This is what finish looks like

Balance your life and finish your degree

Every day, you do extraordinary things. Your ability to successfully finish your degree is no different. At Thomas Edison State University, you will not have to sacrifice your career or personal responsibilities to complete your degree.

Our undergraduate courses are offered every month and nursing courses are offered four times during the year, so you do not have to wait for a fall or winter semester to begin.

You can earn credit in ways that fit your life and learning style. This includes:

online courses
independent study courses
credit-by-exam programs, including CLEP® and DSST® exams and our own TECEP® exams
open courses offered by the Saylor Academy
earning credit for what you already know through our prior learning assessment (PLA) program

Everyone at Thomas Edison State University – from our team of admissions and enrollment service counselors to our deans and academic advisors – is dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.

We will counsel you on how to maximize transfer credit and identify whether you can earn credit for what you already know. We will help you become familiar with our online course system, connect you with free academic resources to help adjust to life as a student again and cheer you on when you need encouragement. Believe in yourself .

Taking an online course

Earning credit for what you already know

Download Your Free Guide to Finishing Your Degree

Download Free Guide

Transfer the credits you already earned

Think carefully about your past college career and professional training. Now, think about how you may be able to transfer that credit and apply it to your new degree program.

Credits Earned at Other Institutions
Our generous transfer credit policy enables you to maximize credits earned at other regionally accredited colleges and universities.
- You can apply up to 80 credits earned at two-year institutions (like community colleges) to your degree
- You can apply up to 117 credits earned at four-year institutions to your degree
Professional Training

You can earn credit through professional training you have completed, including on-the-job training, military training and law enforcement training. Have you completed any professional training programs in your career?
Professional Licenses and Certifications

You can earn credit for select professional licenses and certifications you possess. The University awards credit for more than 60 professional licenses and certifications in a wide range of industries, such as allied health, aviation, building and construction, law enforcement and the nuclear field. Do you hold any professional licenses or certifications?
CLEP®, DSST® and other Exam Programs

You can earn credit for college-level examinations, such as CLEP®, DSST® and AP, that you have passed. Have you passed any of these types of exams?

Learn more about transfer credit

Earn the credits you still need

To determine how many credits you need to finish your degree, we will complete an academic evaluation that examines all of your past college transcripts, professional training and professional licenses or certifications and official score reports from exam programs you have passed. Your evaluation will show you how all of your transfer credit may be applied to your degree – and what courses you still need to take to finish your degree. Your evaluation can be used to create a degree plan with an academic advisor that serves as a roadmap to finishing your degree.

To get your academic evaluation:

1.) Apply Online
2.) Submit Transcripts

The $50 application fee includes your academic evaluation.

Apply to TESU

Have your transcripts from all of the colleges and universities you have attended sent directly to Thomas Edison State University. Include transcripts for professional training (such as transcripts from the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service and military Joint Service Transcripts), notarized copies of licenses or certifications and official score reports from exam programs.

Learn how to submit your transcripts

How long will it take?

The time it takes for you to complete your degree at Thomas Edison State University depends largely on two factors:

Total transfer credits you can apply to your degree program
Amount of time you can commit to earning the credits needed to finish your degree

Most of our students are working adults. They attend school part time while managing their professional and personal responsibilities. The time it takes them to complete a degree varies widely. That said, about 60 percent of students who complete their undergraduate degrees at Thomas Edison State University do so in three years or less. Each student sets his or her own pace.

Learn more

Invest in yourself

No investments we make in our lives are quite like the investment in our own education. An investment in your college education is something that will continue to grow in value as time moves on.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Earnings are higher and unemployment rates are lower for Americans who have high levels of education.*
Weekly median earnings for U.S. workers 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree are approximately $430 more than Americans who only have a high school education – which is an annual difference of more than $22,500.*

*source: Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor

The prior learning assessment option for me was really amazing...
Karen Hatcher BA ’11

One of the reasons I went to Thomas Edison is that they accepted so much of my Navy training...
Ben Vonderreith BSAST ’12

Just because I decided to take that leap of faith to finish my degree, all these doors opened up...
Yolanda Soto BA ’09

My inspiration for going back and finishing my degree was my daughter and my family...
Dexter Trotter AA ’10, BA ’12

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I knew I needed a degree to go anywhere...
Dr. Ashley Pistorio BSAST ’99

I graduated from nursing school when I was 50, so it's never too late to change and to advance...
Gary Fassler BSN ’08, MSN ’11

Take the Next Step

Speak with an admissions counselor to learn more about:

Your academic evaluation
Submitting your transcripts
Financial aid and scholarship opportunities
Cost of finishing your degree and selecting the right tuition plan

Make an Appointment