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After you submit the application and enrollment agreement, certain application requirements must be fulfilled, such as evidence of high school graduation or its equivalency upon request, official or unofficial transcripts, Placement Assessment and successful completion of a non-cognitive assessment. Some acceptance requirements are determined by your chosen program, such as a nursing entrance exam, background checks or immunization records.

Check out the course catalog for full requirements and procedures or contact an admissions representative who can walk you through every step.

Online courses don’t require you to log on at specific times each day, although some courses may have due dates scheduled each week. Live sessions give you the option to interact with your instructors and classmates, or you can watch the recordings when it works best for your schedule. You can expect to log on multiple times each week to stay on schedule with your assignments.

On-campus class schedules can vary based on your specific program and campus lab hours. For example, some campus locations have in-person Practical Nursing courses Friday through Sunday.

Financial aid and grant opportunities are available for those who qualify. The first step to applying for financial aid is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®), which is more straightforward than in the past. 

There are multiple Rasmussen University grants to help make your education more affordable, such as the Rasmussen University Online (RUO) Excellence Grant for online students starting in August, the Medical Assisting Inspire Grant, LPN Care Grant, Early Honors Program for high school students and more. Check out our Tuition page for a full list of financial assistance or our convenient tuition estimator.

Students are required to have personal laptops for classroom and online learning experiences, and for any other educational activity. A fully functional Windows^® computer4 or Mac^® computer5 capable of running a Windows virtual machine is required, as well as a high-speed/broadband internet connection that can support Google^® Chrome (preferred).6 Additional software may be required based on your program, such as Graphic Design or select Technology programs.

When you’re eligible and start select programs by October 5, 2026, you can get a brand-new laptop pre-installed with essential software, such as Microsoft^® Office Suite, Learning Management Systems and more.78 Learn more about our Laptop Program.

American Public University System (the System) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The System is comprised of American Military University (AMU), American Public University (APU), Rasmussen University (RU), and Hondros College of Nursing (HCN). HLC accredits degree-granting institutions nationwide and is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Learn more about programmatic accreditation on our Accreditation page or visit a specific program page.