At the moment, pursuing studies via online universities can be an incredible option, especially if you are based in a region with limited academic options or have professional or personal responsibilities to take care of. Moreover, as compared to a traditional degree, it is a financially viable alternative. However, since the field of education has become increasingly competitive, it is imperative that you weigh the pros and cons before arriving on a final decision. Your first job is to check the university’s reputation, types of courses offered, the faculty, mode of instruction and last but not the least its accreditation status. It natural that gathering all this data can be a time-consuming task, therefore, to make your work easier, here are some best accredited online universities of 2018 that you can consider applying to.

Harvard University
The Harvard University has an extensive range of academic options for all kinds of students such as podcasts, free courses, non-credit certificate programs and graduate degrees. Harvard is one of the best online accredited universities that use various technologies and platforms to make online education less challenging and more rewarding. One such example that demonstrates their effort is the edX platform which was a collaborative project between Harvard and MIT. Harvard offers two types of online programs, i.e., entirely self-directed courses which have to been completed within a certain timeframe and are only available online. The second type, on the other hand, is delivered in a hybrid format, i.e., a combination of online and on-campus instruction. Students enrolled in credit-based programs at Harvard Online will be given transcripts.

Columbia University
If you are specifically interested in finishing a master’s degree, then Columbia University Online is one place you can rely on. Apart from graduate programs, they offer numerous non-credit certificate programs for people who wish to work in the fields of business, health information technology, and environmental sustainability. These specialized courses can also help in grooming students for advanced-level degrees such as a master’s degree at Columbia University. The courses are either just available online or in a hybrid form with evening classes and fieldwork options during the weekend. Furthermore, students who opt for Columbia’s online classes get access to other academic opportunities such as the Coursera programs which include virtual classes of the partnered universities across the world.

Johns Hopkins University
The John Hopkins University is one of the most celebrated institutions in the country for their research and educational efforts. Currently, they have over 240 degree and certificate courses spread across nine divisions which covers a broad range of online programs. These online options are associated with disciplines such as teaching, engineering, healthcare, business, arts, and science. Course offerings are pretty comprehensive comprising bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate and professional certificate classes. These can be pursued as part-time or full-time programs. Moreover, they are delivered in both formats, online and hybrid. The students studying online at John Hopkins University are provided with online resources such as JHU library materials, academic advisement, a 24/7 help desk, student assistance via phone, e-mail, and Skype.

University of Southern California
At University of Southern California (USC) Online, you can explore numerous graduate-level and certificate programs including popular subjects such as engineering, psychology, and teaching to specially-tailored programs such as Geriatric Dentistry and Geospatial Leadership. Depending on the nature of the course, the mode of its delivery will be decided. For instance, a teaching or social work degree will require field work, so it will be managed in a hybrid format. However, there’s no need to worry as USC will help the students located in distant regions to arrange their research base. The USC, at the moment, also has some programs specially designed for military students and their coursework involves subjects such as military social work and cybersecurity. Moreover, they offer a master’s degree in business for veterans.

Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)
The IIT currently only focuses on fields such as science, technology, and research. Therefore, their online courses essentially cover specializations concerning business, human sciences, architecture, and applied technology through hybrid or online medium of instruction. Students can choose from bachelor’s or master’s degrees. IIT has developed some of its own online professional development courses which are a combination of lectures and lab work. A considerate number of these courses are suitable for people working in the IT industry.

Apart from the above mentioned best online accredited universities, you can also check schools like Drexel University, Carnegie Mellon University, Lehigh University, Florida Institute of Technology, University of Denver and New York University for great online courses. These best online accredited universities also offer financial aid to their students studying remotely.