Arizona State University’s (ASU) Universal Learner Courses are an incredibly unique way to earn college credit. ASU has been ranked as the #1 most innovative school in the country by U.S. News & World Report for the past 8 years in a row! Everything about this program is different and cool, so even those of you with access to free dual enrollment may want to consider ASU for its opt-out feature we call “GPA protection.” (Plus at the bottom, I’m going to show you how to get an online bachelor’s degree from ASU for free)
ASU is the only college in the country that allows you to decide whether or not to have your grade added to your official college transcript.
Cost & Safety Net
Universal Learner Courses at ASU cost $425 no matter how many college credits (2-4) the course is worth. When you enroll directly with ASU’s ULC program, the way you pay is unique. You’ll pay $25 to enroll in the course, and then at the end of the course, you pay $400. If at any time you decide you don’t want to finish the course, your student withdraws or fails, you never have to pay $400, and your student’s academic record is deleted. Since your student won’t get college credit, the lack of an academic record also means you won’t have to disclose that “W” or “F” to future colleges. This is a compelling option for families who may not know whether their student is ready for college credit.
If your student takes the course, but you DO NOT pay $400 to have it recorded on their ASU transcript, you can not claim dual enrollment or weigh the grade. Instead, record it on your homeschool transcript as “Honors” and weight it at 4.5. In this case, ASU provided the curriculum but this will be documented as a homeschool high school course. Your student will not have a college transcript with ASU.
In 2020, Homeschooling for College Credit began partnering with ASU to offer benefits to our community like special unlisted college classes and pilot programs. As a result, we have a lot of data (13,000 enrollments!) and can say with confidence that the failure rate is incredibly tiny. The support provided in our Facebook group and the wisdom of parents in selecting good classes suggest that most of you will never use the safety net, though we love that it exists.
In 2025, Arizona State University identified Homeschooling for College Credit as its largest user of Universal Learner Courses in the world! As such, we now receive a huge discount option for our community that wants to take many ASU courses. For students who are considering ASU after high school, earning 30 or more college credits this way will make a huge dent in their ASU tuition.
ASU Discount Pricing
To obtain ASU Discount Pricing for your student, enroll them in HS4CC Academy. They’ll have access to the exact same courses but at $299. Under this discount, students pay $299 when they enroll, and then nothing at the end. While this differs from the other ASU option, it’s exactly like any other dual enrollment option by paying up front. The huge bonus is that GPA protection still remains in place, so no academic record is created until your student finishes the class and you approve their final grade.
Enrollment Requirements
- No SAT/ACT
- No placement test.
- No high school transcript.
- No college transcript.
- Prerequisites are a suggestion, but not enforced.
- Students will need an ID, but a homeschool-issued ID is fine.
HS4CC parents have reported the following options to work for identification:
- Driver’s license/permit
- Passport
- DoD dependent ID
- Public School ID
- Umbrella School ID
- Homeschool ID w/School name, student name, birthdate, and photo.
Applying to ASU for a degree: Your student is a freshman applicant. Even with a substantial amount of college credit, high school students typically apply as first-time freshmen for college admission and financial aid at any college or university. If your student is denied admission for any reason, they can receive “guaranteed admissions” by completing 24 college credits through Universal Learner after high school. All college credit earned before, during, and after high school can be applied to their degree. This is a little bit complex, but if you have questions, our team is happy to help you through the process.
If you decide to pursue a college degree at ASU, we strongly recommend you use the 100% free tuition partnership program by grabbing a job at Starbucks!
The Starbucks College Achievement Plan
Starbucks College Achievement Plan
“Every benefits-eligible U.S. partner working part- or full-time receives 100% tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program. Choose from over 100 diverse undergraduate degree programs, and have our support every step of the way.”
Visit the College Achievement Plan site for a good list of details, but the quick summary is that you must work at least part-time for 3 months to qualify. TIP: while you’re waiting to qualify, take another Universal Learner course and fill out your ASU application packet. As part of your packet, you’ll be required to send in your homeschool high school transcript and fill out the regular FAFSA paperwork.
ASU Online has six start dates per year. It takes about four weeks for an admission decision, but processing times may vary depending on the volume of student applications and how your transcripts are sent to ASU. Starting your application at least a month in advance may help ensure you start on the day you want.
Listen to Jennifer’s podcast episode about how to use the Starbucks program:
Examples of ASU Online Degrees & Majors Available
- Accountancy (BS)
- Art (Digital Photography) (BFA)
- Astronomical and Planetary Sciences (BS)
- Biological Sciences (BS)
- Business – Law (BA)
- Business – Food Industry Management (BA)
- Chemistry (BA)
- Community Health (BS)
- Computer Information Systems (BS)
- English (BA)
- Food and Nutrition Entrepreneurship (BS)
- Global Management (BGM)
- Graphic Design (BSD)
- Health Education and Health Promotion (BS)
- Full list here