What to Know About Admissions, Tuition, and Accreditation at University of Phoenix
Updated
University of Phoenix (phoenix.edu) is an online college aimed at working adults, and its own site describes it as accredited and affordable. If you are checking whether you can get in, what it costs, and whether the credential is recognized, the practical path is to use the Admissions & Tuition section of the official site, then confirm the details for your specific program before applying. The site provides entry points to Request Info, Apply Now, and finish-enrollment tasks, and lists a phone number (844-937-8679) for direct questions. Because program-level requirements, per-credit costs, and fees can change, treat the website and a call to admissions as the authoritative source rather than third-party summaries.
Admissions: what the site tells you and how to proceed
The homepage and navigation show an Admissions & Tuition area alongside Apply Now and Request Info. That structure matters: it means admissions criteria are handled at the program level rather than as one universal checklist on the homepage.
What you can reasonably do without guessing:
- Start with Request Info if you want a counselor to walk you through requirements for a specific degree or certificate.
- Use Apply Now when you already know the program and want to begin the application.
- Expect enrollment tasks after applying — the site references "Finish enrollment tasks" and a student portal, which implies a sequence of steps (application, document submission, onboarding) rather than a single form.
- Call 844-937-8679 for time-sensitive questions, such as whether a start date is still open.
The site lists upcoming start dates, which is a signal that enrollment runs on scheduled cycles rather than rolling admission. If timing matters to you, check the next start date before you begin the application, because missing it can push your first course out by weeks.
What to verify for your specific situation
The homepage does not publish a single set of admission requirements that applies to every program. Before applying, confirm:
- Whether your program requires prior college coursework, a high school diploma or equivalent, or specific professional experience.
- Whether any prerequisite courses apply.
- Whether there are separate requirements for doctoral, master's, bachelor's, associate, or certificate tracks — the site organizes programs across all of these levels.
Tuition and cost: how to get a real number
The site uses the word affordable and places tuition information under Admissions & Tuition, but the homepage excerpt does not list dollar figures, per-credit rates, or fees. That is the key limitation: you cannot calculate your total cost from the homepage alone.
To get a usable estimate, work through these steps:
- Identify your exact program and level (for example, a bachelor's in business versus an MBA). Cost structures differ by level and by program.
- Open the Admissions & Tuition section and locate the tuition page for that program.
- Ask about total program cost, not just per-credit price — including any fees, course materials, and technology charges.
- Ask about transfer credit if you have prior coursework, since accepted credits reduce the number of courses you pay for.
- Ask about payment options and employer tuition benefits if your employer offers them.
The site also references ways to save in its navigation, which suggests savings options exist, but the excerpt does not specify what they are. Treat any savings claim as something to confirm with admissions rather than assume.
Accreditation: what the claim means and what to check
The site states that University of Phoenix is accredited. Accreditation is the single most important thing to verify independently, because it affects whether employers, licensing bodies, and other institutions will recognize your degree.
Two practical points:
- Ask which accreditor oversees the specific program you want. Institutional accreditation and specialized programmatic accreditation are different things, and some fields (for example, certain healthcare or counseling roles) have program-level requirements.
- Verify the accreditor through the U.S. Department of Education's database rather than relying only on the school's own statement. This takes a few minutes and is the standard way to confirm recognition.
If your goal involves a professional license, check your state's licensing board requirements separately. Accreditation alone does not guarantee license eligibility.
Programs and fields of study
The site organizes offerings across these areas:
| Field | Degree levels shown on the site |
|---|---|
| Behavioral Sciences | Bachelor's, master's, courses |
| Business | Associate, bachelor's, master's, MBA (competency-based), doctoral, certificates |
| Criminal Justice | Associate, bachelor's, master's |
| Cybersecurity | Associate, bachelor's, master's |
| Education | Bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificates, continuing teacher education |
| Healthcare | Bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificates |
| Information Technology | Listed under degrees and courses |
| Liberal Arts | Listed under degrees and courses |
| Nursing | Listed under degrees and courses |
| Psychology | Listed under degrees and courses |
The site also offers the option to take a single course, which is useful if you want to test the format before committing to a full program.
How online learning is structured for working adults
The site's model is built around flexibility for people with jobs. Student testimonials on the page emphasize signing in at convenient times, flexible study hours, and a manageable workload for working adults. One student, DeAnn B., notes she could not return to school without the ability to complete assignments on her own schedule.
What this means in practice:
- You are not required to attend at fixed times, based on the flexibility described.
- You still need to meet assignment deadlines within each course.
- Faculty contact matters — one testimonial specifically mentions attentive faculty, so plan to use instructor communication when you are stuck.
If your schedule includes unpredictable travel or shift work, ask admissions how assignment deadlines and course pacing work in your specific program before enrolling.
A practical checklist before you apply
- Confirm the next start date for your program.
- Open Admissions & Tuition and find the requirements and cost page for your exact program.
- Request Info or call 844-937-8679 to confirm admission requirements, total cost, fees, and transfer credit policy.
- Verify accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education database.
- If you need a license, check your state board's requirements separately.
- Ask about ways to save, payment plans, and employer tuition benefits.
- Consider taking a single course first if you are unsure about the online format.
The main caution: the homepage gives you the structure and the entry points, not the final numbers. Requirements, tuition, and program-specific accreditation details should be confirmed directly with the university or through official databases before you commit.