Best Ivy League Online Degrees
- Which Ivy Leagues Offer Online Degrees?
- Best Ivy League Online Programs
- Online Programs vs. Moocs
- How to Apply
- FAQs
Online college is growing in popularity — but more importantly, it’s also growing in credibility. For proof, look no further than the Ivy League. As the nation’s most selective colleges and universities open up to the idea of online courses and degrees, even the Ivy Leagues are taking the virtual plunge.
Most Ivy League universities offer some online courses. And if you’re up for the challenge, some of these vaunted universities offer access to fully online master’s degrees. In fact, you can earn an Ivy League MBA or an Ivy League MSW entirely online.
The number of online degrees that you can earn at the Ivy League level continues to grow. Below, we explore both the opportunities and limitations.
Which Ivy League Schools Offer Online Degrees?
The Ivy League is the nation’s most exclusive club of universities. The eight schools comprising the Ivy League — Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale — are among the oldest and most well-regarded universities in the U.S.
These eight amazing universities have adopted online courses and degree programs with caution. Even today, Ivy League schools have been slow to develop online bachelor’s degree programs, but many have already embraced online graduate degree programs and a host of related certification and certificate programs.
| Ivy League School | Offers Online Undergraduate Programs (Y/N) | Offers Online Graduate Programs (Y/N) | Offers Hybrid Degree Program (Y/N) | Offers Online Certificates or Courses (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Columbia University | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cornell University | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dartmouth College | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Harvard University | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Princeton University | No | No | No | Yes |
| University of Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yale University | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Best Online Degree Programs at Ivy League Schools
Opportunities to earn online credits and even full degrees from the most selective schools in the country continue to grow. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we can all suddenly qualify for a Harvard education.
However, it does mean that more academically qualified students than ever before — especially working adults and non-traditional students — can have a chance to experience Ivy League courses, engage with Ivy League classmates and professors, and even earn Ivy League online degrees.
1. Brown University
- Location: Providence, RI
- Annual Tuition: $71,700
- Admission Rate: 5.6%
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Brown University, founded in 1764, was among the first U.S. schools to grant doctoral degrees. It is well known for its undergraduate Online Curriculum — which allows you to choose any classes outside major requirements — and strong engineering and mathematics programs.
Brown offers 10 online master’s programs, including a variety of blended executive options that combine online and on-campus coursework. Four notable programs include:
- Executive Master’s in Cybersecurity
- Executive Master’s in Technology Leadership
- Executive Master’s of Healthcare Leadership
- IE Brown Executive MBA
Online learners can take courses from Brown through MOOCs (offered in partnership with edX), as well as courses directly from the university, in areas such as cybersecurity, economics, finance, biology, and Greek mythology.
2. Columbia University
- Location: New York City, NY
- Annual Tuition and Fees: $71,170
- Admission Rate: 3.9%
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Established in 1754, Columbia University has two New York City campuses, plus a state-of-the-art medical center and an observatory. The university is recognized for its Core Curriculum (a set of courses designed to develop critical thinking and intellectual skills) and its global influence.
Online learning at Columbia includes degrees, non-degree programs, and certificates, in both traditional and emerging fields such as environmental science and sustainability, and health information technology. Below are six Columbia schools with online and hybrid graduate programs:
- School of Engineering and Applied Science
- School of Professional Studies
- School of Social Work
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
- Columbia Business School
- Columbia University Law School
Columbia University also offers a variety of online certificates and courses, including online executive education courses in areas like leadership, management, and finance.
3. Cornell University
- Location: Ithaca, New York
- Annual Tuition and Fees: $71,266
- Admission Rate: 8.4%
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Founded in 1865, Cornell University is the youngest of the Ivy League schools by about a century. It’s known for its public engagement programs, which include community-engaged courses, and its strong engineering and computer science departments.
Cornell serves online learners through a variety of online degrees, online college courses, MOOCs, and online certificates. The seven online programs at Cornell include:
- Executive Master of Human Resource Management
- Executive Master of Health Administration
- Executive Master of Management in Hospitality
- Executive Master of Public Administration
- Master of Science in Business Analytics
- Master of Science in Legal Studies
- Master of Engineering in Engineering Management
Cornell also offers numerous online and hybrid certificate programs geared toward working professionals, as well as individual courses and MOOCs. Cornell offers MOOCs and certificate programs on an open-enrollment basis.
4. Dartmouth College
- Location: Hanover, NH
- Annual Tuition and Fees: $69,207
- Admission Rate: 5.4%
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Established in 1769, Dartmouth College enrolls over 6,500 students in a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It’s best known for its Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering, and Geisel School of Medicine.
For online students, Dartmouth College offers several options, including two hybrid degree programs and MOOCs through DartmouthX (in partnership with edX).
Dartmouth College offers one online master’s and two hybrid degree programs:
- Master of Engineering in Computer Engineering (online)
- Master of Healthcare Delivery Science (hybrid)
- Master of Public Health (hybrid)
Dartmouth also offers online courses in subjects including history and engineering. Dartmouth’s MOOCs are available on an open-enrollment basis.
5. Harvard University
- Location: Cambridge, MA
- Annual Tuition: $57,328
- Admission Rate: 3.6%
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Harvard University, founded in 1636, is one of the most respected names in all of education and the oldest university in the U.S. It’s best known for its business, law, and medical schools, which consistently rank among the top schools in the country.
The Harvard Extension School offers one undergraduate and 25 graduate hybrid degree programs. Five notable examples of online Harvard programs include:
- Bachelor of Liberal Arts
- Master of Liberal Arts in Journalism
- Master’s in Finance
- Master of Liberal Arts in Mathematics for Teaching
- Master of Liberal Arts in Biology
You can also take individual online courses (many free of tuition) through Harvard’s partnership with edX, or from the school directly, in a wide selection of general and niche subjects.
6. Princeton University
- Location: Princeton, NJ
- Annual Tuition: $65,210
- Admission Rate: 4%
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Founded in 1746, Princeton University is the fourth-oldest university in the country. Princeton is best known for the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Princeton’s online selections come in the form of MOOCs, offered through Coursera, edX, and Kadenze. The MOOCs are free and not for credit, but are created by Princeton faculty. Princeton’s MOOCs include five notable programs:
- Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies
- Computer Architecture
- Global History of Capitalism
- Making Government Work in Hard Places
- The Art of Structural Engineering: Bridges
7. University of Pennsylvania
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Annual Tuition: $63,204
- Admission Rate: 6%
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
The University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1755 by Benjamin Franklin, was the first U.S. school to offer the liberal arts. It’s also known for graduate programs in the Wharton School, Penn Carey Law, Perelman School of Medicine, and Engineering and Applied Science.
In 2019, UPenn became the first Ivy League school to offer a fully online bachelor’s degree: a bachelor of applied arts and sciences, with 8 concentrations to choose from. It also offers online courses and certificates directly or through edX and Coursera. UPenn’s online certificates include:
- Climate Change
- Business Analytics
- Leadership and Communication
- Neuroscience
- Organizational Anthropology
While the UPenn MOOCs are free and open to all, the online certificates, courses, and bachelor’s degree program require an application process, including transcripts.
8. Yale University
- Location: New Haven, CT
- Annual Tuition: $69,900
- Admission Rate: 3.9%
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Yale University, established in 1701, is the third-oldest university in the country. Yale is best known for its schools of law, management, medicine, art, and nursing. Yale University has a variety of options available to online students. Most of Yale’s offerings are in the form of MOOCs through either Coursera or Open Yale Courses, such as:
- America’s Written Constitution
- Essentials of Global Health
- Introduction to Psychology
- Moral Foundations of Politics
- The Global Financial Crisis
Yale also offers a hybrid doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree program. Yale’s MOOCs are free and open to all. The DNP program requires an application to the nursing school.
Do Ivy League Schools Offer Online Courses for Credit?
While most Ivy League schools don’t offer fully online bachelor’s degrees, almost all of them provide some online courses for credit, usually through blended learning, which combines online and on-campus classes.
Some schools offer only a few online undergrad courses within traditional degree programs, while others may only have hybrid graduate programs.
- For example, Brown University includes online classes as part of its blended undergraduate program, with live, synchronous courses tied to the on-campus experience.
- In contrast, Yale offers limited online options, mainly through itsSummer Session, allowing enrolled students to earn credits remotely during the summer.
Online Degree Programs vs. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Over its first 20 years of evolution, online education has crept slowly into the Ivy League, largely in the form of blended learning — offering you access to some online courses alongside traditional on-campus degree programs.
Some of these universities have also created highly accessible pathways to Ivy League instruction — if not actual college credits — through massive open online courses (MOOCs). Below, we’ll take a look at a few online offerings and highlight the key differences between degree programs and MOOCs.
Online Degree Programs
If you’re interested in earning a degree entirely online, you do have a few options … that is, as long as you’re a graduate student. As a grad student, you may be eligible to earn an online degree from several Ivy League universities, including Colmbia, Dartmouth, and Harvard.
As for ambitious undergraduates who intend to earn a fully online bachelor’s degree, you have one option, at least for now. UPenn’s is the only Ivy League school offering a fully online bachelor’s degree, the bachelor of applied arts and sciences.
But stay tuned — if the program at UPenn is any indication, you may soon have the opportunity to earn an online bachelor’s degree at another Ivy League school.
MOOCs
If an online Ivy League education seems a bit out of your price range, there is one more option. MOOCs are free, online courses that offer access to instruction and education in a wide range of subjects. While they don’t offer college credit or degrees, many feature Ivy League instructors and content.
MOOCs are great for learning something new or boosting your skills for work. Harvard, for example, offers many free courses through HarvardX, and Princeton provides similar options through Princeton Online. Most MOOCs are free to access, though some may charge a small fee for a certificate of completion.
How to Apply to an Online Program at an Ivy League School
Applying to an Ivy League online program is highly competitive. Strong grades, test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation help your application stand out, but admissions teams also consider your course rigor, academic interests, and extracurriculars.
To start, choose a program aligned with your goals, prepare materials ahead of deadlines, and check for specific admission criteria. Showing genuine interest in the school and program in your admission essays can help make a strong impression. Some programs also offer optional alum interviews to help assess your fit. In summary:
- Strong academics, test scores, and essays are essential for Ivy League online program admission.
- Before applying, identify a program aligned with your academic, professional, or personal goals.
- Tailor your application materials and meet all deadlines to stay competitive.
- Use your essay to show why you’re a good fit for the school.
- Take advantage of optional alumni interviews when available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ivy League Online Degrees
Thousands of students take online courses at Ivy League schools. According to data from the College Navigator, three schools — Harvard, Penn, and Brown — have students enrolled exclusively online. Harvard has the most, with 13% of students online-only. Penn follows with 6%, and Brown with 3%. Columbia and Cornell have some online classes, but not fully online programs.
