What to Research About Online U.S. Universities

For many prospective international students, deciding to attend a U.S.-based online university is the first step in the path toward completing an undergraduate or graduate degree. But choosing to pursue an online degree can often lead to questions about what to research to find the right fit.

"International students should always do their research to make sure the online degree they are considering will help them achieve their goals," says Evangeline Cummings, assistant provost and director at the University of Florida Online.

Here are three things prospective international students should research in a U.S.-based online university:

Accreditation. Prospective international students should check school websites to ensure an online college is accredited, which means that a school and degree program meet rigorous U.S. educational standards.

"International students and their parents may not have the benefit of familiarity with a university's reputation, so accreditation can assure them of an institution's commitment to a high-quality education," Cummings says. There are several accrediting agencies, she says, and students should check to make sure that the schools they research are accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

For example, the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accrediting agency, looks at factors such as how challenging the coursework is and whether the courses and their faculty mirror the quality of on-campus offerings, says Gerry McCartney, executive vice president for Purdue Online, which was created by Purdue University in Indiana to coordinate its online offerings.

"We want our online students to have the same world-class education they would get had they completed a program on our main campus in the U.S.," McCartney says.

Accreditation is important for other reasons too. Stephanie LeVan, director of the Center for Global Education at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina, says accreditation may affect the ability to transfer credits to other U.S. universities and schools around the world.

"For example, if a student needs to transfer schools before graduation and the attending school is not regionally accredited in the U.S., it may mean that the earned credits would be lost, or not accepted by an accredited school," she says.

Accreditation also has other advantages. McCartney says employers may require applicants to have received a degree from an accredited school or program, and that accreditation can also be a factor in corporate tuition reimbursement.

Acceptance of online degree at home. Another aspect for international students to research is whether their home-country government accepts online degrees and considers a specific program to be valid, experts say.

"Although online education is increasing in both acceptance and popularity globally, not all countries accept online degrees. Additionally, because countries are now competing for students globally, some countries have more protective policies to prioritize their own national online programs in higher education. When making an investment in education, always do your homework," LeVan says.

International students who have received home-country government funding or scholarships should check to make sure that online coursework is allowed, Cummings says. International students receiving grants or scholarships from the U.S. would likely not have such restrictions, she says.

In addition, many countries have their own criteria for degree recognition, LeVan says, so students should ensure their country of residence will recognize their degree.

"International students should understand that programs built for U.S. universities are based on U.S. standards, and those standards may not apply in other countries," says Tricia Berry, associate dean and director of clinical and practicum programs at Purdue Global's School of Health Sciences.

For example, she says, health information management programs in the U.S. are based on U.S. standards for the management of medical records, medical billing and medical coding.

"Other countries may use very different systems and processes, so the information in that type of degree program might not apply in another country," Berry says.

Student services and support. It's also important to research an online school's level of support for international students and online students, such as counseling, tutoring, career resources and tech support.

Many online schools like Arizona State University and Pennsylvania State University—World Campus, which offers Penn State degrees entirely online, have webpages devoted to international students with links to their support services.

"I always let online students know they have access to all the support services as a traditional on-campus student. That includes the writing center, tutoring center, career center, library, etc.," says Marc Embler, associate vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College of Adult and Professional Studies at Charleston Southern University.

Student support can be a make or break factor in success, McCartney says, and adds "if you're shopping for an online program, this is an area you should explore and consider closely." He says Purdue tries to make technical and academic support easy through the school's web portal, email, call center and chat feature with expert enrollment advisers to support online students.

"Ensuring that students have the ability to connect to instructors and advisers is important in the success of international students who may be thousands of miles from our campus," Cummings says.

Support can also come from connecting with other online students. Cummings says UF Online offers a virtual student meeting place where students can receive the latest university news and join groups of students based on location, major or specific classes and interest area. She says students can also start a new group.

"With over 4,000 students, they are sure to find others with similar interests," Cummings says.

Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center.