FAQ

The University of Nebraska (NU Online) is a partnership of the four campuses of the University of Nebraska: University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The NU Online website brings together the online programs offered by the four campuses into one convenient place where students can find what they are looking for. NU Online helps connect students with the ‘home campus’ of their program of interest.

Online degree and certificate programs are offered through one of the four campuses of the University of Nebraska, which include the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Omaha, University of Nebraska at Kearney and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. When you select a program of interest, you will be connected to the appropriate campus where you will apply for admission, be assigned an academic adviser, enroll in courses and pay tuition and fees. In some programs, you may take classes from more than one campus – but you will always be considered a student of your University of Nebraska home campus.

No. Our online students are University of Nebraska students and online students’ transcripts and diplomas look the same as those of any other University of Nebraska student, including any academic distinctions earned.

Neither your transcript nor your diploma identifies you as an online student. Undergraduate degrees and certificates are issued by the home campus; all graduate degrees are issued by the University of Nebraska.

Most University of Nebraska degree and certificate programs are offered completely online, with no requirements to attend classes on campus.

A few graduate-level programs require a short residency, or require one weekend day each month on campus, and a few programs require a face-to-face orientation; these programs are noted as a “Blended Program.” 

University of Nebraska online courses the same quality as you would expect from a leading university. Students find the NU experience to be convenient, flexible and high quality.

Students who have never taken a course online may be surprised to find that the rigor, depth of information and time demands are similar to those in a traditional classroom. To be successful, online students should expect to spend approximately 9-12 hours per week, per course, studying and completing assignments.

Since communication with instructors and classmates is often via e-mail, discussion groups and chat sessions, students who achieve optimal success and satisfaction with online courses are those who enjoy writing and engagement with their instructor and classmates. Successful online students tend to be highly motivated and self-disciplined in arranging time for studying and completing assignments in a timely manner. Online students also need a solid set of basic computer skills (e.g. Downloading and installing software, using e-mail and web browsers) and should be willing to call upon our support services when needed.

Online courses allow you to attend class virtually from anywhere there is internet access – at home, at school or at the library. Most courses follow a traditional semester schedule, with a fixed beginning and end date. However, many programs offer an 8-week sessions. Visit the program page of your program of interest for specifics.

Although some courses require you to be online at a specific time (synchronous courses), most allow you to choose (asynchronous courses) when you want to participate in the course.

At the University of Nebraska, the same instructors who teach on campus teach online courses. The instructor develops the curriculum, conducts the class, gives assignments, answers questions, leads discussions and assigns grades. Students are expected to begin the first week of class and work regularly throughout the semester. Online courses are often highly interactive with faculty and students communicating through e-mail, discussion forums and chat groups.

A majority of online programs use the learning management system, Canvas. Students complete coursework and interact with faculty and join a community of learners through this system. 

The cost of earning a degree from the University of Nebraska is very competitive with, and often far less than, other online institutions. Tuition costs vary depending on your student status and degree program.

Check the Tuition and Fees tab found in each program of study for specific information.

Yes. Students who pursue a degree via digital learning may be eligible for financial aid, including scholarships, grants and loans. The Office of Financial Aid at your home campus will answer your questions, provide information and help you find options to finance your education.

Online students who are enrolled in a degree program, are taking at least 6 credits per semester, and who meet all other federal eligibility requirements, may also be eligible to receive federal student aid. Non-degree seeking students do not qualify for federal financial aid, including federal student loans.

To be eligible for most need-based aid programs, your financial need must first be determined by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing the FAFSA opens the doors to other forms of financial aid. Assistance in completing the FAFSA can be found on the FAFSA website.

Contact financial aid services at your home campus: 

• University of Nebraska at Kearney (Federal School Code: 002551)
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln (Federal School Code: 002565)
• University of Nebraska at Omaha (Federal School Code: 002554)
• University of Nebraska Medical Center (Federal School Code: 006895)

Specific application deadlines can be found on the Admissions tab of each program page.

In general, application deadlines for undergraduate programs fall to the following timeframe: 

• January: For financial support in the coming academic year
• May - August: Fall Semester
• December - January: Spring Semester
• April - May: Summer Sessions

Generally, graduate programs follow the timeframes listed below:

• March 1: Fall Semester
• September 1: Spring Semester
• February 1: Summer Sessions

Rolling Admissions: This means that application packages are accepted throughout the year and evaluated as they are received. Individuals who are accepted are notified and may begin the program in an upcoming semester.

Students who wish to complete an online program at the University of Nebraska must meet the same admission requirements as those individuals attending on campus. Minimum requirements must be met and some programs have additional requirements.

Some students who do not meet admission requirements can be accepted into a program based on their academic record. An advisor will review their transcripts and work with those students to identify any courses that must be taken as a pre-requisite to admission.

General Admission Requirements:

Undergraduate Programs: To qualify for admission, a student must be a graduate of an accredited high school, or equivalent, and must either have graduated in the top half of his or her class or have achieved an ACT composite score of 20 [enhanced] or greater, or an SAT total score of 950 or greater. (These requirements may not apply if you graduated from high school prior to 1997.)

Graduate Programs: Admission to graduate programs is determined by the graduate studies office and the department offering the program following a review of each student’s application, transcripts and other required information.

All Programs: To view specific requirements for the program in which you are interested, click on the program you want to apply for and view the Admissions tab. Request more information or contact us if you still have questions.

Steps to Admission: 

1. Find your desired program from our list of more than 150 online programs.
2. Review program information, including admission requirements or other requirements that may be specific to that program.
3. Request information for that program or click "Apply Now" to go to the application page. 

With the exception of a few graduate programs, most programs follow the University of Nebraska Academic Calendar, with classes beginning in August, January and at various times through the summer months. Check the Admissions tab under your program of interest for specific information.

Yes, many international students attend NU, both on campus and online. International students must complete an application (undergraduate or graduate), pay any required application fee, submit transcripts from each high school or college attended, and provide evidence of English language proficiency.

Each application for admission is carefully reviewed for strong academic preparation and excellent student performance. You may be asked to send your transcripts to a firm accredited by NACES. In other cases, international admissions specialists who are knowledgeable about the educational systems of other countries will evaluate your academic records. An undergraduate admissions team or graduate studies team will guide you through the requirements for your situation.

Please review the program description for the program in which you are interested; this will describe the requirements for demonstrating language proficiency and any requirements for your presence on campus. You will not need an I-20, or a visa, if you do not plan to visit campus in person.

University of Nebraska campuses are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission which creates a pathway for credit transfer between accredited institutions. Credits from online courses will transfer to the same extent that credits from traditional on-campus courses will transfer. Students who wish to take courses at the University of Nebraska and transfer those credits to another university should contact the receiving university to ensure they understand what credits would be accepted and how those might apply to a program.

The University of Nebraska welcomes transfer students, and will work with you to determine which of your academic credits will transfer.

Undergraduate transfer students

Academic colleges or departments typically look for:

• Credits that were earned at other regionally accredited institutions or an equivalent
• Earned course grades that are equivalent to a grade of A, B, or C (2.0) at the University of Nebraska
• Completed courses that would be relevant to your program of study

It is often helpful to provide syllabi for courses you hope to transfer in. This helps academic advisors and registrars determine whether courses taken elsewhere are parallel to the University of Nebraska course expectations.

Graduate transfer students

Acceptance of transfer credits for graduate courses completed at another institution is determined by the academic department. No more than half of the required coursework can be transferred. A few general rules follow:

1. Credits that were earned at other regionally accredited institutions or an equivalent
2. Earned course grades that are equivalent to a grade of A, B, or C (2.0) at the University of Nebraska
3. Completed courses that would be relevant to your program of study
4. The courses you want to transfer must appear on a graduate-level transcript from a regionally accredited institution
5. Courses appearing as undergraduate level on your transcript cannot be transferred to a University of Nebraska graduate degree program
6. You will need to submit official copies of your academic transcripts to the academic department hosting the degree program to which you are applying for admission
7. Click on your program of interest, and then the admissions tab to see the admissions process and requirements for that program
8. For more details regarding the transfer of graduate-level credits, contact the graduate program coordinator for your program of interest.

Decisions regarding credit transfers are made by the home campus for the program to which you wish to apply. The home campus is identified in the Program Description for each program. Transfer practices vary by campus. Please refer to transferring credits for more information

Yes. Many courses can be taken as a non-degree seeking student before you are formally admitted into a program. In many cases there is a limit to the number of credit hours you can earn as a non-degree seeking student. Please check with your specific program of interest.