Best Online Colleges to Start Anytime of 2026
- Best Online Colleges to Start Today
- What Is Rolling Admissions?
- Benefits of Colleges With Rolling Admissions
- How Does Online College Work?
- FAQ
Looking for an online college that lets you start anytime? Colleges with rolling admissions allow you to apply year-round and begin classes soon after being accepted, sometimes within a few weeks.
Online programs are designed for flexibility, and rolling admissions give you even more control over when you start. Some schools even pair rolling admissions with open enrollment for even more flexibility.
Keep reading to learn how you can start online college today.
5 Best Online Colleges You Can Start Today
Charter Oak State College — Best for Customizing Your Pace and Degree
- New Britain, CT
- 4 year
- Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose It: Flexible Course Formats, Six Start Dates, and Fast Track Options to Fit Your Schedule
Charter Oak Online offers 22 online degree programs, including 18 bachelor's programs, geared toward adult learners. You can choose from 5-, 8-, or 15-week courses and six annual start dates to fit your schedule. Charter Oak also offers fast-track options that let you earn graduate credits while completing your undergraduate degree. This approach saves time and money by accelerating your path to a master’s.
Why Attend Charter Oak Online:
- Highly Customizable: Six start dates per year and varying course lengths make it easy to learn on your terms.
- Credit for What You Know: Earn credit for work experience, training, or certifications, saving time and money on your degree.
- Financial Support: Numerous scholarships and grants support working adults, parents, and first-generation students.
What to Know Before You Apply:
- Tuition is $329 per credit for undergraduate programs and $529 per credit for graduate programs.
- Undergraduate students must pay $305 per semester in student services and technology fees, while graduate students pay $415.
N/A
$7,896
100%
$7,896
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 1,766
- Institution Type
- Public
National University — Most Online Degree Programs
- San Diego, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose It: Choose from 125+ Online Degrees, Including 50+ Options at the Undergraduate and Graduate Levels
National University stands out for its extensive catalog of online degree programs, including more than 100 bachelor’s and master’s options in fields like education, business, engineering, and technology. Designed for working adults and military-affiliated students, courses run in four- and eight-week terms with monthly start dates, allowing you to start anytime and finish faster.
Why Attend National University Online:
- Recognized Quality: National has national recognition for supporting Hispanic, nontraditional, and working students, and holds two 2025 Carnegie Classifications for access, success, and career outcomes.
- Comprehensive Support: Benefit from free tutoring, career mentoring, wellness counseling, and family-life resources.
- Accelerated and Flexible: Choose from four- and eight-week courses with monthly start dates so you can start anytime and potentially finish your degree faster.
What to Know Before You Apply:
- If you choose four-week terms, expect a heavier workload that requires strong time management.
- Associate and bachelor’s degrees cost about $390 per credit (as low as $368). Master’s programs range from $490-$875 per credit, and doctoral programs from $900 to $1,250 per credit.
86%
$13,320
53%
$13,320
- Acceptance Rate
- 55%
- Students Enrolled
- 31,604
- Institution Type
- Private
Purdue University Global — Best for Flexible Start Dates and Accelerated Tracks
- West Lafayette, IN
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose It: Monthly Start Dates and Accelerated Tracks Help You Begin Sooner and Graduate Faster
Purdue Global offers 112 online degree programs, including 43 bachelor's and 30 master's options. New terms begin every month, with 12 per year, so you can start whenever you're ready. If you have previous work or college experience, you can take advantage of Purdue’s accelerated, self-paced ExcelTrack programs, most commonly offered in fields such as business, health sciences, and information technology.
Why Attend Purdue Global:
- ExcelTrack Option: Optional accelerated options let you focus only on what you need to learn and skip material you already know, while controlling your pace.
- Monthly Start Dates: Begin classes whenever you're ready, with flexible start terms offered every month of the year.
- Save Time and Money With Prior Credits: Students who apply previous credits and experience complete their degree in about 2.3 years and pay around $15,000 in tuition, on average.
What to Know Before You Apply:
- You can try a three-week, no-cost trial for undergraduate programs before deciding to enroll.
- Purdue Global has an open-admissions policy, accepting most applicants who meet basic requirements.
- Undergraduate courses cost $371 per credit, and graduate courses cost $420 per credit. ExcelTrack programs charge a flat rate of $2,500 per term for most bachelor’s degrees and $2,833 for most master’s degrees.
100%
$10,080
25%
$13,356
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 44,421
- Institution Type
- Public
University of Maryland Global Campus — Most Transfer-Friendly for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
- Adelphi, MD
- 4 year
- Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose It: Flexible Credit Policies and Accepts up to 90 Undergraduate and 12 Graduate Transfer Credits
The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) offers 40 online master's and 30 online bachelor's degrees. UMGC stands out for its generous transfer policies. You can transfer up to 90 credits as an undergraduate student and up to 12 as a graduate student. UMGC is also generous in the range of credits it accepts, making it easier to maximize your prior learning and experience. Transfer credits can come from various sources, including prior coursework, exams, military training, or professional experience.
Why Attend UMGC Online:
- Transfer-Friendly: UMGC accepts the maximum number of transfer credits, allowing up to 90 undergraduate or 12 graduate credits and requiring only 30 credits to be earned at UMGC for a bachelor's degree.
- Free Learning Materials: Nearly all courses use no-cost digital materials instead of textbooks.
- Credit for Experience: Earn credit for prior learning, military training, or work experience and save time and money on your degree.
What to Know Before You Apply:
- Most courses are asynchronous, where you must complete coursework independently.
- The cost per credit for in-state undergraduate students is $330, and for out-of-state students, it is $499. The cost per credit for graduates in-state is $544 and $659 for out-of-state graduate students. Doctoral students pay $1,087.
95%
$ 7,632
53%
$11,976
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 60,084
- Institution Type
- Public
Western Governors University — Most Affordable for Online Bachelor's and Master's Degrees
- Salt Lake City, UT
- 4 year
- Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose It: Offers the Lowest Average Costs per Semester Across Bachelor's and Master's Programs
WGU Online offers over 75 degree programs in business, technology, health, and nursing education. It’s one of the most affordable online universities, with average annual tuition and fees around $8,300 for bachelor’s and $8,900 for master’s programs. WGU’s competency-based model lets you advance as soon as you master the material, helping you graduate faster and save time and money.
Why Attend WGU Online:
- Flat Rate: Pay one low rate per 6-month term and complete as many courses as you can for no extra cost.
- Flexible Start Dates: Choose when to start your term whenever you're ready, with new start dates at the beginning of every month.
- Competitive Tuition Rates: Excluding online nursing programs, most undergraduate programs cost approximately $4,000 to $4,600 per semester in tuition and fees.
What to Know Before You Apply:
- Online nursing programs cost more than WGU’s typical tuition rates, ranging from $5,325 to $6,955 (per six-month term) at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Because tuition covers a six-month term and not a set number of courses, moving quickly through courses will save you the most money.
N/A
$7,710
62%
$7,710
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 185,015
- Institution Type
- Private
What Is Rolling Admissions?
You’ve likely heard the term before, but what exactly does rolling admissions mean? Colleges with rolling admissions accept and review applications as they come in, rather than at a set deadline.
To put it simply, this means you can apply to college whenever it works best for you, without having to wait for a specific application window to open or close. Once you submit your application to a school with rolling admissions, you can typically expect a decision within a few weeks.
4 Benefits of Online Colleges With Rolling Admissions
Imagine finding the college of your dreams, only to find out that the program deadline has passed to enroll for the fall semester. You’ll now need to wait to apply until enrollment opens for the spring semester — or possibly the following fall.
An online college with rolling admissions offers more start dates throughout the year, allowing you to apply and begin when you’re ready. Many of these colleges also offer open enrollment. Open enrollment colleges admit every student who applies, creating an even simpler and more accessible application process.
Below are some key benefits of online colleges with start-anytime programs.
- 1
Start Your Degree When It Works Best for You
Are you ready to start online college and move toward your career goals faster? Start-anytime programs let you apply outside of traditional semester application windows, giving you greater flexibility to start your degree sooner.
- 2
Quicker Decision Turnaround
If you’ve ever applied months in advance for something, whether a job, a loan, or even an apartment, you know how stressful the waiting period can be.
One of the major benefits of online colleges with rolling admissions or start-today enrollment policies is that you can skip that extended waiting period and the anxiety that often comes with it. Online colleges with rolling admissions typically get back to applicants within a few weeks, and sometimes even within a few days.
- 3
Same Financial Aid Opportunities
As long as the school is accredited, online colleges that offer start-anytime enrollment offer the same financial aid opportunities as those that operate on traditional academic calendars with set semester start dates.
Just keep in mind that processing financial aid can take time. In some cases, it may take over a month, which could delay the start of your online classes. The upside is that this gives you more time to plan your budget and explore scholarships or grants that can help make your online degree more affordable.
- 4
Potential to Start Fresh
Some online colleges that allow you to start at any time also maintain open enrollment policies and only require a high school diploma or GED for admission. Without selective criteria, you can start fresh without being weighed down by your past GPA or standardized test scores.
Reality Check: Are Online Degrees Respected?
Yes, accredited online degrees are widely respected by employers. You’ll often take the same courses as on-campus students, and your diploma won’t specify that you earned your degree online. However, accreditation is crucial to ensure the quality of your education.
How Online College Works: Understanding Schedule and Class Structures
If you’re wondering when online classes start, you’re in luck — most online colleges offer flexible start dates. However, they do so within a clear scheduling structure. Some online schools use a traditional semester system, while others use trimester or quarter systems.
You can typically begin taking online courses at the start of any term. Online colleges with start-anytime programs typically offer several flexible options, such as monthly start dates and self-paced programs.
Multiple Start Dates
Many online college courses offer multiple start dates throughout the year, typically set by individual departments or programs. While some online colleges have as many as five or six start dates per year, most follow the standard three terms: fall, spring, and summer.
Online colleges with weekly start dates are rare — they are usually only offered for vocational or certificate programs. It’s more common to see monthly or quarterly start dates for online degree programs.
Program Structure
Every online degree program has a structure that outlines the courses, schedule, and learning format. These structures accommodate different learning styles and schedules. Common models include cohort-based learning, where students progress through classes together, and self-paced learning, where you move through courses independently at your own speed.
Course and Material Delivery
Online colleges with start-anytime options may offer synchronous or asynchronous courses, with the latter sometimes referred to as correspondence courses. The key difference between these modes is whether classes take place at set, scheduled times or can be completed independently whenever it’s convenient.
Asynchronous classes usually work best for learners with busy schedules, whereas synchronous classes are often a better fit for students who want more structure.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Courses
Synchronous Courses
- More common in cohort programs
- Require scheduled online live attendance, much like an in-person class
- Offer the ability to interact with your professor and ask them questions in real time
- Is a good learning format for students who excel in a structured learning environment
Asynchronous Courses
- More common in self-paced programs
- Learn through prerecorded lectures and assigned reading materials
- Offer little interaction between you and the professor
- Is the ideal learning format for working students or those with busy schedules
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Schools With Rolling Admissions
Colleges with rolling admissions review and accept applications year-round, while open enrollment means admission is nearly guaranteed if you meet basic criteria (like submitting transcripts or having a high school diploma or GED). However, neither option means you can start classes right away. Start dates still depend on each school’s academic calendar.
