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7 Ways to Save BIG on Your Degree

Don’t let the cost of higher education keep you from earning your degree, these tips are sure to help as you work through your academic path

Let’s be real — getting a university degree costs a TON, and not just financially. In fact, there are many obstacles that make getting an education difficult, some of which even prevent people from reaching their academic goals.

Since its creation in 2009, BYU-Pathway Worldwide has worked to tear down the walls that keep students from education and help them save big on their academic paths. Designed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a way to bring higher education to people around the world, it has opened the doors of higher education to tens of thousands of students — more than 40,000 people in 100 countries in 2018 alone!

Here are just seven perks to enrolling in the PathwayConnect program for your education:

1. PathwayConnect Tuition is Low-Cost

Most university options are expensive. In fact, the average university student is expected to finish their degree with more than $35,000 in debt.

PathwayConnect provides students with an affordable, low-cost alternative as a bridge to higher education. With tuition of only $73 per credit in the United States and even less in other countries, PathwayConnect sets students up for a high-quality education that costs five times less than other universities.

guy on his phone and computer

2. No Textbook or Course Material Fees

Class materials, like textbooks, are another big expense for students — sometimes costing more than $1,000 a year, depending on the semester.

During PathwayConnect’s year-long curriculum , students pay no course materials fees.

3. Students Don’t Have to Go On Campus

If you have attended a local university on campus before, you know the commute to classes every day can be pricey. Gas, public transit passes, parking, and even rental fees can add up quickly and increase the cost of physically attending a university.

Students gathered at the institute building
Students gather at the institute building for their PathwayConnect gathering.

Since PathwayConnect’s courses are online, the only commute is a weekly gathering in a local Church meetinghouse or institute building. That means less money spent on getting to classes, and more time learning.

4. Students Can Get an Education from Home

Attending a university on campus is a thing of the past!

PathwayConnect is an online program, so students can go on to earn their degrees in the comfort of their own home. After students successfully complete the program, they are able to work toward a BYU-Idaho online certificate and degree , provided through BYU-Pathway, completely online. Plus, they get to keep the same low tuition rate they paid in PathwayConnect throughout their online degree program!

woman studying at the table

5. Online Courses Work With a Daily Routine

Time is money, and sometimes conforming to a daily class schedule is a burden that many students can’t afford.

PathwayConnect courses are designed to be flexible. Because they are completely online, courses fit in with busy student schedules and allow them to learn when they are available.

6. More Time to Spend With Family

Busy schedules take time away from important things like family — and getting an education is no different. More time spent in a classroom means more time away from family, but not with PathwayConnect!

Because PathwayConnect’s courses are flexible and can be taken from home, students have more time to participate in other important parts of life — like spending meaningful time with a spouse or children. Over the years, many PathwayConnect students have reported improvement in their family relationships because they have more time to spend together.

mom and her kids reading

7. Less Stress

Finances aside, there is an emotional price students pay when they pursue an education. Getting a degree can be stressful, so having support and guidance as they work toward their academic goals can help.

BYU-Pathway Advising student employees
BYU-Pathway Advising student employees

BYU-Pathway Worldwide has many options to give students the support and guidance they need during their time in PathwayConnect. From instructors and academic advisors who really care about students to service missionaries and fellow students in gatherings and online support groups, there are resources dedicated to making the PathwayConnect experience as stress-free as possible.

Save Big through PathwayConnect

These are just a few of the ways you can save big by starting your path to a university degree though PathwayConnect. Start your application by visiting our admissions web page.