Best Colleges in Alaska

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is a public research university and a flagship campus of the UA system, with seven rural and urban campuses and online learning. UAF, with the beautiful last frontier as its backyard, serves about 11,000 students with its catalog of online offerings spanning the disciplines; the most popular undergraduate majors include general program/studies, biological sciences, petroleum engineering, and mechanical engineering.UAF is one of the best online colleges in Alaska because of its extensive list of online bachelor’s degree offerings; these include the fields of accounting, business administration, education, interdisciplinary studies, and social work. Programs of note include the BA in Justice, in which students learn problem-solving conflicts regarding federal, state, and Native American issues; and the BA in Rural Development, in which students gain knowledge about the state’s cultural heritage, contribution to the global economy, and sustainable development strategies.

Tucked away on 175 acres in the forest among Anchorage’s trail system, is Alaska Pacific University (APU), a small private liberal arts and sciences university emphasizing experiential, hands-on instruction. Among its notables are academic rigor, applied research projects, developing students critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and student engagement.APU has fewer than 800 students and is one of the online colleges in Alaska offering bachelor’s degree options: an accelerated BA to MBA and the BA in Counselling Psychology. Of note is their Accelerated MBA, in which students move directly from the BA program directly into the MBA, and classes can be taken entirely online. The school is affordable having implemented a 34% reduction in undergraduate tuition in a bid to ease student debt. Pell-eligible students can attend APU for free or at a much reduced tuition.

With nearly 18,000 students enrolled across four community campuses, the University of Alaska Anchorage is the largest university in the state. Roughly 1,200 faculty members instruct learners in subjects such as accounting, educational leadership, global supply chain management, and legal studies. Along with occupational endorsement certificates, the university offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. UAA also houses the state's only medical school.To ensure access to high-quality learning opportunities for students across the state, UAA makes a large portion of its courses available online and in an asynchronous format. Online students benefit from the same support services available to those studying on campus, including tutoring and academic advising, career counseling, and internship and apprenticeship opportunities.Bachelor's program applicants must have a high school diploma or GED certificate and a minimum GPA of 2.5. Prospective students with a lower GPA may qualify for conditional admission, though they must work closely with an academic advisor throughout their first year. Graduate applicants must have a bachelor's degree, and most programs require a GPA of 3.0 or above.