University of the People Is the First, Non-Profit Tuition-Free American-Accredited Online University

In February 2025, University of the People (UoPeople) achieved something rare for tuition-free, online universities: a Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation. This puts it in the same league as the University of Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, and more.

It’s a milestone for UoPeople, but it means something more for its 170,000 students in 200+ countries. It also means you don’t have to second-guess the university’s quality, mission, or recognition.

And before we get to how the accreditation benefits the students, let’s understand what it really means.

What Does Accreditation Mean?

Think of accreditation as a quality control check for a university. It’s a gold standard in academics that reflects a university’s work in higher education.

WASC is one of six regional accrediting agencies in the United States officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

It rates universities on four standards, according to its Handbook of Accreditation. The accreditation confirms that UoPeople:

• Clearly defines its education mission, values, and culture, and operates with integrity and transparency
• Achieves educational and student success with the core functions of teaching and learning, and offers student support
• Invests in human, physical, fiscal, technology, and information resources for appropriate decision-making
• Reflects on its effectiveness and works toward its future goals of improvement

In addition to the WASC accreditation, UoPeople is also recognized by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a national educational accreditation agency in the U.S. specializing in distance education institutions.

Today, there are 4,000 accredited universities with degree programs, WASC has around 195 accredited universities, and only 60 universities are recognized by the DEAC.

The fact that UoPeople is accredited validates its quality of education and reflects the competence of the faculty and staff responsible for robust structures, processes, and resources.

The Journey Toward the Accreditation

There are two major stages to get an accreditation: check for eligibility and get the accreditation.

UoPeople received WASC Accreditation Eligibility in March 2020. Once it was potentially accreditable, it got the accreditation in February 2025.

This standard check included self-assessment, peer review, site visits, and continuous improvement plans. The accreditation process involved:

1. Comprehensive institutional self-study documenting compliance with WASC standards
2. Peer review evaluation by experienced educators and administrators
3. Rigorous reviews examining all aspects of the institution
4. Continuous improvement initiatives to meet and exceed accreditation criteria

The process doesn’t stop here. Even after accreditation is granted, UoPeople is expected to undergo evaluations every five to ten years. This is to ensure its adherence to the required academic standards.

This process by WASC (a third-party accreditor approved by the Department of Education, USA) keeps a check on the quality of education, the outcomes of the learning model, and the global impact that UoPeople has.

Why UoPeople Deserves the Accreditation

Academic Quality and Standards

If you look at the no-cost tuition and all-online learning aspects, you might doubt the quality of the program or the experience, or both. A student, Maung Sawyeddollah, from Myanmar, mentioned thinking it was a scam until he signed up for a course.

WASC accreditation is the answer to your doubts about the degree falling short. First, let’s look at what the programs offer.

If you’re looking for a degree in computer science, here’s what UoPeople’s curriculum looks like.

Plus, the program aims to instill industry-relevant skills.

Accreditation confirms that UoPeople offers:

• Rigorous degree programs with specializations in areas like finance, data science, and network security. The extensive reading materials include Open Educational Resources (OER) with current, industry-relevant content.
• Qualified faculty, including professors from renowned institutions like NYU, Columbia, the University of Edinburgh, and more. These include Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin (Professor at NYU Stern School of Business) and President Emeritus John Sexton (former President of NYU and current Chairman of UoPeople’s President’s Council), among others.
• Personalized student support through a dedicated advisor assigned from the first day until graduation. Plus, specialized support offices such as the Office of Academic Affairs and the Peer Assessment Office (with trained advisors).
• Well-rounded assessments and evaluation systems based on peer and instructor feedback. This collaborative approach is crucial for critical thinking skills and getting multiple perspectives on the work.

Overall, you get a holistic program learning industry-relevant skills from esteemed faculty and getting diverse feedback, along with, of course, an accredited degree.

Innovative Educational Model

As a part of the accreditation process, WASC has checked UoPeople’s innovative yet effective learning features.

Peer-to-Peer Feedback

Students review and grade each other’s work while being reviewed by three other classmates. WASC accreditation confirms that this pedagogical approach meets academic standards.

Open Educational Resources (OER) Model

The learning materials and textbooks at the University of the People are Open Education Resources (OER), which means they’re free. The WASC accreditation validates that this cost-effective model maintains educational quality while dramatically reducing costs.

Global Volunteering Model

UoPeople relies on thousands of volunteer academics to help students. WASC accreditation has confirmed that this innovative staffing model can deliver quality education.

The accreditation process ensures that, despite using volunteer faculty, free learning material, and having peer-to-peer feedback, the institution maintains appropriate academic oversight and quality control.

Integrity and Governance

WASC’s intensive review process approved UoPeople’s core systems, from business operations to data management, ensuring they’re scalable and sustainable as the student population grows.

It has also focused on how UoPeople uses data to continuously improve its quality and education experience. Finally, it has affirmed its financial sustainability and operational viability, which was crucial for UoPeople’s unique tuition-free model.

Global Impact

To date, UoPeople has educated around 18,000 refugees. Whether it’s offering education to 20,000 Syrians after the overthrow of the Assad regime or partnering with Rural Community College Alliance (RCCA) to offer higher education for students in rural America, including tribal communities, UoPeople has a mission to help open access to education to people around the world.

UoPeople President Shai Reshef said, “Receiving WASC accreditation is a historic moment for University of the People and a validation of our mission to provide affordable, high-quality education to those who need it most around the world.”

How Students Benefit from the UoPeople’s Accreditation

Globally-Recognized Certificate

As we mentioned, WASC is recognized as an institutional accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education, and the accreditation places UoPeople among the ranks of UC Berkeley, Stanford, and UCLA. This recognition transforms UoPeople degrees into globally recognized qualifications.

The degrees are also valued by employers, other universities, and professional licensing boards. Accreditation also enables you to more easily transfer credits to other schools.

Quality Assurance at (almost) No Price

Around 80% of the graduates stated that their degree from UoPeople helped them develop the skills required for their career. And 90% would recommend UoPeople to family members, friends, or colleagues.

The WASC accreditation assures students, parents, and employers of UoPeople’s credibility. It confirms that despite being tuition-free, UoPeople maintains educational quality standards similar to traditional universities.

Better Job Opportunities

92% of UoPeople graduates are employed, including at major companies like Amazon, Apple, Dell, Deloitte, IBM, Microsoft, and JP Morgan, as well as institutions such as the UN and the World Bank.

The WASC accreditation also holds value if you want to seek professional licensing opportunities. According to the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions, you might not be able to sit for professional licensure exams if you’re not from an accredited institution.

Professional licensing boards recognize degrees from accredited institutions, which opens doors for UoPeople graduates in fields such as healthcare, education, and business.

Wrapping Up

UoPeople is a revolutionary institution, and the WASC accreditation validates its innovative yet effective approach to higher education. Combining tuition-free access, peer learning, volunteer faculty, and open resources, UoPeople is delivering quality education to anyone, anywhere, regardless of economic background or geographic location.

And the accreditation is a confirmation of high-quality learning and global recognition, helping graduates compete in international job markets and pursue advanced degrees at prestigious universities worldwide.

This article was produced by the Class Central Report team in partnership with University of the People (UoPeople).

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