Best International Online Colleges, Universities, and Schools

The College of Florida is a state funded college in Gainesville, Florida — a city known for its memorable engineering and regular excellence. Over 300 undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered by UF’s 16 schools.

This year, the University of Florida takes the top spot on our list because of its excellent online program offerings, affordability, and strong student outcomes. UF offers top-tier academics, a 17-to-1 student-to-staff ratio, Division I sports (go Gators!), and many cutting-edge research facilities.

Notable Fact: Ben Sasse, the current U.S. senator, will become the 13th president of UF in early 2023, the school recently announced.

Golden Gate University is a private university in San Francisco, California. The campus is right in the heart of the city’s financial district. GGU offers over 60 degree programs in fields like business, accounting, technology, taxation, and law.

A self-described “university for professionals,” Golden Gate University is a great choice for working adults looking to boost their careers. You can choose from online, weekend, and evening classes. GGU is known for its high-quality curriculum, small class sizes, strong career placement support, and robust alumni network. The school is also committed to removing financial barriers to education, with most students receiving financial aid.

Notable Fact: Golden Gate University has a storied history serving members of the U.S. military. For roughly 100 years — ever since returning WWI soldiers first came home to enroll in GGU law programs — the school has been turning out distinguished military graduates and helping veterans meet post-service career goals.

Union Institute & University is a private university in Cincinnati, Ohio, that offers 100% online and hybrid options. You can pursue degrees in business and leadership, education, healthcare and mental wellness, or public service and social justice.

Union has been recognized for the diversity of its student body and its success in helping older adult learners. It also offers a low 7-to-1 student-to-staff ratio — you can be confident you’ll get the support and attention you need to find success. As a result, the school is widely recognized as one of the best online colleges available.

Even better: It’s free to apply and test scores are not required!

Notable Fact: In 2018, the school launched The Institute for Social Justice, an initiative that seeks to advance social justice at home and abroad by reducing economic disparities and eliminating racism.

Thomas Jefferson University is a private research institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate programs across 10 colleges and four schools.

Jefferson is known for offering a distinctive, hands-on, inter-professional approach to learning called “Nexus learning.” The idea is to equip graduates for a rapidly changing world and workplace where their future professions may not even exist yet. As a result, Jefferson grads have a competitive edge that many employers are looking for. The school reports that 97% of its 2021 graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school.

Notable Fact: Jefferson’s nursing graduates regularly score among the highest in Pennsylvania on national licensure and certification examinations. For example, the licensure pass rate for the most recent class graduating from Jefferson’s College of Pharmacy was 98%.

The University of Central Florida is a large public research university based in the suburbs of Orlando, Florida. The school offers more than 220 degree programs across 13 colleges. Popular majors for UCF undergrads include psychology, computer science, biology, health sciences, and mechanical engineering.

The University of Central Florida is known for being a destination for space science. For over 50 years, the school has played a big role in space research and exploration. Students and researchers at UCF’s Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education are leading the charge to develop safer space travel to the moon and Mars.

Notable Fact: Nearly 30% of Kennedy Space Center employees are UCF alumni.

Florida International University is a public university with campuses in North Miami and West Miami-Dade County. The school offers more than 190 degree programs and certificates, with over 130 available online.

Florida International University is recognized for the high quality of its online bachelor’s degree programs — especially in business — as well as for excellence in teaching. FIU is the only public university in Southern Florida to receive the R1-Very High Research Activity classification from the Carnegie Foundation.

Notable Fact: FIU has a famously good hospitality school, and it hosts the massive Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival every year to prove it.

Thomas Edison State University is a public university in Trenton, New Jersey. You can choose from more than 100 undergraduate, graduate, and professional certificate options, most of which are also available online.

Adults looking to go back to college to boost their career prospects should feel right at home at Thomas Edison State University — most TESU students are non-first-time, part-time students balancing school with other responsibilities. TESU awards an average of 38 credits for prior work, life, or military experience, saving you time and money. As a result, 95% of recent graduates say they would recommend the school to others.

Notable fact: The average age of a TESU student is 35. Millennials, you’ve got this! Way to be life-long learners.

Pennsylvania State University – World Campus is the fully online branch of Penn State. You can choose from more than 175 career-enhancing degrees and certificates.

The idea behind Penn State World Campus is to make the Penn State educational experience available to people who can’t travel to a physical campus. Since 1998, the school has provided a career-focused curriculum taught by experts in business, engineering, tech, healthcare, and more. A degree from Penn State is a big deal: According to the Wall Street Journal, Penn State undergrads are some of the best-prepared on the market.

Notable Fact: Penn State World Campus has over 750,000 alumni in 171 countries — talk about a strong network for new grads to lean on as they start their careers.

The University of Missouri is a public university in Columbia, Missouri. It operates as the flagship campus of the four-campus University of Missouri System. The school offers more than 280 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including over 75 online degrees.

The University of Missouri (or “Mizzou) is known for excellence in many academic areas, including journalism, medicine, writing, and law. Mizzou students go on to find success, with 95% enrolled in higher education or employed within six months of graduation. More than 100 different Fortune 500 companies currently employ Mizzou grads. Top industries for recent alumni include healthcare, education, finance, marketing, and information technology.

Notable Fact: Mizzou has an impressive list of famous alumni that (along with athletes, astronauts, performers, and Pulitzer-prize winners) includes playwright Tennessee Williams and actor Brad Pitt.

Oklahoma State University is a large, nationally ranked, public research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It offers over 300 undergraduate majors and minors, and over 200 master’s, Ph.D., and graduate certificate options.

OSU is known for elite academics, affordability, and quality of student life. More than 50% of recent students graduated with zero student loan debt. And the school boasts the largest university student union in the world. OSU students report that the campus is beautiful, the community is friendly, and the professors are helpful.

Notable Fact: The OSU student body cares about democracy: In 2022, OSU won ALL IN’s “Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.”