Enrolling is simple! Applications are open year-round, and courses start about every 7–8 weeks. Visit the Application Process page for instructions, details, and the application deadlines for the next available block. If you apply during one block and there is no longer space available, you will automatically be admitted into the next available block.

Your graduation timeline depends on your degree and how many courses you decide to take each block. Most students finish their first certificate within a year, which can boost your job opportunities right away.

All degrees offered through BYU-Pathway are made up of three certificates along with general education and free religion courses. BYU-Pathway offers accelerated online bachelor’s degrees that can be completed in three years, requiring 90 to 96 credits. These degrees focus on core skills that help you graduate faster and jumpstart your career, without the extra time and cost of elective courses.

Applications are open year-round, and courses begin about every 7–8 weeks. You can find the exact start dates for upcoming blocks on the academic calendar page. This gives you plenty of flexibility to plan when you'd like to begin your studies!

Each BYU-Pathway term is called a "block," and each block lasts seven weeks. There are a total of six block starts per year. If you’re wondering when you can start, the answer is always “soon!”

Find more information on application deadlines and the start that works best for you.

Preferred Path
To qualify for the lowest tuition rate, you must choose the preferred path option and complete the PathwayConnect certificate by meeting the following requirements:

• Successfully complete PC 101, PC 102, and PC 103 courses with a minimum grade of C or better in each course.
• Complete your first introductory certificate course with a grade of C- or higher.
• Complete two credits of religion courses with a passing (P) grade.
• No minimum GPA is required.
  

Advanced Path
If you haven’t completed PathwayConnect, you may still qualify for the advanced path option. The advanced path to a degree requires a more detailed application process and is primarily for U.S. students with significant previous university and online learning experience. *

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Information for International Students
Students who live in countries outside the United States or Canada are encouraged to start their degree program through the preferred path, which begins with PathwayConnect. For international students particularly, the requirements for admission to PathwayConnect are simpler and more affordable.

The following are requirements for the advanced path option:

• Earn a U.S. high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Complete at least three (3) credits at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university after earning your high school diploma or equivalent.
  
  • Note: Completing only part of the PathwayConnect courses does not satisfy this requirement.
• Have a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA for those college or university credits.

Yes, individuals of all faiths are welcome to apply. Applicants who are not members of the Church will pay 25% higher tuition and must also meet all other admission requirements.

The application for BYU-Pathway is always open. If you apply during one block and there is no longer space available, you will automatically be admitted into the next available block. Visit the academic calendar for a complete list of dates for each block.

The application for BYU-Pathway is always open, the final dates and deadlines are outlined on the academic calendar.

BYU-Pathway helps students advance their careers by offering job-ready certificates that lead to degrees. You’ll start gaining practical skills from your first course, and each certificate you earn can help qualify you for better jobs — even before you finish your degree.

Programs are focused on high-demand fields like business, technology, and health. And since everything is 100% online, you can balance school with work, family, and other obligations. Students also receive support with resumes, job searching, interview preparation, and other career services.

“Much to my surprise, one of my course lessons at that time was called ‘Finding a Better Job,’... I immediately applied the skills I learned and was able to find a great new company to work for.” — Yuki Omine, Japan

Transfer credits most often fit the requirements of general education courses. With our three-year degrees, we’ve eliminated elective credits so you can graduate faster no matter if your credits can transfer or not. For more information on what credits will transfer to a degree offered through BYU-Pathway Worldwide, visit our Transfer Credits page.

For credits to transfer, the degree-granting college or university must be in the U.S. and have institutional accreditation. Visit our transfer credits page for full information.

Students can print transcripts and have an official copy sent to other institutions by completing the following steps after final grades have been posted.

1. Go to companion.byupathway.edu.
2. Select the "Services" button at the bottom of the page.
3. Select the "Official Transcripts" button.
4. Select the "Order Official Transcripts" button. Fill out the information requested.
5. Choose the institution you would like the official transcripts to be sent to.
6. Type the name of the institution, group, or person receiving the transcript.
7. Type the email for the recipient of the official transcripts. Double-check before sending.
8. Select the "Submit" button.

Note: Official transcripts may take up to 10 days to be processed and sent. They will only be sent via email.

Visit this article in our Help Center for more additional details.

Students must meet the following requirements to progress and begin taking online degree courses through BYU-Pathway:

• Successfully complete PC 101, PC 102, and PC 103 courses with a minimum grade of C or better in each course.
• Complete your first introductory certificate course with a grade of C- or higher.
• Complete two credits of religion courses with a passing (P) grade.
• No minimum GPA is required.
  
  

Students whose PathwayConnect grade isn’t high enough to get into an online degree program can retake one or more of their PathwayConnect courses to raise their grade. If a required grade isn’t meet, the course will be automatically rescheduled in your student portal. If it doesn’t reschedule, please submit a new request in the Help Center.

After completing an application and successfully enrolling, students can register for classes by logging in to their student portal.

• Step 1: Select a Gathering: All students must have a gathering time selected. This applies to online religion courses, students taking in-person institute courses, and students who have completed all religion requirements.
• Step 2: Navigate to Academics > Gatherings > Select a Gathering
• Step 3: Navigate to Class Schedule
• Step 4: Register for Courses
• Step 5: Drop Unwanted Courses or Add a Course if Your Schedule Permits
• Step 6: Register For Up to Three Terms At a Time.

Important Notes

• Students are registering for a term and not specific courses. 
• Students may register for up to three terms at a time.   
• Students must register for all listed courses in the term. Unwanted courses can then be dropped.  
• Planned courses in a term may change based on seat availability, course updates, or the successful completion of a course.  
• If a hold that prevents registration is placed on the student's account, all registered courses will be unregistered. Once the hold preventing registration is resolved, the student must re-plan the available three semesters.
  

Visit this article in our Help Center for more additional details.

Drop a Course
If you are certain about dropping a course, you must do so by 11:59 p.m. (UTC-6) on the eighth day of a block.

Withdraw from a Course
If you want to withdraw from a course, you must do so by 11:59 p.m. (UTC-6) on day 29 of a block.

Students can view specific dates and deadlines for the current and upcoming blocks on the academic calendar.

Visit apply.byupathway.edu to start your return process. As you go through the process, the system will automatically evaluate your past coursework and the amount of time since you last attended, then recommend the best next steps — whether that is registering for the next available block or completing a new application.

BYU-Pathway Worldwide offers access to online certificates and degrees in partnership with BYU-Idaho and Ensign College. Explore available options on our degrees and certificate list.

Here’s a simple overview of how each one is structured:

• Certificates are made up of 12–15 credits and focus on one area of study. They’re a great way to build job-ready skills quickly.
• An associate degree requires 60 credits, including general education courses, two certificates, and religion courses.
• A bachelor’s degree includes 90–96 credits and includes three certificates along with general education and religion courses.

To learn more, visit our degree and certificate list and explore all the available options.

If you already have a degree from another school, you can absolutely earn another one through BYU-Pathway’s online programs. After you’re admitted and submit your transcripts, we’ll evaluate your previous credits. In most cases, your past coursework can count toward general education requirements—so you’ll likely just need to complete the core and religion courses for your new degree.

To learn more and get a head start, check out our Transfer Credit page. You can review our policy and even get an unofficial evaluation to see how many of your credits may transfer before applying.

To graduate with a bachelor’s degree through BYU-Pathway, students must:

• Have a current ecclesiastical endorsement and be in good honor-code standing.
• Complete all certificate, general education, and religion courses associated with your degree (check your Degree Progress Audit in the student portal).
• Earn the minimum required grades:
• C– or higher for certificate and major courses, unless otherwise noted.
• D– or higher for general education, college fundamentals, elective courses, and college and career success.
• A passing grade (P) in any pass/fail course.
• Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.
• Complete at least 30 credits directly from BYU-Idaho or Ensign College (test credits not included). These are also referred to as “resident credits”.
• Complete the gathering requirement by finishing PathwayConnect or taking GE 103 as an advanced path student.
• Meet required upper-level course (300/400 level) requirements.

Need more details? You can always check the student services catalog or your student portal for specifics about your degree path.

Certificates do count toward your bachelor’s degree! At BYU-Pathway, certificates are a key part of your degree. You’ll earn three certificates as part of your degree, and most students finish their first one within the first year.

Here are a few reasons why certificates make a big difference:

• Career-ready skills: Each certificate is designed to help you qualify for a better job — even before you finish your degree.
• Stackable progress: Certificates build into associate and bachelor’s degrees, so every class counts toward your bigger goal.
• Momentum: Earning a certificate early can give you the confidence and motivation to keep going.

“Every time I would get a certificate, I used it to get a salary raise or I would apply for a new position.” — Kathy Villeda, BYU-Pathway student from El Salvador

Kathy’s story could be your story. Certificates can help you build your future step by step.

Yes, online learning is an effective and trusted way to get the same education and results as in-person classes. Every degree and certificate offered through BYU-Pathway is created and granted by either BYU-Idaho or Ensign College. Both of these schools are fully accredited in the U.S. and have been serving students for more than 130 years. The courses you take online follow the same curriculum used for in-person courses at BYU-Idaho or Ensign College.

At BYU-Pathway, we believe online higher education is especially valuable for students who want convenience, flexibility, and lower costs. Earning a degree online through BYU-Pathway lets you study from almost anywhere and create a course schedule that fits your life.

Employers increasingly recognize the value of online degrees—especially from fully accredited institutions. All degrees and certificates offered through BYU-Pathway are awarded by BYU-Idaho or Ensign College, two respected, U.S.-accredited institutions that have been serving students for more than 130 years.

Both BYU-Idaho and Ensign College maintain the same curriculum and high academic standards for their online courses as they do for their on-campus programs. This ensures students gain practical skills that employers value, while learning through real-world projects and experiences. It also gives students confidence, knowing their online education is equal in quality. Additionally, BYU-Pathway graduates regularly report improved job opportunities and career growth, demonstrating that employers trust and value our certificates and degrees.

90%

get a better job after graduation with a bachelor’s degree

70%

get a better job after earning their first certificate

60%

get a better job after completing PathwayConnect

In the U.S. higher education system, each course is worth a certain number of credits, usually based on how much time and effort it requires. This might be different from what you're used to — especially if your system uses classroom hours or contact hours instead.

To earn a certificate or degree, you must complete a required number of credits across your program. These credits ensure you've spent enough time learning the material and fulfilling all academic requirements.

Generally, BYU-Pathway students should plan to spend about 3–4 hours per credit each week on learning, studying, and completing homework.

So, for a typical 3-credit course, you can expect to spend around 9–12 hours per week, adding up to approximately 63–84 total hours over a 7-week course block.

Credits per course	Hours per week
1 credit	3–4 hours
3 credits (typical)	9–12 hours
6 credits (two courses)	18–24 hours

A Degree Progress Audit is the official document used by BYU-Pathway Worldwide to confirm that a student has completed all the required courses for a specific version of their degree program. It helps students track their progress toward graduation.

How to access your Degree Progress Audit:

• Log in to the student portal
• Click on Academics in the left-hand menu
• Select Degree Progress Audit

Each bachelor’s and associate degree has one or more program versions. Each version lists the exact courses a student must complete in order to graduate.

To learn more, visit our Degree Progress Audit Guide.

Yes, you can. You can choose your major (also called your “Career Path”) when you start your online degree program, but you can change it later if your goals or interests shift. To update your certificates and degree options, just log in to your student portal, go to “Academics,” select “My Program,” and click “Choose Career Path.”

Some degrees have required certificates you’ll need to complete, while others give you the flexibility to choose from different options. Once you declare or change your Career Path, you’ll also be able to see your updated projected graduation date.

Once you choose your Career Path in the student portal, you’ll be able to see your degree progress audit to see what courses you still need to take. The registration system plans the courses you need in the best order. This allows you to see and register for three blocks in advance!

Your class schedule will show your projected graduation date, so you’ll know exactly where you’re headed and how to get there. If you have questions about the date, please submit a new request in the Help Center.

For more details, check out this article in our Help Center.

Tuition rates can vary depending on the country you're in. There's an easy way to calculate your tuition. Just use the PathwayConnect tuition calculator tool, and you'll be able to understand your tuition costs from PathwayConnect all the way to graduation.

If you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you will be charged an additional 25% service fee.

Visit this article in our Help Center for additional details.

While BYU-Pathway Worldwide does not accept traditional U.S. federal financial aid, we do offer a guaranteed tuition discount to all students—on top of our already significantly low tuition rates.

Here's a quick overview of available tuition discounts:

• All BYU-Pathway students are eligible for a tuition discount of 10, 25, or 50% off their tuition balance.
• Returned missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are eligible for a 25% tuition discount if they returned within the past 60 months.
• Additional needs-based scholarships are available for degree-seeking students.

For more information, visit our Tuition Discounts page.

After enrolling, you can check your tuition discount eligibility by following the steps outlined in this Help Center article.

To pay tuition, enrolled students should do the following:

1. Log in to the student portal.
2. Click the “Finances” menu at the top of the screen, and select “Pay Tuition.”

For more details, view this article in our Help Center.

Students can start paying tuition on the first day of the block. A 5% late fee will be added to any remaining balance on Day 22 of the term.

If tuition isn’t fully paid by the end of the block, you won’t be able to register for the next block until your balance is cleared.

You will receive a refund for the full amount you have paid until the drop deadline. If you are automatically dropped from courses you don’t participate in, you will also receive a full refund for that course.

Visit this article in our Help Center for more additional details.