Can I attend a HBCU in Virginia and take some of my courses online?

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Yes, there are six different HBCUs in the state of Virginia, four of which offer some amount of their classes online. Online classes are designed to accommodate fully employed professionals who wish to maintain their position while working towards a degree for career advancement. There are some hybrid programs that offer classes both online and on-campus so that you can get the best of both formats. Even if you are taking all of your classes online, there are a number of advantages for students who enroll in an online school within their state of residence, including:

  • Affordability, since many public state schools offer great tuition rates for in-state students, regardless of whether they attend campus or not.
  • Accessibility, being able to travel to your campus will allow you to meet with other students, and professors, and use campus technology, equipment, and resources.
  • Opportunity, since colleges and universities have working relationships with local companies and employers, which allows students high-quality internships and job placement.

Fortunately, prospective students looking for an online program at an HBCU within the state of Virginia have a variety of options to choose from. If you need help determining the best program that will meet your academic and professional expectations, be sure to check out our ranking of the Top 20 Best Historically Black HBCU Colleges with Online Programs. The HBCUs in Virginia that allow students to take some of their courses online are:


  • Hampton University: Established in 1868, Hampton University consistently ranks among the top HBCUs in the nation, with an intimate 13 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, and a stellar graduation rate. Hampton’s online educational quality and program flexibility made them the seventh school in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Historically Black HBCU Colleges with Online Programs. Tuition for in-state students is $29,162 a year, though 95% of students receive some form of financial aid.
  • Norfolk State University: Established in 1935, Norfolk State is a public HBCU that offers eight online bachelor’s degrees, and five online master’s degrees. Norfolk also offers a variety of other degree majors, which can be supplemented with online courses. Tuition for in-state students is $9,622 per academic year.
  • Virginia State University: Founded in 1882 in Petersburg, VA, Virginia State University is a public HBCU that offers Local Online Courses for students who live in the area near campus, but want to take some classes online. The total tuition for in-state students is $9,654 per academic year, and 92% of students receive some form of financial aid. Students can also take individual online classes and pay by the credit hour.
  • Virginia University of Lynchburg: Founded in 1886, Virginia University of Lynchburg is a small, private HBCU that has a total enrollment of only 205 students. While the university does not offer any completely online degrees, they do offer students the option of taking some of their classes online. Tuition is $9,400, and 94% of students receive some form of financial aid.

If any of these HBCUs with online classes in Virginia interest you, be sure to check out their website and request more information.

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