Prospective Online Students FAQs

In our increasingly competitive marketplace, employers are placing higher value on education than ever before. Over the past 25 years, college graduates, on average, have earned more than high school graduates – with the gap increasing on average over time.* Earning a college degree is a valuable investment that could help you pursue greater career opportunities and earning potential.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Median Usual Weekly Earnings of Full-time Wage and Salary Workers by Educational Attainment (viewed online Aug. 4, 2023). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Yes, numerous studies have demonstrated that students pursuing online degrees perform as well or better than their on-campus counterparts. In the book, The No Significant Difference Phenomenon, author Thomas L. Russell cites 355 research reports, papers, and summaries that found no significant difference between online and in-class learning. Where a difference was identified, it generally favored the online student.*

Many employers look very favorably on the fact that online students have the discipline to manage their classes and work simultaneously. Employers typically support online programs and their employees’ enrollment in an online degree with Liberty University’s online programs. Also, Liberty University has identified that its 8-week online format is the most effective vehicle for distance education.

*Russell, T. L. (2001). The No Significant Difference Phenomenon: A Comparative Research Annotated Bibliography on Technology for Distance Education: As Reported in 355 Research Reports, Summaries and Papers. IDECC.

Please see the Canvas orientation and tutorials for a demonstration of how Liberty University’s online courses work.

Degree completion time greatly depends on the chosen program and the amount of transfer credit you may have.

• For undergraduate online degree programs, the more credits you transfer in, the faster you will complete your degree online. You may be able to earn credit for professional training through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Institutional Challenge Examinations (ICE), or by utilizing credit from previous college courses you have taken.
• For online graduate and master’s programs, it depends on the program and the amount of time you have available to spend on your classes. Most undergraduate and online graduate degree programs have a certain number of courses that must be completed through Liberty to graduate.
• While all transfer credit is subject to evaluation, at Liberty, you can transfer in up to 75% of your undergraduate degree and 50% of your graduate degree.

Please contact our admissions department to learn more.

If you move to a different state, or feel Liberty has assigned you an incorrect state location, you can provide your new state location by completing the State Change Notification form. In addition, we suggest that you update your address in your myLU account.

When and how long you log in during the week is completely up to you. Liberty offers you the flexibility to complete assignments at the time of day that is most convenient for you. With the exception of a few programs, there are no specific required login times during the week. As long as you meet the deadlines specified by the professor for turning in assignments, you can complete your coursework at any time of the day or night.

This level of flexibility allows you to fit school into your busy schedule, while simultaneously providing enough structure to keep you on track to ensure successful completion of your degree.

Some programs require in-person components or synchronous intensives. For more information, view our exclusions page.

Please refer to Liberty’s tuition and fees page.

You may either apply online or over the phone. Since every online student has unique needs and questions, Liberty University’s online admissions team will help you throughout the admission process, then the New Enrollment Team will help with registration in your first online classes and Financial Check-In.

To get started today, please call (800) 424-9595 or chat live.

Please visit the admission requirements page for the requirements specific to your program.

Fax/scan all unofficial college transcripts to (888) 301-3577 or luoverify@liberty.edu.

Please send all official college transcripts to:

Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515

Note: International transcripts must be translated into English before submission.

Do you need to request a college transcript? Let us request it for you!

Please view Liberty’s website for a complete list of online degree programs.

Online degree programs are completed at a distance from the Liberty University campus through a variety of venues, featuring primarily online instruction. Most online courses last 8 weeks, while a select few are 14-17 weeks. Specific programs also require some 1- or 2-week synchronous or on-campus intensives.

Residential degree programs are primarily completed through participation in face-to-face, lecture-format courses on Liberty University’s campus. These residential experiences occur in a variety of formats, including:

• Semester-long courses
• 2-week intensives
• 1-week intensives
• Weekend intensives

Hybrid degree programs are unique programs that offer online courses with portions of in-person training. For example, our BS in Aviation is a unique online program that offers the flight training portion of its program in person at FAA-approved Flight Training Affiliates.

To learn more about in-person program requirements view our online in-person exclusions page.

Yes, there are several ways to finance your education.

• Financial aid process
• Liberty’s monthly payment plans

Please note: Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Our FAFSA school code is 010392.

Yes, Liberty University accepts transfer credits from regionally and nationally accredited institutions of higher learning. Visit our transfer page to learn more. Be sure to send in all your official transcripts so that Liberty may evaluate all potential credit and award you the maximum amount possible.

To ensure the value of your education, all of our faculty members have either master or doctoral degrees. Also, many faculty members hold high-level positions within the fields they teach. Liberty University is devoted to ensuring the academic integrity of our classes and the educational foundation of the professors instructing them.

No, all of our diplomas say “Liberty University.”

Liberty University’s name is well-respected in the business community. You can be sure your online degree will help you obtain the career you desire. To ensure that our programs provide the skills and expertise that are in high demand, we develop our curriculum based on the current needs of each industry they relate to. We then draw our faculty from among the leaders of that industry to provide the most valuable, real-world education possible. Our academic instruction is continually updated to reflect the latest proven concepts, methods, and practices.

Yes, Liberty University has students studying from countries all around the globe. Through our convenient online program, students can earn their degree without residency requirements.*

*This is true for most programs. However, a few programs require some 1- or 2-week on-campus intensives at times convenient to the student. Students residing outside of the United States with intensive requirements should speak with resident admissions about VISA eligibility.

Apply online now! If you have any further questions, please speak with an admissions counselor immediately by calling:

Office Hours
Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri.
Call | 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. EST
Chat | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST
Wed.
Call | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST
Chat | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST
Sat.
Call/Chat | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST

Visit our textbooks and software page to learn about purchasing books and materials through Barnes and Noble College, our online bookstore.

To check for the deadlines for this academic year, please check our academic calendar.

View computer requirements and recommendations.

Our online classroom experience is extremely user-friendly. However, should you have any questions or experience any difficulties, Liberty University offers online technical support as well as assistance by phone by calling (434) 592-7800.

If your password does not work when you try to log in to myLU, click on My Login and enter your username and password again to make sure you have entered it correctly.

If you still cannot log in, you may either choose to change your password by clicking on Forgot Password on the login page, or you may call the IT HelpDesk at (434) 592-7800 or (866) 447-2869 for technical assistance.

Canvas is the online learning platform that houses all online courses. Canvas allows professors to make announcements, post assignments, and interact with students. Students will use Canvas to submit coursework, complete online tests, and interact with their classmates. Students must first set up their myLU account to have access to Canvas.

You can use the course registration tool to enroll in courses, monitor your progress towards graduation, and view your final grades.

Assignments Manager is the system students use to submit online coursework, which is found within Canvas. Your class syllabi/professor will provide you with more details as to where to submit your course assignments online.

You must contact your assigned course instructor to reset your test.

Your online courses will begin to become available for viewing during the later part of the week before your official start date (Week Zero) to allow you to review the course-related information. However, you cannot submit any assignments for your course until the official start date during Week One. For more information on important course dates, you can review the Online Academic Calendars: https://www.liberty.edu/registrar/academic-calendar/

Final grades can be found by logging into the myLU account. Once logged in, select Student, then Student Records, then Final Grades. Here, you can access your grades by term or view your full unofficial transcript.