Online Colleges Where You Can Start Anytime

Open enrollment allows students without strong academic backgrounds to gain admission to community colleges and some four-year colleges. Strict admission requirements can make it difficult for some learners to gain entry to college. Open enrollment provides students without strong academic backgrounds greater access to education, broadening the pool of potential schools and programs available to degree-seekers.

This guide provides information on how open enrollment works and ranks the best online colleges offering open enrollment. It also covers other important information for prospective students, including answers to frequently asked questions.

What Is Open Enrollment?

Many online colleges use open enrollment in place of more selective or competitive processes. First implemented in the 1970s to reduce discrimination, open enrollment increases educational access by removing restrictive measures that might prohibit some learners from attending school. Open enrollment is most often offered by community colleges and other two-year institutions.

In practice, open enrollment typically means eliminating most admission criteria, such as standardized test scores and minimum GPA requirements. Most online colleges with open enrollment require only a high school diploma or GED for admission.

Featured Online Programs

Online Colleges With Open Enrollment

Who Should Apply Through Open Enrollment?

Students without strong academic backgrounds or those who otherwise lack access to higher education benefit the most from open enrollment. Like schools with more strict admission criteria, open enrollment colleges and universities provide a pathway for students to advance their careers and go on to pursue further study.

Other Ways To Sign Up for Colleges Classes

Colleges and universities may have a variety of enrollment policies in addition to open enrollment, including regular decision, rolling admissions, and early decision. The following sections outline these and other common enrollment policies.

Rolling Admissions

Schools that practice rolling admissions accept applications at any time throughout the year. Many online colleges use this option. Individual policies vary by school, but in most cases, prospective degree-seekers can apply anytime within a specified window and receive a decision within several weeks.

Open Door Policy

Schools with open door policies do not have strict admission requirements, such as standardized test scores and minimum GPAs. Some versions of the policy also eliminate reference requirements. Qualified learners only need a high school diploma or equivalent.

Early Action

While standard admission policies usually require learners to submit application materials on or before January 1, early action policies have earlier deadlines -- usually sometime in October or November. Early admission degree-seekers receive a decision much earlier than standard applicants, too. Learners with a clear sense of where they want to attend benefit most from this policy.

Early Decision

Early decision is similar to early action, but it also requires binding commitments from admitted degree-seekers to attend the institution. This means applicants cannot apply to other institutions. Many large, prestigious institutions, like those in the Ivy League, use this policy to attract and retain learners with a clear top choice.

Regular Decision

Most colleges and universities use regular decision, including those with open enrollment. Online colleges that adhere to this policy place no restrictions on the number of other schools learners can apply to. Most learners use this method because it broadens their options and financial aid prospects. Most regular decision application deadlines are in January, with admission decisions following in late spring.

Can I Start Online College Anytime?

Prospective learners may wonder: When do online classes start? Most online colleges offer flexible start dates, but they do so within a clear scheduling structure. Some online schools use a traditional semester system, while others use quarter or trimester terms.

The semester system generally consists of two 15-16-week terms in the fall and spring. Quarter systems usually use four 10-week terms in the fall, winter, spring, and summer, while the trimester system comprises three 12-13-week terms in the fall, winter, and spring.

Learners can typically begin taking online courses at the start of any term. However, some schools require students to start in the fall, while others offer monthly start dates. There are also self-paced online colleges, where students access and complete materials entirely on their own schedules, those these are relatively rare.

Multiple Start Dates

Many online college courses have multiple start dates. Individual departments or programs usually set these dates individually at various times within the academic year. Accelerated courses often use multiple start dates to accommodate the varying needs of busy learners, but some traditional and self-paced classes also offer them.

Online colleges with weekly start dates are rare, though they do happen, usually for certificate or vocational degrees. It's more common to see monthly or quarterly start dates.

Independent Study Course Schedules

Independent study courses let learners explore their areas of interest through opportunities not formally offered in curriculum catalogs. The content of these courses is usually determined between the degree-seeker and an instructor; they arrive at a mutually agreed-upon plan of study. This option works best for degree-seekers whose needs are not met by traditional curriculum offerings. These courses usually begin at a convenient time for both the learner and the instructor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Open Enrollment

What Four-Year Degree Pays the Most?

According to PayScale, graduates with four-year degrees in engineering and computer science enjoy the highest median salaries nationwide.

When Should You Enroll in College?

The right time to enroll in college varies by each student's needs and interests. Some learners enroll immediately after high school graduation, while others prefer to gain professional experience before attending college.

When Do Online Classes Start?

Online classes start at different times depending on the school. Some online colleges offer just one or two start dates per year, while others offer monthly or rolling start dates.

What Are Self-Paced College Courses?

Self-paced classes allow students to access and complete coursework at their own pace, offering maximum flexibility. These differ from asynchronous classes, which allow students to access course materials on their own schedules but still have set deadlines.

Are All Community Colleges Open Admission?

Many community colleges and two-year schools use some form of open enrollment, but not all. Some four-year institutions may also have open enrollment policies.