WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
Reimagine the Path to Your Degree at WGU
LEARN MORE ABOUT WGU
Send me more information about WGU.
Earn a respected online bachelor’s while living your life
You shouldn’t have to drop everything to go to school. At WGU, you won’t have to. Our accredited degree programs are built to accommodate your busy life. If you’re ready to get to work, we’re here to help, with accredited online bachelor's programs uniquely built to fit your busy schedule.
- Respected degree programs. Earn a degree from an accredited online university, teaching you real-world skills for a career in business, IT, healthcare, or education.
- Finish faster and get higher ROI. Competency-based education means you learn relevant skills as fast as you're able, so you can graduate faster and save money.
- Affordable tuition. Benefit from lower tuition and scholarships available for all degrees.
Discover Your Strengths, Get Degree Suggestions, and Plan Your Career Path
Take our degree placement quiz to receive personalized guidance based on your strengths and career goals. No obligation, no pressure!
WGU Grad Lands Dream Job at Nintendo
“I am applying almost everything I learned in my MBA to what I’m doing in my day-to-day at Nintendo."
Degrees You Can Afford
At WGU, we want to ensure everyone has access to an affordable bachelor's degree. That's why we work to keep our tuition at about half the cost of other online universities.
Our tuition is also charged per six-month term, not per credit. So you can complete more classes each term to finish your program faster and save money. Generous scholarships make your degree even more affordable.
Formatted for Your Busy Life
School should fit into your schedule, not the other way around. At WGU, there are no set log-in times or test dates. You’re truly in the driver's seat of your education.
This competency-based approach is core to our student focus and our goal to become the University of You—a university that is dedicated to delivering what YOU need to succeed. With 24/7 access to online learning resources to engage with on your schedule, you can embark on a learning journey tailored exactly to your own knowledge—focusing on areas where you need more help and moving quickly through areas you already know or understand. In addition, faculty members are here to provide personalized, one-on-one learning support.
Undergraduate degrees at about half the cost*
You pay tuition per six-month term, not per course or credit. So when you move faster through your courses, you also lower your total bill!
WGU students pay about half the tuition* and end up with about half the debt of the national average.**
- Low, flat-rate tuition.
- Graduate faster and with less debt.
- Financial aid and scholarships available.
- Online education with supportive faculty.
- VA and military benefits accepted.
- Great return on investment.
- All course materials for a low, flat fee.
*WGU average annual bachelor’s tuition rates are 53% lower than the national average, compared to national rates reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System in 2023.
**WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).
Frequently Asked Questions at WGU
- Tuition and Financial Aid
- Learning at WGU
- Online Learning at WGU
- Admissions & Enrollment
WGU is approved to offer federal student aid. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates. This video shows more about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
- How to apply
- Eligibility requirements
- Examples of scholarships
- What happens after you apply
- FAQs
- Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
You will be expected to maintain regular communication with your Program Mentor while enrolled at WGU.
During a student's first term, the Program Mentor and student meet once each week by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments until the student achieves on-time progress (OTP).
After the first term, for students who meet and maintain on-time progress (OTP), the Program Mentor and student meet at least once every two weeks by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments.
For students on financial aid warning, probation, or termination, the Program Mentor and student meet at least once each week by phone for a substantive discussion about engaging learning resources and assessments until the student achieves OTP.
WGU offers flexible pacing, meaning you can move through courses at a pace that meets your learning style and knowledge level. Students can go as fast as they can but not as slowly. Students are required to complete a minimum number of competency units per term to meet on-time progress. However, if you choose to study at 3 am daily, that we can accommodate.
Your personal progress will be determined by the extent of your transfer units, your time commitment, and your determination to proceed at a faster rate. Traditionally, without an associate’s degree or equivalent, it will take 2 to 2.5 years. Master's degree programs are designed to be completed within 2 years. However, we work on a competency-based model, which gives you credit for passing assessments and proving you can perform a task or understand a course of study proficiently.
Yes! If you are able to complete the minimum requirement before your term is over, you can add more courses, with no tuition increase.
Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.
An accredited online college offers the same valuable and respected degrees that an on-campus college offers. The main difference is that online colleges offer you flexibility in your program. For example, you don't have to go to campus and sit in a classroom. You can move faster through courses. You are largely independent in your education. These are benefits that help many students pursue degrees who may not be able to attend an on-campus college.
It depends on the type of degree and online school you choose. Some online bachelor's degree programs will take 4+ years, and some online master's degrees will take 2+ years.
However, WGU is designed to help students accelerate their online degrees. Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that, on average, students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.
Source: WGU internal data
We may be biased, but we believe WGU is truly the best online college. Our unique education model, affordable tuition, and complete flexibility mean that students are truly in charge of their own education.
An online degree helps you learn skills and earn credentials that will boost your résumé and prepare you for a meaningful career. Either a bachelor's or master's degree will be key in helping you be prepared for a new job, promotion, or salary increase. The specific jobs you can be qualified for with an online degree will depend on the specific degree you pursue.
An accredited online college offers the same valuable and respected degrees that an on-campus college offers. The main difference is that online colleges offer you flexibility in your program. For example, you don't have to go to campus and sit in a classroom. You can move faster through courses. You are largely independent in your education. These are benefits that help many students pursue degrees who may not be able to attend an on-campus college.
It depends on the type of degree and online school you choose. Some online bachelor's degree programs will take 4+ years, and some online master's degrees will take 2+ years. However, WGU is designed to help students accelerate their online degrees. Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that on average students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.
Typically online universities are able to offer less expensive tuition compared to brick and mortar universities. This is often because there are less building maintenance requirements, staffing needs, living expenses for students, etc. At WGU for example, tuition for an undergraduate program is approximately $4,005 for a six-month term. This is much lower than most online and traditional degree programs.
WGU has a generous transfer policy. Our transcripts department can accept official copies of transcripts from your previous educational institutions for a course-by-course evaluation that compares the context of your courses to those in our programs, to tell you what is comparable and transferable.
Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.
It depends on the program you are interested in pursuing. Some programs will have additional requirements however, the general admissions process is as follows:
- Complete the enrollment application
- Contact Enrollment at 866-225-5948 to go over the program and admissions process specific to your desired degree program
- Submit official transcripts
- If desired, complete FAFSA form for financial aid
The enrollment process can take approximately 4-6 weeks. Start dates are the first of each month once enrollment has been completed.
Every school sets its own guidelines however, accreditation plays a big part in recognition and acceptance. WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation. WGU graduates go on to continue their education at many colleges and universities. When WGU alumni self-report acceptance into graduate or doctorate programs, we add the university to a list so you can see where WGU graduates are continuing to pursue higher education.
