UoPeople an altruistic, global initiative

The University of the People, a tuition-free online institution launched in 2009, has many critics, but the model is a godsend for rural students in the developing world. So far, just over 1,000 students have paid an application fee of as little as $10, and a small fee for grading final exams, but otherwise their programs -- in business administration or computer science – are completely free. UoPeople leverages online peer-to-peer collaboration among students, although sticking to text-based asynchronous communication. “For most of humanity, this is the only viable way to get access to higher education.” UoPeople is still seeking US accreditation, but NYU has said it will consider transfer applications from UoPeople students, and leaders at NYU and Columbia have spoken out in support.  Chronicle of Higher Ed