Since time immemorial, mankind has always had an inborn urge to seek, to explore and to find and in the process, to constantly further the limits of learning. But, the fact remains that unless one’s basic needs of food, shelter, and security are met, one doesn’t normally turn towards learning. We live in a time when learning opportunities are at their peak. There are literally, millions of educational institutes, worldwide that offer opportunities for generalized and highly specific learning. While this is surely an essential aspect in the growth and sustenance of any civilized society, the fact also remains that there are millions across the world, who, despite possessing an above average intelligence and aptitude as well, are unable to fulfill their educational aspirations, owing to their impoverished circumstances. Many youngsters are forced to earn a living to support themselves and/or family and so are deprived of opportunities for education.
This is where scholarships become relevant. Scholarships are typically trust funds built by individual philanthropists, by the federal agencies, educational institutions or by corporates with a sufficient Corporate Social Responsibility budget, to provide equal opportunities for various socially and economically underprivileged children and adults, to receive an education at Hallmark institutes. This system of establishing scholarship funds has proven to be a boon to so many youngsters, wishing to further their horizons but who are unable to afford such an education.
Student financial aid specifically in the country is usually available to deserving students who seek post-secondary education. Such scholarships usually cover the costs of tuition in the student’s chosen center of learning.
Scholarships are usually offered to the student to facilitate his or her education and do not need to be repaid. However, since most scholarships only cover tuition costs, the students may have to take up some kind of part-time employment to support number of criteria including financial status of parent/guardian, nationality, ethnicity, medical history and health status, meritorious achievements in sports, arts, athletics or other extra-curricular activities, consistent meritorious performance in high school and so on. Again, the criteria may vary across institutions. Statistics show that every year millions of students from diverse backgrounds receive partial or full scholarships to study in educational institutes, not only in America but the world over.
However, while there are surely a very large number of institutions offering genuine scholarships and financial support to deserving students, there are equally a large number of fraudulent scholarship scams. So a student seeking financial aid would be best advised to research thoroughly before applying for a scholarship.
They say it is never too late to pursue your dreams. This is especially true when it comes to career and education. Unfortunately, not all can afford to quit their jobs and go back to school. This can make it difficult to pursue higher studies or certain courses that can enhance skills. Fortunately, there are several free online learning platforms that allow anyone and everyone to be able to have access to good quality learning resources.
Here are some of the best websites for free online education that you can sign up for.
Coursera
Coursera is one of the most popular platforms for taking free online courses. It features classes, both free as well as paid, on a variety of different topics. This platform is currently being used by over 35 million learners that have access to 150 university partners, 2,700 courses, 250 specializations, and four degrees. These courses are curated in partnership with leading universities and organizations from around the world, such as Stanford and Harvard.
edX
edX is a platform that was founded by Harvard and MIT that brings together top-ranked universities. This platform was founded to help eliminate the primary barriers that prevent people from pursuing education, i.e., cost, location, and access. Along with free courses, edX also offers certain specialized courses for a specific fee. The platform can be accessed by interested educators and technologists through Open edX if they wish to assist in developing new educational tools.
Udemy
Udemy is another online learning platform that is quite similar to Coursera in terms of the format of the courses. The unique aspect of this platform is that it allows users to build their own custom courses by compiling individual lessons so that these can be taught online. There are over 100,000 courses in 50 languages on this platform that are taught by 42,000 instructors from around the world.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed is a platform made by TED to help share ideas and knowledge from teachers to students. This award-winning platform has a global network of more than 250,000 teachers that teach several free courses on a variety of categories and themes. The lessons are taught using animated videos and interactive content so as to make them more interesting for the students.
If you are planning to pursue an accounting degree, you should consider doing it online. There are more than 580 institutions in the country that offer master’s degrees in accounting, and many of them offer their courses online. Therefore, you can pursue this course without shifting to a different state, and you can also continue with your current job. Here are the top picks of online master’s degrees in accounting that you can consider if you are interested in this field.
Auburn University
The online master’s degree in accounting at Auburn University is open for you if you hold a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business, and if you meet all the prerequisites for the business and accounting department. Students who enroll in this program receive study materials, instructions, and assignments that are similar to the on-campus course. The schedule is extremely flexible and can accommodate working professionals as well. Full-time students of this course can complete it within one year. They get to select electives like real estate finance and information risk analysis, among others. This course also prepares students for the Uniform CPA Exam. This whole program is available online, including the exam. However, students have to complete a three-day on-campus residency during their final semester.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers an online Master of Accounting (MAC) degree through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. This school accepts students from all undergraduate backgrounds. However, students who have business or accounting backgrounds may get course waivers. Students who enroll in this course can choose a concentration in Tax or Audit. If you take up the full-time course, you can finish it in less than 15 months. You can start this course either in June or December. This way, even if you miss the application deadline for one semester, you do not have to wait for an entire year to enroll in the course. The MAC degree is entirely online, except for a one-week leadership immersion on campus, which is mandatory and takes place at the beginning of the course.
University of Connecticut
An online master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut is one of the best online courses in the country. This university offers a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program. Full-time students can complete it in two semesters. Working professionals who enroll in this degree take two courses per semester. The University of Connecticut also offers you electives like Forensic Accounting, Disclosure for Not-for-Profit Entities, and Fraud Examination among others.