Just because you’re going to school online doesn’t mean that you education comes cheap. Although you’ll save money in some respects, since your tuition won’t need to help pay for facilities, online degree programs can still be costly. Luckily, if you go to an accredited online school, you’ll qualify for a number of financial aid programs.

Online of the best types of financial aid for students is the scholarships. Scholarships are based on merit, rather than need, and can be awarded based on your grades, SAT/ACT scores, community service, sports skills, talents in the arts, and other special skills or achievements. Some scholarships are awarded based on an essay that applicants write, while others are awarded simply on credentials, such as your high school transcripts. Scholarships can also be based on things like your location, your race, your sex, your heritage, and your family’s activities in the military.

The best part about scholarships is that you don’t have to repay them after you graduate, like you’ll find with most student loans. So, essentially, this is free money for college. If offered by a business, you may be required to take a job offered by that company after you graduate (this is especially common in medical fields), so make sure you read the requirements of the scholarship fully.

Prior to 2006, federal scholarship programs weren’t available to online undergraduate degree students unless they completed at least 50% of their education on a campus. Times have changed, and with more and more students interested in distant learning, that law has been repealed. If you go to college online, you’re eligible along with traditional students, as long as the program of study that you choose is with an accredited college. Students.gov is a good place to get started looking for federal scholarships, as well as grant programs.

Many online degrees programs offer scholarship directly to students. Most colleges, even if they are online, have financial aid departments. By talking to the people in this office, you can learn about scholarships available from your school of choice. There may also be scholarships available specially for your degree program. According to studies, the most popular online degree fields of study are business, health care, education, and engineering, but you can also go to school online for a number of other degrees, including those in art and design, computer sciences, culinary, legal, liberal arts, nursing, and trade industries. There are few undergraduate programs available on campuses that aren’t also available somewhere online.

As a general rule of thumb, as long as your college is accredited, you’ll qualify for any scholarship you find, even if it isn’t specially for online degree students. Before taking the time to fill out the application, especially if they ask you to write an essay, call or email the scholarship committee to make sure that you’re eligible for the funds. Some scholarships are old-fashioned and don’t allow online students to apply, but this is becoming increasingly rare.

Top 10 Online Undergrad Degree Programs

Obtaining an undergraduate degree, either an associate's or a bachelor's, from an accredited college or university will open many doors to new and lucrative careers. The following schools offer undegrad degree programs across a wide array of subjects, including business, education, healthcare, art, and more.

	Kaplan University — Associate's, Bachelor's, Certificate, and Master's Degrees. Kaplan University enjoys a good repuation as one of the largest accredited online undergraduate universities in the country. Degrees from Kaplan are available in a wide variety of fields, ranging from nursing to business to technology, and more.
	Walden University — Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD Degrees. Offering accredited online degree programs in criminal justice, science, business, health, nursing, and more, Walden University is an ideal candidate for any working professional looking to advance his/her career to the next level.
	University of Phoenix — Associate's, Bachelor's, Certificate, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. The University of Phoenix is the largest private university in the United States, with almost 200 campus-based locations in addition to an enormous online presence. Simply put, Phoenix has become synonymous with top quality online undergraduate degrees.
	Ashford University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Ashford's low cost coupled with their reputation for easy credit transfer makes them one of the top online undergraduate colleges available to students in the United States. Their online classes are available 24 hours a day and allow students to work at their own pace, ideal for busy professionals looking to earn a degree.
	Boston University — Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral Degrees. Boston University was founded in 1839, making it one of the oldest colleges that offers degree programs online. Its total enrollment of over 31,000 students makes it one of the largest private universities in the United States.
	Capella University — Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, and Certificate Degrees. Capella University boasts an online study enrollment of over 25,000 professional adults. At Capella, you can pursue a bachelor's, master's, certificate, or doctorate degree program.
	Liberty University — Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD Degrees. Established by the late Reverend Jerry Falwel in 1971 as Lynchburg Christian Academy, Liberty University is the largest undergraduate evangelical Christian university in the United States. It's motto: "Training Champions for Christ."
	DeVry University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. With nearly 100 campuses worldwide, DeVry University is well known as a leader in the online education industry, offering courses of study in numerous programs, including business, science, and the liberal arts.
	American InterContinental University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. American InterContinental University has campus presences in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, and abroad. AIU Online is an extension of the university's campus-based undegraduate degree programs, brought to the student through the convenience of self-paced learning via the Internet.
	Argosy University — Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. Argosy University offers a professional education based on a foundation of academic excellence. Students enrolled in the online programs at Argosy will enjoy a supportive atmosphere. Subjects offered include psychology, business, teaching, and healthcare.
	Strayer University — Associate's, Bachelor's, Certificate, Diploma, and Master's Degrees. Strayer University Online offers a low-cost online learning education from an accredited undergraduate university. The faculty and staff at Strayer bring life to the online curricula, enriching students with exceptional education at unparalleled value.
	Grand Canyon University — Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. Grand Canyon University is a small, nondenominational Christian university located in Phoenix. GCU offers both online- and campus-based undergraduate degree programs in business, education, nursing, entrepreneurships, and liberal arts. GCU also boasts an NCAA Division II athletic programs.
	Everest University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Those looking for top-notch career advancement undergrad schooling need look no further. Everest University specializes in highly targeted industry-specific coursework that enables career-oriented students to gain an edge with continuing education.
	Westwood College — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Westwood College offers career-focused undergraduate degree programs in dozens of subjects. Their degree levels range from diploma to associate to bahelor to master. To date, more than 20,000 have graduated from a Westwood College program.
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