This article isn’t an endorsement of Andrew Jackson University, rather it is our way of shining the light on the various happenings across academia.

Probably the most important concern for students and their parents when it comes to college is how to pay for it. Indeed, even when scholarships and grant money is offered tuition bills can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Thus, when we learned that a school based in Alabama has a program in place that charges no tuition, our interest was naturally piqued.

As a backgrounder, Andrew Jackson University or AJU is a for-profit, online or distance learning school. AJU offers Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees in Business and Criminal Justice, with Communication, Public Administration, Health Care Management, and Psychology among the other degrees offered. Formed in 1994, the university has been accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).

Sponsored Tuition Program Now Available

In a novel way of helping students cover the cost of their tuition, AJU has developed a sponsored tuition program where private companies cover tuition costs in exchange for enrollment in their programs. Three companies are currently acting as sponsors; I chose one of them when I signed up which involved me sharing minimal personal information about myself (email, phone, address). You are required to pay a $75 application fee to enroll and, if accepted into the program you’re responsible for covering the cost of your books and certain fees.

AJU President Don Kassner explained the university’s zero tuition program in a recently released press release by saying, “Most universities spend a tremendous amount of money to recruit students. Many spend as much as thirty-five percent of their revenue on marketing and advertising. They have to keep their tuition high to recover these costs. We eliminated these costs by structuring relationships with strategic partners that refer potential students to us. Therefore, we can operate a quality, degree granting institution without the escalating tuition and excessive fees deemed necessary by many schools.”

AJU’s sponsored tuition program is currently limited to one hundred students per month, but the university has plans to increase that number gradually over time.

(Source: Andrew Jackson University)

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Tags: Alabama, Andrew Jackson University, associates degree, Bachelor's Degree, Birmingham, distance learning, internet, masters degree

The internet is a terrific leveling field as it provides a solid way for people to connect from across the world regardless of their age, gender, social status, or ethnicity. It is almost hard to believe that before the mid-1990s, online access was very uncommon, but today even some tribesmen in remote African villages are now online.

Schools of higher education were among the first users touting the benefits of the internet, with the University of Phoenix getting its start in the 1980s, well before “modem” was a household word. Today, hundreds of schools are offering online degrees, including the following grad programs from five top flight universities:

Edinburgh Business School (EBS) — Located in Scotland, EBS is part of Heriot-Watt University and has a global reputation for providing an excellent MBA degree. Online learning is typically very expensive, but an MBA from EBS will cost approximately $15,000, adjusted for monetary variations.

Stanford Center For Professional Development — Stanford University’s reputation comes to your home computer, allowing students to receive grad degrees in Engineering.

Florida State University — FSU’s College of Social Work was one of the first schools to offer masters degrees to students, making their program available online in 2001.

The Franklin Institute Online — Drexel University’s Franklin Institute is educating students seeking an MS in Education. For taking classes online, Franklin offers students a 10-25% discount on tuition.

Carnegie Mellon — You can receive your Master in Software Engineering online thanks to a program developed by Carnegie Mellon.

Some schools, including Duke University, require grad students to spend a portion of their time on campus while pursuing a degree. Of course, this can severely limit people who cannot travel to Durham, North Carolina, but it may be an option for those who can.

Yes, online learning continues to grow and expand with schools offering certificates; associate, bachelor, and master degrees; even awarding doctorates over the internet.

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Tags: Carnegie Mellon, distance learning, Drexel, Duke University, Edinburgh School of Business, Florida State, Franklin Institute, online learning, Stanford University, University of Phoenix