Nope—Degree Partners isn’t a college. We’re a college support nonprofit that helps you earn your degree from an accredited university. We partner with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), which offers flexible, competency-based online degrees. You’ll be officially enrolled at SNHU, and you’ll earn your degree from SNHU, but we’ll be by your side every step of the way with coaching and wraparound support to help you succeed.

The degrees listed on our Degree Programs & Career Pathways page are all we offer through our current university partnerships. There is no nursing program at this time, nor are there master’s degrees or other credentials available through our partnership with SNHU, though many of our graduates do go on to earn advanced degrees and credentials through other programs.

SNHU accepts up to 45 credits for an Associate of Arts and up to 90 credits for a Bachelor of Arts. However, not all credits are transferable. Our team can help you with the credit transfer process.

Most students don’t have any issues using competency-based education (CBE) transcripts for jobs or graduate school applications. In some fields—especially teaching licensure—employers or licensing boards may ask for more information because the transcript format is different (SNHU lists project mastery rather than GPA). If this happens, SNHU can provide an official letter explaining how CBE works and how your achievements are measured. We’ve helped our graduates navigate this before and can help you too!

The first step is to get in touch with our enrollment team. We’ll make sure you have what you need to apply to SNHU’s CBE program. We can help walk you through each step, each form, and each deadline so you won’t have to wait long to get started.

Think of your coach as a mentor and guide—someone who understands what it takes to balance school, work, and life, and is there to help you navigate challenges, celebrate wins, and stay motivated until graduation. All our coaches are first-generation college graduates, and they’re passionate about providing support that makes a difference.

We offer support for everything from enrollment, financial aid, and credit transfer through the weekly work of earning your degree—and beyond. You can see all the kinds of support we offer here.

You’ll need a US high school diploma or GED, or an international diploma with passing TOEFL scores.

There’s no minimum GPA, no entrance exam, and no additional criteria to qualify.

Life happens—and we get that. That’s exactly why you’ll have a dedicated coach by your side. If something unexpected comes up, your coach is there to talk through what’s going on, help you adjust your plan, and make sure you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our program is built to flex with your life—you can pause when needed and pick back up when you’re ready. Your coach will help you navigate those decisions, and talk you through the academic and financial implications.

We hear that a lot—and it makes total sense. If college didn’t work out before, it probably wasn’t the right fit for your life at the time. The difference here is that our programs are designed with working adults in mind. All of your schoolwork is 100% asynchronous and online—so if you have a work conflict one week, you can move your schoolwork to a different block of time. And you’ll have a professional coach supporting you through the challenges of earning a degree—whether that’s time management, motivation, or self-doubt. We can also help you navigate credit transfer for previous college work. Remember: You’re not starting over—you’re starting smarter, with the tools and team to help you succeed this time around.

We get that a lot. And we get it! But because we’re a nonprofit, with funders who are also driven by the idea that all students deserve a chance to earn a life-changing degree, we’re able to provide exceptional, high-impact coaching to students like you. And our graduates say it makes all the difference. If you still have questions, get in touch—we’re always happy to connect prospective students to our alumni to get a better sense of the Degree Partners experience.

Community college is a great option for many learners. However, there are some important differences between our program and a local community college:

• Access to coaching: Coaching is one of the most effective interventions for college completion, but most students who attend school online or part time don’t have access to the kind of coaching we provide.
• Coaching ratios: Many college advisors serve about 1,000–1,500 students each. Our coaches never support more than 50 students at a time. The difference is real: The 1:1, dedicated, weekly coaching our students receive through Degree Partners is a big reason why our on-time graduation rates are so high, even with students balancing life outside the classroom.
• No barriers to entry: The only thing students need is a high school diploma or GED; there are no standardized tests like the ACT or SAT required, nor do students have to take remedial courses, so they can start making progress towards their degree faster.
• Ability to accelerate: At a community college, students can only earn credits based on credit hours, or the number of classes they can enroll in each term. For busy working adults, that number will be limited, and the only way to earn credits is to complete the entire course. With Degree Partners, students earn credits based on project mastery. There is no cap on the number of credits you can earn in a term. If you’re on a roll, or if your prior experience makes some content easier for you, you can earn additional credits that term, without paying more money for the term, and without having to spend a pre-set amount of time in each course.