ADMISSION IN A DAY~ HOW I GOT INTO A U.S UNIVERSITY WITH FULL SCHOLARSHIP

University of the People: My Honest Review as a Newly Admitted Nigerian Student

If you're like me, trying to secure a degree without selling a kidney or borrowing from your unborn grandkids, then this might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

So, let’s get into it. I just got admitted to University of the People (UoPeople), and guess what? The whole process was so fast, efficient, and scholarship-friendly that I almost didn’t believe it myself. Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know based on my experience, from Nigeria.

📬 What Happened:

Applied same day
Got confirmation, scholarship, AND fee waiver mails—same day. Yes, you heard that right.

💸 Application Fee Waiver

I didn’t pay the $60 application fee. They sent me an email saying my grant to cover the application fee was approved and I wouldn’t need to pay anything upfront. This is automatically processed once you apply and qualify, so don’t let the fee scare you. Wait for that email.

📩 “Your application fee is covered! Your grant is currently being processed.”

🎓 Scholarship Approval

I received a scholarship of $2400 to cover the first 10–15 courses (depending on your degree level). After completing those courses with at least a 2.0 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average), the rest of your course fees will also be covered.

⚠️ You must maintain a minimum CGPA of 2.0 to continue receiving financial aid.

📚 Programs Available (Tuition-Free)

UoPeople offers fully online, tuition-free degrees with no textbooks to buy, no live lectures, and no cost for materials. Programs include:

✅ Health Science

2-year Associate Degree
4-year Bachelor's Degree
Certificates: Behavioral Health, Epidemiology, Public Health, Human Biology

✅ Business Administration

2-year Associate Degree
4-year Bachelor's Degree
MBA (Master’s)
Certificates: Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Strategy

✅ Computer Science

2-year Associate Degree
4-year Bachelor's Degree
Master’s Degree
Certificates: Data Science, Network & Application Security

✅ Education

Only Master’s Degree (No waivers for Nigerians currently)

✅ English as a Second Language (ESL)

No scholarships or waivers for this program.

💡 Scholarships are primarily available to new applicants from Nigeria studying Associate or Bachelor’s degrees in Health Science, Business Admin, or Computer Science.

📝 Admission Requirements

A WAEC result or high school certificate is enough. (I uploaded my high school testimonial + certificate because they contained my WAEC result).
You’ll be asked for your graduation year/month or can choose “not yet graduated.”
No live interview. Just create an account, apply, and submit.

🔁 Step-by-Step Application Process

Visit uopeople.edu
Click Apply Now
Fill in your personal info and program of choice
Upload your documents
Wait for confirmation (takes a few minutes or a few hours at most)

Be warned: Their website can be a little slow or laggy, but they address this with a pop-up message. Just be patient.

📆 What's Next?

After being admitted:

You'll receive mails about the application fee waived, scholarship amount, and how to keep getting the scholarship for subsequent courses.
You'll get an email congratulating you on saving your spot, when to exepect the schedule for orientation (According to the mail, the orientation will be 1–2 hours max.)
You’ll get your course start date and materials ahead of time (Yet to be sent to me. This will come along with the previously stated mails.)

🧠 Things to Know:

Classes are 100% online. Perfect for remote learners.
You don’t need to be a genius to qualify. Just show academic potential.
This is a legit, U.S.-accredited, non-profit university.
The community is super supportive. Advisors are just a WhatsApp or email away.
It’s a great stepping stone if you're planning to travel later and continue studying abroad. (You can transfer credits.)

🎯 Final Verdict (So Far)

As someone from Nigeria looking for affordable, quality education with global recognition, UoPeople has made a strong impression. Is it perfect? No. The website’s a bit slow. But the speed of approval, zero tuition, and legit communication are honestly impressive.

I'll update this post again after orientation and when classes begin in September.

Got questions? Feel free to comment, I’ll respond based on my personal experience.