

Note: Proof of English Proficiency is not a requirement for those wishing to study in Arabic.

Graduate Admission

You can apply online today in just a few simple steps. All you need to do is complete our short online application form and choose your admissions pathway, and you will be ready to start studying with us!

English Proficiency (For Non-Native English Speakers)

Required English Level at UoPeople

UoPeople’s online degree programs are American accredited and are taught in English. Therefore, non-native English speakers must demonstrate that they have a strong level of proficiency in English before beginning their studies toward a degree program at UoPeople. This will enable students to complete their studies successfully in the English language.

Native English speakers automatically meet this requirement and do not need to prove their English level. Additionally, students who graduated from an accredited English-speaking institution will automatically fulfill this requirement and do not need to demonstrate their English proficiency level.

Native English speakers and students who earned a diploma from an accredited English institution automatically fulfill this requirement and do not need to demonstrate English proficiency.

The English as a Second Language (ESL) Program

The English as a Second Language (ESL) program aims to help non-native English speakers improve their English language abilities and equip them with English proficiency at an academic level, allowing them to be successful in their studies.

The English as a Second Language program is comprised of 8 different levels of proficiency. Applicants who wish to study in English must provide test results from an approved English language test. Then, we will determine their English proficiency level and place each student at the relevant level according to their test score. This allows each student to receive a personalized recommendation and sets them up for success based on their specific English level. As such, students may not need to go through all levels of the program.

Demonstrating English Proficiency

If English is not your native language or your previous education was not in English, we will need to understand your English level. During the application process, you will have three options:

1. Upload a diploma/transcript from an institution where English was the language of instruction.
2. Upload test results from an approved English language test.
3. Begin at the highest level of our ESL program, “English Foundations."

Timeline and Procedure

1. After you have submitted your short online application, confirm your email and log in to the UoPeople Portal. There, you will confirm your details, including your native language.
2. If your native language is not English, you’ll have the option to determine your English level.
3. If you have studied at an institution where English was the language of instruction or your test scores are high enough, you will be exempt from the English requirement.
4. At this point in the application process, you will be asked to upload a document proving your English proficiency. This can either be test results from an approved English language test or a diploma/transcript from an institution where English was the language of instruction. If you choose not to set your level, you will be placed in the highest level of our ESL program, “English Foundations.”

Document Upload Instructions:

1. Before uploading your test results, you will need to enter them in the English Level Simulator. This will show you your estimated English level before proceeding. Complete all fields on the form and click “Check My Level.”
   
2. Please note, approved English tests are limited to:
   

• Accuplacer
• CEFR
• Duolingo
• Skill Michigan English Test (MET)
• Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)
• EIKEN
• IELTS
• PTE
• TOEFL IBT
• TOEFL PBT
  • Accuplacer
  • CEFR
  • Duolingo
  • Skill Michigan English Test (MET)
  • Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)
  • EIKEN
  • IELTS
  • PTE
  • TOEFL IBT
  • TOEFL PBT

1. After the estimated English level is displayed, click “Continue” to move on and upload your official test results.
2. For documents that are not test results, please select “other” and then choose the type of document. Please note: The simulator will not provide an estimated level for these types of documents.
3. Choose the file you wish to upload, and then click “Confirm.” If the upload is successful, you will be taken to a screen that shows your request status is “Processing.” Remember, final placement will be provided only once we have received and reviewed the official document.

Accessible

Because millions of people worldwide are excluded from higher education due to financial, geographic, political and personal constraints

Academic Excellence

Our academic leadership comes from top-notch universities, because everyone deserves a high-quality education

World-Changing

In addition to changing individual lives, education promotes justice, peace and prosperity on a global scale

Sustainable

Our model is financially sustainable, even with degrees that cost 95% less than typical American universities

Experienced

Since our founding in 2009, we’ve become one of the world’s most experienced leaders in online education

Innovative

At UoPeople, we do things differently, making the most of new ideas