Skip to content

University of the People Annual Graduates Survey 2020

Updated: June 19, 2024 | Published: May 25, 2020

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: May 25, 2020

survey2020

Choosing to attend an institute of higher education is a big decision, and you’ll likely wonder if you’re making the right one. There are many variables to consider, ranging from cost, to location, to degree offerings, and more. If you know anything about the University of the People, you know that it’s not a traditional institute for higher education. In our Annual Graduates Survey 2020, 800 of our graduates share the many reasons why choosing UoPeople was the right choice to help them achieve their goals!

Regardless of why you want to earn an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, the University of the People gives you the option to do so without downsides. The University of the People was founded with the mission to provide education to anyone who wants to earn their degree.

As one of our graduates said, “I would describe the opportunity to get an education at the University of the People as an affordable way to obtain a quality education with little disruption to your family or working life. It will certainly challenge you but you will appreciate its comprehensiveness and quality compared to other universities and educational opportunities”. Another amazing statement we received was, “If you have ever wanted to continue your education and time and money has stood in your way University of the People eliminates those barriers. You will work hard but it will be worth it in the end.”

Don’t just take it from us as to why the University of the People is changing education for the better. Let’s take a look at the highlights from alumni on what they had to share that demonstrate why UoPeople may just be the perfect place for you to earn your higher-education degree!

A Satisfying Educational Experience

Everyone learns differently. With online education, there are some additional considerations to know before enrolling. For example, you’ll have to manage your own time and schedule more than in a traditional educational setting. On a traditional campus, classes are only offered at specified times. But, with school online, students get to choose when to access course resources and lessons.

The flexibility can add to a student’s satisfaction. Take it from one graduate who shared, “I have a young family and I work full time on dayshift. My wife works a lot of evenings and weekends. A lot of my study was completed after I put the children to bed. There is no way I would have been able to complete this degree without the flexibility of this online course.”

Would You Recommend UoPeople To Others?

90% of UoPeople graduates would recommend the university to a family member, friend, or colleague

In fact, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, (1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest), 92% of graduates rated their satisfaction level at UoPeople as being a 4 or higher. This is also reflected in our Annual Students Survey blog, where an amazing 94% of current students said they are satisfied with their experience at UoPeople. Moreso, over 90% of our graduates are very likely (4 or more stars) to recommend UoPeople to a family member, friend, or colleague. Again, this is echoed in our current student survey, where 96% of students answered “Yes” to that very same question.

Are You Satisfied With Your Experience At UoPeople?

92% of UoPeople alumni are satisfied with their experience at UoPeople

We are incredibly proud and humbled to know that, not only are our current students satisfied but, also from a post-graduation perspective, our alumni are still enjoying the effects of our university.

Achieve Your Educational Goals

The curriculum at UoPeople is purposefully designed by top-notch professors and faculty from around the globe to position graduates to succeed in their future. After graduating from UoPeople, many of students went on to graduate from another institution. UoPeople offers everything you need to enter your field of choice prepared, and even with a terminal degree.

Because of this, in addition, many other graduates are currently studying to earn degrees outside of our institution. As an example, many of our graduates have gone on to continue their education at universities around the world, including NYU, the University of Auckland, UC Berkeley, the University of Nairobi, Sapienza University of Rome and many more.

Reach Your Career Potential

While it’s possible to go on and gain more education beyond UoPeople as the degree is well-respected and accredited, it’s an entirely optional choice rather than a necessity. UoPeople offers an affordable educational route for you to advance in your career, to get the promotion or raise you always wanted, to change career paths to try something new.

To demonstrate, 80% of graduates stated that their degree from UoPeople helped them prepare the skills and tools required for their current career. 65% of alumni entered the workforce or started a new job upon graduation. For those who remained in their field, over a third received a promotion and/or pay increase after earning their degree (this is a 5% increase from our previous graduates survey!).

Did UoPeople Help You Develop The Skills And Tools Needed To Propel Your Career?

80% of UoPeople graduates said that UoPeople helped them prepare the skills and tools required for their current career

When it comes to our graduates who are currently not working, many stated that their unemployment is a conscious decision they chose to make. Their reasons being pursuing further education (17%), doing volunteer work (8%) and other personal reasons (27%).

Furthermore, 87% of UoPeople graduates are currently employed with 71% being employed full-time, compared to 69% in our previous graduates survey. Additionally, 67% are holding positions that are related to the program they studied at the University of the People.

Are You Employed Full-Time?

71% of UoPeople graduates are employed full-time

To clarify, this data was collected following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of this, we are excited to see what next year’s survey will bring!

The Ability To Afford Higher Education

The University of the People has a unique educational model that relies on the help of volunteers. With everything online, the overhead costs for running the institution remain as low as possible. This way, we can offer students tuition-free and affordable education.

For many students, the challenge of affording college can actually stop them from being able to enroll in the first place. Scholarships and grants aren’t always enough with the high and rising cost of tuition.

Fortunately, because of how UoPeople operates, many students who thought they would never be able to earn their higher education have had the opportunity to do so.

One of our graduates shared, “I never thought this could have been true! Having been born in the most poverty-stricken country of the western hemisphere and a family with limited resources I wouldn’t have afforded the price of higher education. Thanks to the University of the People I was able to make it!”

A Unique And Rewarding Opportunity

Imagine a world in which you can learn from world-renowned professors in the comfort of your own home at a limited cost. Or, if you’re an adventurous soul, imagine traveling the world while bettering your future.

One of our graduates experienced education from different corners of the world. This graduate shared a unique anecdote, “I went on a month-long honeymoon in Russia and wrote my first few papers from a small laptop on the Trans-Siberian Highway. I wrote my thesis for the MBA capstone from a hotel high-rise in Dubai and defended it with my professor from a partners office in Kingston, Jamaica. The reason I chose to pick up an MBA at UoPeople was it gave me the flexibility to enjoy my life and be successful at my job at the same time, and in that it was everything I hoped it would be.

At the University of the People, you can balance work, school, and anything life throws at you because your education is quite literally in your hands — in fact, it’s right at your fingertips from your laptop!

Take a look at UoPeople’s degree programs and take the first step to improve your future.

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone.
Read More

In this article