Thank you for your interest in Newlane University.
Newlane is an accredited online university specializing in the liberal arts. We currently offer the following degrees:
- Associate of Arts in General Studies
- (new) B.A. in Liberal Arts
- (new) B.A. in Liberal Arts: Business Administration
- (new) B.A. in Liberal Arts: Psychology
- B.A. in Philosophy
To introduce you to Newlane, we have prepared some resources developed after speaking with hundreds of students and listening to their goals, values, questions, and concerns.
Meet the Founders
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled answers to our most common questions. If you don’t see your question here, please write to us at contact@newlane.edu.
Is Newlane accredited?
Yes! Newlane University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC).
DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency. DEAC
is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
What is the cost for a degree at Newlane? And Is there a trial period?
At Newlane University, we’ve simplified our pricing structure to make higher education more accessible:
Degree Costs
– Full 4-year degree: $3000 total
– 2-year Associate Degree: $1500 total
– 2-year Bachelor’s Degree completion: $1500 total
Payment Structure
1. Initial payment: $249 upon sign-up
2. Monthly charge: $39
3. All payments go to the total degree cost
Once you’ve paid the full amount for your chosen degree(s), you won’t be charged anything else. However, you’ll retain access to the platform until you graduate.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
We offer a 30-day full money-back guarantee, no questions asked. This allows you to try our program risk-free for the first month.
Additional Costs
Tuition costs do not include books or materials. While most courses don’t require additional resources, some of the advanced courses have recommended textbooks and may need extra materials. We try to keep all recommended costs down.
Fees
Newlane doesn’t have any additional surprise fees. The advertised price is the total tuition you will be expected to pay.
How Long does it take to earn a degree?
Because Newlane is competency-based, degree completion time can vary. Factors such as transfer credits, prior knowledge, study time, and personal circumstances affect how long it will take to complet your degree. While some students complete courses quickly, others may take longer (the flexibility to take different amounts of time is a feature, not a bug at Newlane). On average, students who consistently study every day typically finish a course in about a month.
Our flexible model allows continuous progress without fixed schedules or mandatory breaks, potentially enabling faster completion than traditional educational settings, depending on individual pace and commitment.
Does Newlane accept transfer credits? How do I transfer credits?
Yes, one of the biggest problems with modern education is how difficult it is to transfer credits you have earned. We think you should get credit for your hard work. That’s why Newlane University is committed to making the credit transfer process as smooth as possible.
Newlane can accept up to 75% of your transfer credits to the degree. Here’s what you need to know:
Accepted Transfer Credits:
– Credits from accredited US and non-US post-secondary institutions
– Advanced Placement (AP) credits with a score of 3 or higher
– College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
– International Baccalaureate (IB) Credits
– American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations
Important Notes:
– Only grades of “C” or higher are accepted for transfer credit.
– Credits may appear as “Transfer,” “Unspecified General Education,” or “Unspecified Elective Credit.”
– Both new applicants and current Newlane students can apply for transfer credit.
How to Transfer Credits:
1. Even if you are not yet registered with Newlane, you can email your UNOFFICIAL transcripts to transcripts@newlane.edu for evaluation.
2. You will receive a transcript evaluation, usually within 48 hours.
For any additional questions about transfer credits, please contact us at transcripts@newlane.edu.
How do you pass a course at newlane?
Every course at Newlane University follows the same four-step process to ensure student mastery of the content:
1. Self-Evaluation: Students review the course material and mark off learning objectives as they feel confident in their mastery.
2. Computer-Scored Test: The course exam is a self-administered multiple-choice test covering all course objectives. Students can take this test multiple times until they demonstrate mastery of all objectives.
3. Project: Typically a paper, but may also be a video, presentation, or other format. The project is designed to demonstrate the student’s ability to synthesize what they have learned in the course and show their knowledge of the course material.
4. Course Hearing: A one-on-one video conference with a Newlane professor, lasting 30-45 minutes. The professor asks questions about the course material, may request follow-up work, and ultimately determines if the student has mastered the content.
Upon successful completion of all four steps and the professor’s approval, the student passes the course and earns three credits.
This standardized process ensures that every student thoroughly engages with the course material and demonstrates their understanding before moving on to the next course.
How do I register?
In order to register with Newlane, students must be 18+ years old, and must have completed high school (or equivalent). Registration at Newlane is simple and straightforward. Simply click the registration link at the bottom of this page, you’ll be asked to provide your name, and email, and create a password to register. The registration process will verify that you meet all of the criteria, and help you get efficiently onboarded to the platform.
What equipment will I need?
You will need a desktop, laptop or mobile device as well as a microphone, camera (these may be part of the computer, or separate devices plugged into the computer) and internet fast enough to handle streaming video. Learning can be done online or offline.
Newlane recommends that students and faculty use the Chrome browser to access coursework and for Course Hearings (the one-on-one video conference oral exam with a course professor at the end of each course). Tests and counseling sessions are conducted through video chat on the Newlane site. No third-party software is needed to complete your courses and degree at Newlane. While tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices may allow for some completion of coursework, they are not guaranteed to work in all areas. It is safest to consider the learning platform on Newlane in beta for mobile devices.
How is Newlane able to charge so little?
First, we’re not providing any fancy stadiums, or alumni centers, etc.. Second, we’re not providing live teaching or instruction for every lesson. Instead, we leverage the abundant free high quality online resources that our faculty members have vetted. Newlane does not dictate or verify how or where you learn the information, only that you learned it. And assessing that you have mastered the target objectives is where the live expert is vital.
Can I enroll at Newlane if I don't live in the United States?
YES! You can live anywhere in the world. So long as you have access to an internet connection, you can enroll and complete your studies on Newlane. Our mission is to make quality education available and accessible to everyone, no matter where they live. In fact, we currently have students from all over the world, including, Australia, Thailand, China, Singapore, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, United States, Zambia, and more.
Does Newlane offer any options for synchronous courses?
Newlane offers optional Guided Courses at no extra charge to students who wish to meet with a faculty member and other students on a regular basis to provide extra structure, to be able to ask questions, or for whatever reason. Guided Courses are not like an online course. The sessions will typically only cover a subset of the objectives for the course, so students will still need to do independent study, but the sessions allow for students to ask questions, share insights, and support each other.
Listen to Newlane Students, Alumni, & Faculty
Newlane students, alumni, and faculty live all over the world and bring a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
Listen to Newlane students, alumni, and faculty talk about aspects of their Newlane experience, from how they discovered Newlane, why they chose Newlane, what it’s like to pass a course, what student support is like, and the value they get from their Newlane experience.
What it's like to learn at Newlane.
Newlane is mission-driven to provide quality education. We have worked hard to develop a platform and culture that fosters a love of learning and mastery of course materials.
Newlane's value and affordability.
Newlane is mission-driven to make quality education affordable and accessible, but what is often missed is the value of the education and support students get from Newlane–which is far above the cost. We haven’t sacrificed on the quality of the education, or the quality of the support. We have just designed a model that can deliver these at an affordable cost.
Taking tests at Newlane.
At Newlane, we pride ourselves on our assessment practices. We think it is strange that at many other schools, mastering the course materials is often only somewhat related to passing the course, or receiving a good grade. At Newlane, in order to pass a course, students demonstrate mastery of the course goals and materials. This is straightforward and clear from the beginning. If they have not yet mastered some, then the professor gives guidance on what to review before a follow up Course Hearing. This means the assessment is rigorous, but low stakes at the same time. Students don’t get bad grades if they have not mastered some of the course objectives, they are just given guidance what areas to review before the next Hearing.
Transferring credits to Newlane.
Many Newlane students bring college credits they have earned at other institutions. Newlane makes the process of transferring credits simple and straightforward. Submit your transcript(s) and Newlane’s transfer credit evaluation team will review and communicate with you how many and which credits are eligible for transfer, and what credits remain. Transferring credits is a way to recognize what you have already mastered, and it can cut down on the number of courses you need in order to complete your Newlane degree.
Newlane's flexible scheduling.
Universities have been designed with 18-22 year olds, who don’t have other obligations in mind. They have been rigid in their scheduling in ways that are very unforgiving if a student gets sick, needs to move, or has other obligations. Newlane is mission-driven to be flexible, so students can complete their courses when it works for them.
Student support at Newlane.
We have worked hard at Newlane to make student support helpful, practical, and easy to access. Students can contact student support at any time, and can schedule a meeting at a time that works for them. We understand that completing a college degree without the structure of a regular semester schedule and classrooms can be challenging, and we are here to help.
Why not having a degree can be limiting in a variety of ways.
Not having a college degree can be limiting in professional ways, as well as personal ways. At Newlane, we want to support you completing your degree by removing the key barriers that have stood in the way for many: cost, schedule, and geography.
Is Newlane is a good fit for me?
Because Newlane is a new learning model designed with modern lifestyles in mind, we offer flexibility for many different types of students. Whether you work, travel, have irregular available hours, etc., Newlane can work for you.
Newlane platform design.
Newlane’s platform was designed with learning and quality education at the heart. The designers brought decades of experience with other educational platforms and worked hard to simplify the essential tasks, and make a straightforward process for students to learn and progress and complete their degree.
How Newlane prepared them for advanced studies after graduation.
The quality of Newlane programs can be seen in how well prepared graduates are for advanced studies. Newlane takes pride in offering a quality education where students master essential skills and knowledge that make them exceptional candidates for advanced degrees.
The quality of Newlane students.
Newlane students are ambitious, enthusiastic, and well-prepared. Newlane is designed to emphasize learning and mastery, and provides meaningful opportunities to demonstrate mastery to professors, and get helpful feedback, encouragement, and confirmation of their mastery from professors throughout their Newlane experience.
Next steps?
We hope these resources have been helpful. We have tried to provide the information that students typically go over in a call with a Newlane Counselor prior to registering.
If you are ready to join, you can register now by clicking the ‘Register’ button below (the registration process will verify you meet the registration criteria). If you have additional questions, or would like to discuss your particular situation in more detail, schedule a meeting with a Newlane Counselor by clicking ‘Schedule Meeting’. Thanks again for your interest in Newlane.