Frequently Asked Questions

Meritus College is a fully online non-profit college designed for working adults and career-changers. Our programs offer the flexibility, professional coaching, and career relevance you need to succeed without pausing your job or personal commitments. Through real-world learning, personalized professional coaching, and job-ready skills, our mission is to help learners like you advance your career.

We combine embedded credentials, 1:1 professional coaching, a 100% online program, and our unique "Workplace as Laboratory" model to offer real-world, relevant learning. Credentials and certificates are designed to equip you with the foundational skills needed to pursue entry-level roles while you continue progressing toward a degree.

Meritus College is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. 

Meritus College is a nonprofit college registered under the Utah Postsecondary School and State Authorization Act (Utah Code, Title 13, Chapter 34) to operate as a degree granting postsecondary institution in the State of Utah. 

Registration under the Utah Postsecondary School and State Authorization Act does not mean that the State of Utah supervises, recommends, nor accredits the institution. It is learners’ responsibility to determine whether credits, degrees, or certificates from the institution will transfer to other institutions or meet employers’ training requirements.

Graduates of the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Technology and Innovation are prepared for entry-level roles such as Project Team Assistant, IT Support Specialist, Technology Operations Assistant, Operations Coordinator, or Tech Support Representative.

The degree blends technical skills, leadership, project management, and ethical decision-making, preparing you for dynamic, tech-driven workplaces. You’ll complete 60 semester credit hours across technical, management, communication, and human-centered design courses, with professional coaching and job-based application throughout.

Applicants must be 18 or older, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and reside in the United States. No standardized test scores are required. We focus on motivation, readiness, and alignment with our flexible, career-connected model.

Industry-aligned  credentials take two terms (1 semester) to complete. Meritus College Certificates take four terms (2 semesters, or one year). The full Associate of Applied Science degree takes two years of study at a “full-time” pace (two to three courses per term in Fall and Spring semesters, for 2 years) to complete.

We offer a 60-semester-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Technology and Innovation, along with industry-aligned credentials and certificates in:

Each credential is 13 semester-credit-hours and can be earned on its own, as part of the 25 semester-credit-hour Meritus College certificate, or applied toward the AAS degree. Credentials and certificates are designed to prepare you for entry-level jobs while you continue progressing toward a degree.

Prospective learners must submit the following documentation to the Admissions Office to be considered for admission.

1. Complete Application for Admission. 
There is no application fee to apply to Meritus College. 

2. Submit your Documents. a. Valid proof of residency
b. If you've earned a high school diploma or equivalent from the United States:

• Provide your Official Transcripts demonstrating an earned high school diploma or its accepted equivalent (i.e. GED, state-verified home school documents). 

c. If you've earned your high school diploma outside the United States:

• For prospective learners who earned their diploma or qualifying any degree outside the United States, you must have your transcripts evaluated by a foreign transcript evaluation service, a member of either the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). The official transcripts and evaluations results must be submitted to Meritus for review. 

Conditional Enrollment:  Official proof of an earned high school diploma (or its accepted equivalent) must be received by Meritus College directly from the sending institution within one enrollment term, not to exceed 8 weeks

• Demonstration of English Language Proficiency - ***ONLY for prospective learners whose native language is not English or who did not earn a high school diploma or degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English was the principal language of instruction.***

d. You must demonstrate college-level proficiency in English through one of the following: 

• Duolingo English Test = 95
• College Board Accuplacer ESL Exam Series

1. ESL Language Use = 85
2. ESL Listening = 80
3. ESL Reading = 85
4. ESP Sentence Meaning = 90
5. ESL Writeplacer = 4
6. Comprehensive Score (all exams) = 350

• A transcript indicating completion of at least 30 semester credit hours with an average grade of "C" or higher from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or an accepted foreign equivalent that is listed in the International Handbook of Universities where the language of instruction was English. 

All scores and documentation can be submitted to admissions@merituscollege.org. 

3. Consultation with an Admissions Advisor
a. Applicants will review program expectations, discuss goals and readiness, identify support needs or concerns, and learn about the semester timeline and decision process from an Admissions Advisor. 

If you are unsure what to do or how to get a document for your application, ask Admissions Support for help! Contact admissions@merituscollege.org for help completing any step of your application. 

For the 2026–2027 Academic Year, the full cost to attend Meritus College for learners eligible for the Merit America Alumni Scholarship - including tuition and required fees - is $0. All program costs are fully covered by philanthropic support, so learners do not pay tuition or mandatory fees. This tuition-free model applies to all admitted learners for the 2026-2027 Academic Year and is confirmed in your Enrollment Agreement. Tuition and fees for subsequent academic years are subject to continuous philanthropic funding and institutional renewal.

Refunds for withdrawals after the start of the term are based on the date of official written notice to the Registrar’s Office. Refunds are processed within 30 days.

You may drop prior to the first day of class for a full refund. From Day 1 through Day 21, you will receive a partial refund, as follows: 

Week of term	Action allowed	Transcript impact	Tuition refund
Week 1 (Day 1-7)	Drop or withdraw	Course removed	80% Refund
Week 2 (Day 8-14)	Withdraw	W on transcript	60% Refund
Week 3 (Day 15-21)	Withdraw	W on transcript	40% Refund
Week 4-8 (Day 22 onward)	Withdraw	W on transcript	0% Refund

Meritus College observes Census Day on Day 14 of each 8-week term. This is the date when your enrollment is locked for the term.

Meritus College operates on 8-week terms. There are two terms per semester (Fall and Spring), with an optional summer term. Full-time learners take 2 to 3 courses per term, totaling 4 to 6 courses per semester.

At Meritus College, one semester credit hour reflects 45 total hours of learning over the course of an 8-week term. A 3-semester-credit-hour course requires about 135 total hours of academic engagement and preparation.

Weekly Time Commitments:

• Per Course: Expect to spend roughly 17 hours per week on each individual 3-credit course.
• Full-Time Load (2 to 3 courses per term): To stay on track, your total commitment will be about 34 to 51 hours per week dedicated to your studies.

Part-time options are available if you need a more flexible weekly schedule to balance your life and career.

All courses are 100% online and asynchronous, meaning you can log in and complete work on your schedule. Some courses may offer optional live sessions, and all materials are embedded in Canvas/Instructure, our learning management system.

Canvas/Instructure is our LMS, or Learning Management System. This is your virtual campus, where you’ll access your courses, complete assignments, engage in discussions, and connect with faculty and classmates. Before your first term, you’ll receive hands-on training during orientation to learn how to use Canvas/Instructure, our library services, your learner portal, Zoom, and other classroom tools. 

The “Workplace as Laboratory” model brings your learning to life using real-world environments. If you are currently working, you can turn your day-to-day role into your classroom by reflecting on your work experiences and applying course concepts directly to your job. If you aren’t currently working, or your job doesn’t align with your career goals, you’ll complete these same projects using scenarios based on real-world workplaces. Either way, you'll build the practical, hands-on skills needed to grow professionally.