It’s never too late to learn something new.
Finishing a degree you started years ago. Changing careers. Earning a credential to move up. Or learning purely for the joy of it. Adult learners deserve guidance as good as anyone’s, built around real lives, real budgets and real schedules.
Every adult learner’s path is different
Back to school
Return to college, transfer credits you’ve already earned, and finish what you started.
Change directionCareer change & upskilling
Certificates, credentials and degrees that open a new field or a bigger role.
AdvanceGraduate study while working
Part-time, online and executive programs, including the Executive MBA.
ExploreLearning in later life
Encore careers, programs for adults 50+ and learning for the love of it.
Finishing what you started
Millions of adults have earned some college credit but no degree. Returning is more doable than many people expect, especially with programs designed for working adults and with credit for what you already know.
- Transfer credit: request transcripts from every college you’ve attended and ask how credits will apply to your degree.
- Credit for prior learning: exams like CLEP, portfolio assessments and credit recommendations for military training can shorten your path.
- Federal aid has no age limit. File the FAFSA. Adults are often eligible for grants and loans.
- Check accreditation. Choose institutions accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Questions to ask any program
The right credential, not just any credential
Degrees, certificates, apprenticeships, bootcamps and professional licenses all promise new opportunities. The right choice depends on what employers in your target field actually require, and on what fits your time and budget.
Our Career Preparation service maps your interests and experience to fields with real demand, then compares the learning options that lead there.
Career Preparation| Option | Typical length | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Weeks to a year | Adding a specific, in-demand skill |
| Associate degree | About 2 years full-time | Entry into technical and health fields |
| Bachelor’s completion | Depends on prior credit | Fields where a degree is a requirement |
| Master’s or graduate certificate | 1–3 years part-time | Advancing or pivoting within a profession |
| Apprenticeship | Varies; earn while you learn | Skilled trades and growing fields |
Advancing without stepping away
Part-time, online and executive graduate programs let you keep working while you study. Admissions often weighs professional experience heavily, and our evidence-based approach applies here just as it does for full-time programs.
- Executive MBA and part-time MBA strategy
- Online and part-time master’s programs
- Professional and graduate certificates
- Telling a mid-career story that admissions committees find compelling
For veterans
Your service is valuable experience, and it can count toward your education.
- Translating military experience into civilian career paths
- Understanding GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon benefits
- Credit recommendations for military training
Guidance for veterans is often subsidized as part of our mission.
New chapters, new questions
Many people find that their 50s, 60s and beyond are a time for an encore career, the degree they always wanted, or learning simply for its own sake.
Encore careers
Turning decades of experience into meaningful work, often in teaching, nonprofits, health or consulting. We help you find the training that bridges the gap.
Learning for joy
Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at more than 120 U.S. universities offer non-credit courses for adults 50 and older, and many public colleges let older adults audit classes free or at reduced cost.
Finishing a degree
It’s never too late to graduate. We help you understand transfer credit, flexible formats and costs.
Built around your life
Lite assessment
Readiness across goals, time, funding, prerequisites and credit for prior learning, plus a step-by-step plan.
Any timeCareer Preparation
An annual career assessment, a learning plan matched to your goals, and résumé and interview support.
ApplyingApplication Review
Essays and statements of purpose for degree-completion, graduate and executive programs.
Lifelong learning questions
Am I too old to go back to school?
No. Adults of every age return to learning, and many programs are designed specifically for working adults, with online courses, evening classes and multiple start dates each year.
Can I get financial aid as an adult?
Yes. There’s no age limit on federal student aid, so start by filing the FAFSA. Also ask your employer about tuition assistance, and check whether your state or the institution offers grants for adult learners.
Will my old college credits still count?
Often, yes, though it depends on the institution and how the credits fit your new degree. Request transcripts from every school you’ve attended and ask for a transfer evaluation before you enroll.
Should I get a degree or a certificate?
It depends on what employers in your target field require. Some fields require a degree or license; in others, a focused certificate can be faster and cheaper. Career Preparation compares the options for your specific goal.
I just want to learn for fun. Can you help?
Absolutely. We can point you to programs for adults 50+, low-cost audit options at public colleges, and community and online learning that fit your interests.
Your next chapter starts with a plan.
The free lifelong learning assessment takes about five minutes.