Studying at an international university no longer necessarily means relocating to another country, paying for accommodation, applying for a student visa and spending thousands of dollars on flights and living expenses.
Online education has changed the situation significantly.
International students can now study for recognised bachelor’s and master’s degrees from universities in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries while remaining in their home country.
For students concerned about cost, this can make a major difference.
The cost of studying abroad is not limited to university tuition. International students attending a traditional campus may also have to pay for accommodation, transportation, food, health insurance, visa fees and international travel.
With an online degree, many of those expenses disappear.
However, not every online university is affordable, and not every inexpensive program provides the same level of recognition.
Students therefore need to compare more than the advertised tuition fee.
This guide examines some of the cheapest online universities available to international students, explains the true cost of online education and shows you what to investigate before paying for a program.
Why International Students Are Choosing Online Universities
International education has historically been expensive.
A student who wants a degree from another country may need to budget for:
- International tuition fees
- Accommodation
- Food
- Transportation
- Visa applications
- Health insurance
- Flights
- Textbooks
- Student fees
- Personal living expenses
Online education can remove several of these costs immediately.
You can potentially live with your family, continue working and earn an international qualification without relocating.
That makes online education particularly attractive to:
- Working professionals
- Parents
- Students in developing countries
- Entrepreneurs
- Career changers
- Students unable to obtain study visas
- People supporting families
- Students who cannot afford international living expenses
The Open University, for example, specifically markets its distance-learning model to international students as a way to earn a UK qualification without the additional cost of living in the United Kingdom.
That difference can be substantial.
Even when the tuition itself is not extremely cheap, removing accommodation and international living costs can make online study much more affordable overall.
What Does “Cheap Online University” Actually Mean?
This is where students need to be careful.
A university can advertise a low tuition rate while still charging substantial additional fees.
You need to calculate the total cost of completing the qualification.
That may include:
- Application fees
- Tuition
- Assessment fees
- Examination fees
- Technology fees
- Graduation fees
- Textbooks
- Course materials
- Local taxes
- Currency conversion fees
- Resit fees
A university charging $100 per credit with several additional charges could ultimately cost more than one charging $150 per credit with most expenses included.
Always ask:
How much will I pay from my first application until I receive my degree?
That is the number that actually matters.
1. University of the People
University of the People is one of the most unusual online universities available to international students because it uses a tuition-free model.
Students do not pay traditional tuition for instruction.
Instead, they pay an application fee and assessment fees for individual courses.
According to the university’s current fee information, the one-time application fee is $60.
Undergraduate courses currently carry an assessment fee of $180 per course, while graduate assessment fees are higher depending on the program.
The university estimates that a bachelor’s degree can cost approximately $7,260 in total, depending on the student’s program and circumstances.
That is dramatically below the cost of many traditional American university degrees.
Programs Available
University of the People offers degrees including:
Associate Degrees
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Health Science
Bachelor’s Degrees
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Health Science
Graduate Degrees
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Science in Information Technology
- Master of Education
Can International Students Apply?
Yes.
University of the People states that it has students from more than 200 countries and territories and accepts international students into its online programs.
Courses are delivered online and asynchronously, meaning students generally do not have to attend live lectures at fixed times.
That can be particularly valuable when students are living in different time zones.
Accreditation
Accreditation is important when evaluating any low-cost online university.
University of the People states that it is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Students should still check whether a particular qualification will meet the requirements of their employer, professional regulator or postgraduate university before enrolling.
This is especially important in regulated professions.
Who Might Consider University of the People?
It may be attractive to students whose main priorities are:
- Very low cost
- Fully online study
- Flexible learning
- International accessibility
- American university education
The trade-off is that it does not offer the enormous range of subjects available at some traditional universities.
If you want medicine, architecture, mechanical engineering or dozens of other specialist subjects, you will need to look elsewhere.
2. The Open University
The Open University is one of the world’s best-known distance-learning universities.
Based in the United Kingdom, it has decades of experience teaching students remotely.
It offers degrees in areas including:
- Business
- Computing
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Education
- Health
- Social sciences
- Mathematics
- Science
- Law
- Arts and humanities
For international students, one of the major attractions is that they can study from their home country without relocating to Britain.
How Much Does The Open University Cost?
Fees depend partly on where the student lives.
The university’s current international fee information shows that the cost of completing an honours degree can be around £23,088 to £26,520, depending on the relevant international fee category and study arrangements.
Students generally pay for modules as they study rather than paying the cost of the entire degree upfront.
Postgraduate fees vary according to the qualification.
What Is Included?
The Open University states that module fees generally include:
- Tuition
- Module materials
- Assessments
- Examinations
Some courses may still involve additional expenses, which students should check before registering.
Why It Can Be Attractive for International Students
The cost may be significantly higher than University of the People, but students receive a qualification from a long-established UK university.
The Open University also allows students to adjust the pace of study.
That means a working professional may study part-time while continuing employment.
This can make the financial burden easier to manage.
3. University of Essex Online
University of Essex Online is another option for international students looking for a British degree without relocating to the UK.
It offers both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications online.
Areas of study include:
- Business
- Computing
- Psychology
- Law
- Healthcare
- Education
- Criminology
- Finance
- Marketing
One useful feature of the fee structure is that international and UK undergraduate students currently pay the same advertised tuition for many online bachelor’s programs.
A full BA, BSc or LLB online degree is currently listed at approximately £21,701.
International master’s programs such as MSc, MBM, M.Ed., MPH and LLM qualifications are currently listed at approximately £13,884 for the full program.
What Is Included in the Fee?
University of Essex Online says its tuition includes:
- Course materials
- Assessments
- Resits
This matters because cheap advertised tuition can become much less attractive once additional charges are included.
Students may still need to consider local taxes depending on their country of residence.
Scholarships
Some international students may qualify for regional scholarships or discounts.
For example, the university currently advertises global scholarships of up to 15% for eligible international students in specific regions.
Always check the eligibility requirements before assuming you will receive a discount.
4. University of London Online
The University of London has offered distance education internationally for generations and today provides a large range of online qualifications.
Its international reach is substantial, with students studying across more than 190 countries.
Online subjects include areas such as:
- Business administration
- Computer science
- Economics
- Finance
- Management
- International relations
- Psychology
- Law
- Marketing
The university’s fee structure can vary significantly according to the program and the student’s country.
Some programs divide countries into different fee bands.
For example, the online BSc Psychology program currently lists an indicative total cost of approximately £11,833 for students in Band A countries, compared with approximately £22,043 for Band B countries.
That difference makes the University of London particularly interesting for students in countries that qualify for lower fee bands.
Online Economics, Management, Finance and Social Sciences Programs
University of London’s online EMFSS degrees have academic direction from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Current indicative total tuition for non-UK residents is approximately £26,280, based on twelve full modules.
Students should also budget for possible examination charges, books, local taxes and resits.
The University of London is therefore not the absolute cheapest option on this list.
However, international students comparing affordability should consider both cost and the qualification they are receiving.
5. University of Liverpool Online
The University of Liverpool offers fully online postgraduate qualifications.
This option is primarily suitable for students who already hold an undergraduate degree and want a master’s qualification from a UK university.
Programs include areas such as:
- Business
- Computer science
- Cybersecurity
- Data science
- Management
- Psychology
- Public health
- Law
Current tuition for many online master’s degrees such as MA, MSc and LLM qualifications is approximately £17,947.
Its online MBA costs more, at approximately £24,634.
What Does the Fee Cover?
University of Liverpool states that its online tuition includes:
- Study materials
- Tuition
- Assessments
- Resits
This can make budgeting easier because students have fewer unexpected academic charges.
International students may, however, have to pay taxes depending on their country.
Scholarships and Discounts
The university offers various scholarships and discounts depending on the student’s location and circumstances.
A prospective student should always investigate these before paying full tuition.
Comparing Affordable Online Universities
The following comparison gives you a general idea of how the options differ.
| University | Approximate cost | Degree level | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the People | Bachelor’s estimated around $7,260 | Undergraduate & postgraduate | Students prioritising extremely low cost |
| University of London | Varies significantly by program and country | Undergraduate & postgraduate | International recognition and broad subject choice |
| University of Essex Online | Bachelor’s around £21,701 | Undergraduate & postgraduate | Flexible UK online degrees |
| The Open University | Honours degree roughly £23,000-£26,500 depending on category | Undergraduate & postgraduate | Flexible distance education |
| University of Liverpool Online | Master’s around £17,947 | Mainly postgraduate | Professionals seeking a UK master’s degree |
These numbers should be treated as a starting point rather than a final quotation.
Universities change their fees regularly.
Always confirm the latest tuition directly with the institution before applying.
Cheapest Does Not Always Mean Best
This is one of the most important things international students need to understand.
A $7,000 degree is not automatically better value than a $20,000 degree.
Likewise, a $40,000 degree is not automatically superior because it is more expensive.
Value depends on what you receive.
Consider:
- Accreditation
- Employer recognition
- Subject availability
- Teaching quality
- Career support
- University reputation
- Professional accreditation
- Transferability of credits
- Total cost
Suppose you want to become a licensed professional.
A cheap general degree that does not meet licensing requirements could be useless for that objective.
The correct question is therefore not:
What is the cheapest university?
It is:
What is the cheapest legitimate university that meets my specific career and educational requirements?
That is a much better way to make the decision.
Accreditation Should Come Before Price
Cheap education becomes expensive very quickly if nobody recognises the qualification.
Before applying, verify:
- Who accredits the university?
- Is that accreditor officially recognised?
- Will employers in your country accept the degree?
- Will universities accept the qualification for postgraduate study?
- If the profession is regulated, will the professional body recognise it?
These questions matter particularly for:
- Nursing
- Medicine
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Teaching
- Accounting
- Law
- Social work
An online business degree may have relatively straightforward recognition requirements.
An online nursing qualification can be completely different because clinical practice and professional licensing may be required.
Can International Students Study Online Without a Student Visa?
In many situations, yes.
If you remain in your own country and complete the degree entirely online, you generally are not physically entering the university’s country to study.
That means you normally would not require the same type of student immigration permission as someone attending classes physically.
However, studying online does not normally give you immigration rights in the university’s country.
For example, completing an American degree online while living in Nigeria does not automatically give you permission to live or work in the United States.
Likewise, studying for a British online degree from another country does not automatically create UK residency or post-study work rights.
Students whose objective is immigration should carefully distinguish between:
an international academic qualification
and
physical study abroad with immigration status.
They are not the same thing.
Can You Work While Studying Online?
One of the strongest advantages of online university education is the ability to continue working.
Many students use employment to fund their studies.
Instead of borrowing the entire tuition amount, you may be able to pay for modules gradually using income.
This works particularly well with universities that allow part-time study or payment per module.
The challenge is time management.
A student working 40 hours per week should think carefully before taking a full-time academic workload.
Completing your degree more slowly is often better than becoming overwhelmed and dropping out.
How to Find Scholarships for Online Degrees
Do not assume that scholarships are only available to students attending university physically.
Some universities provide financial assistance for online students as well.
Potential sources include:
- University scholarships
- Regional scholarships
- Employer sponsorship
- Charitable foundations
- Government education schemes
- Professional associations
- Alumni discounts
University of the People, for example, says scholarships may be available to students who cannot afford its assessment fees.
University of Essex Online also advertises regional scholarship opportunities for some international students.
Even a 10% or 15% discount can save thousands on a complete degree.
Consider Currency Exchange Rates
International students often overlook this.
If your university charges in dollars or pounds but you earn money in another currency, exchange-rate movements can change the real cost of your education.
Imagine your tuition is £5,000 per year.
If your home currency weakens significantly against the pound, your education becomes more expensive even if the university does not increase tuition.
Students should therefore budget for:
- Exchange-rate changes
- Bank transfer charges
- Currency conversion fees
- International card charges
Some universities support alternative payment methods that reduce international payment difficulties.
Check Internet and Technology Requirements
An online degree still requires infrastructure.
You may need:
- Reliable broadband
- Laptop or desktop computer
- Webcam
- Microphone
- Modern browser
- Productivity software
Students in areas with unstable electricity or poor internet should investigate whether classes require live video attendance.
Asynchronous courses may be easier to manage because you can download materials when connectivity is available.
Watch Out for Diploma Mills
Cheap online education has created opportunities for legitimate universities.
Unfortunately, it has also created opportunities for fake universities.
Be suspicious of institutions that:
- Promise degrees extremely quickly
- Award large amounts of credit for “life experience”
- Guarantee graduation
- Have unclear accreditation
- Ask for one payment in exchange for a qualification
- Have almost no admission requirements
- Provide no identifiable academic staff
- Claim unrealistic employer recognition
A genuine bachelor’s degree normally requires significant academic work.
If a website promises that you can receive a recognised bachelor’s degree in a few weeks simply by submitting your CV, you are probably not looking at legitimate university education.
Bachelor’s Degree vs Master’s Degree Costs
International students should compare degree levels separately.
Bachelor’s degrees usually require much more total study.
A typical bachelor’s degree might involve three or four years of study.
A master’s degree may take one or two years.
That means a university that appears expensive per year may still offer an affordable master’s degree because the program is shorter.
For example, University of Essex Online currently lists many international master’s programs at approximately £13,884 in total.
This could be significantly cheaper than completing another bachelor’s degree unnecessarily.
If you already hold a bachelor’s qualification, investigate postgraduate options before starting over.
Best Subjects to Study Online
Some degrees adapt to online education particularly well.
Common examples include:
Business Administration
Business can be studied effectively online because most learning is classroom and project based.
Computer Science
Students can learn:
- Programming
- Databases
- Software development
- Web development
- Algorithms
- Computer systems
from virtually anywhere with an adequate computer and internet connection.
Information Technology
IT programs can prepare students for areas such as:
- Systems administration
- Networking
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud computing
- Technical support
Data Analytics
Students can learn tools including:
- SQL
- Python
- Statistics
- Data visualisation
- Business intelligence
Accounting and Finance
These subjects are widely available through online and distance-learning universities.
Marketing
Digital marketing, consumer behaviour and marketing management can also be studied remotely.
Psychology
Academic psychology degrees are widely available online, although students intending to become licensed psychologists must investigate postgraduate and professional requirements carefully.
Questions International Students Should Ask Before Applying
Before giving any university your money, find answers to these questions:
- Is the university officially accredited?
- Can students from my country enrol?
- Is the entire degree available online?
- Are there any compulsory campus visits?
- What is the complete degree cost?
- Are textbooks included?
- Are examinations included?
- Are there application fees?
- Are there graduation fees?
- Are there additional international student fees?
- Are there local taxes?
- Can I pay in instalments?
- Are scholarships available?
- Does the qualification meet professional licensing requirements?
- Will my country’s employers and universities recognise the degree?
- Are classes asynchronous or live?
- What happens if I fail a module?
- How much does a resit cost?
- Can I transfer previous university credits?
- What student support is available?
If the university cannot clearly answer basic questions about accreditation, fees and degree requirements, that should concern you.
How to Reduce the Cost of Your Online Degree
You may be able to reduce costs even further.
Transfer Previous Credits
If you have previously studied at university, ask whether your credits can transfer.
This can eliminate entire courses.
Study Part-Time While Working
Working while studying may reduce the need for loans.
Apply for Scholarships
Never assume you will not qualify.
Apply first.
Ask Your Employer
Some companies contribute toward employee education.
This is particularly common when the degree relates directly to the employee’s work.
Compare Complete Costs
Do not choose the first university you find.
Compare at least three to five institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest online university for international students?
University of the People is among the lowest-cost options because it does not charge conventional tuition. Students instead pay application and course assessment fees. Its published estimate for a complete bachelor’s degree is approximately $7,260.
Can international students get online degrees from American universities?
Yes.
Some U.S. universities accept international students into fully online degree programs, allowing students to study from their home country.
University of the People, for example, has students from more than 200 countries and territories.
Are cheap online degrees recognised?
Price does not determine recognition.
Some inexpensive universities are properly accredited.
Others may not be.
Students should independently verify the institution’s accreditation.
Can I study at a UK university online from another country?
Yes.
Universities including The Open University, University of London, University of Essex and University of Liverpool provide online learning options accessible to international students.
Do online students need visas?
Students who remain in their home countries generally do not need the same student immigration permission required for physically attending university abroad.
However, online enrolment does not itself give you the right to move to or work in the university’s country.
Can I get a scholarship for an online degree?
Yes.
Scholarship availability depends on the university, program and student.
Some institutions offer scholarships, discounts or payment plans for online international students.
Final Thoughts
International education does not have to mean spending enormous amounts of money.
Online learning has made it possible to earn recognised qualifications from universities abroad while continuing to live and work in your own country.
Among the options discussed, University of the People stands out for students whose primary concern is keeping tuition as low as possible.
The Open University provides a long-established UK distance-learning option.
University of Essex Online combines online delivery with a range of undergraduate and postgraduate UK qualifications.
University of London provides internationally accessible degrees across many subjects, with some programs offering lower fee structures for students in particular countries.
University of Liverpool Online provides postgraduate opportunities for professionals who already hold undergraduate qualifications.
But cost should never be the only factor.
A university can be cheap and still be wrong for you.
Before enrolling, confirm accreditation, calculate the complete cost, investigate how the qualification will be recognised in your country and determine whether the program genuinely supports your career objectives.
The goal is not simply to find the cheapest degree.
The goal is to find an affordable, recognised qualification that gives you useful knowledge and supports where you want your career to go.
That is the difference between saving money and simply buying a cheap qualification.