Frequently Asked Questions

StraighterLine is an online education platform that makes earning college credit more flexible, affordable, and stress-free. Whether you’re just starting college, coming back to finish your degree, or looking to advance your career, StraighterLine gives you the freedom to take online college courses recommended by the American Council on Education at your pace — there are no schedules or deadlines. Plus, you can transfer the credits to your school to count towards your degree, saving you time and money while keeping you on track to reach your goals.

Here’s how it works:

• Pick your courses: Knock out your gen eds and prerequisite courses for a fraction of what you’ll pay to take them directly with your school.

• Study on your schedule: No deadlines, no pressure — you have the freedom to take as little or as long as you need to complete your courses.

• Lean on us: Academic advising, on-demand tutoring, and real human support are all included with your StraighterLine access.

• Transfer your credits: StraighterLine courses are guaranteed to transfer to 180+ partner institutions, and have been accepted by more than 3,000 colleges and universities.

StraighterLine is a fully online learning experience without the institutional overhead of a traditional college or university. That means we’re able to share those savings with you by offering the same high-quality courses at a price that’s fair and fits your budget.

No, there’s no application process for StraighterLine! You can sign up and start learning right away — no paperwork, no entrance exam, and no waiting for approval. Our goal is to make education as accessible and hassle-free as possible, so you can focus on reaching your goals without any unnecessary barriers.

If you’re in need of assistance, please log in to your StraighterLine profile and visit the Help Center at: straighterline.com/help-center/

Yes, 10 hours of FREE tutoring (per course) is included in your StraighterLine membership. Our free tutors are subject matter experts who provide detailed assignment feedback and are available 24/7 via scheduled appointments or on-demand support. To access tutoring, simply log in to your course and select “Tutoring” from the menu. From there, you can connect with a tutor through Whiteboard, email, direct message, or by submitting written drafts for review.

StraighterLine membership is your key to unlocking access to our self-paced online college courses, which are a fraction of the cost compared to taking them directly through your school — savings of up to 90% per course. Plus, membership includes several valuable perks, resources, and support services at no extra cost, such as academic advising, 24/7 on-demand online tutoring, and transcript delivery to your school. Discover everything StraighterLine membership has to offer here.

Yes, canceling your StraighterLine membership is quick and hassle-free. You can cancel at any time through your account settings — there are no long-term commitments or hidden fees. If you have questions about canceling your membership, our support team is here to guide you through the process. We’re all about keeping things simple and stress-free, so you’re always in control.

Our Enrollment Services team is here to support you at every stage of your StraighterLine experience. Our dedicated advisors will help you:

• Create your StraighterLine account

• Choose the right courses so your credits will transfer to your school

• Work through any tech issues

• Quickly navigate through any challenges to get you on the right track to where you want to go

Here’s how you can connect with an Enrollment Specialist:

• Call 877-787-8375: Available Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET

• Submit a Request: Fill out an Enrollment Services form, which you can find here

After enrolling in a course, you’ll connect with Tracy, our Engagement Specialist. She’s here to guide you as you get started — whether you need support with your first lesson or exam, or just someone to chat with to ensure a smooth, stress-free transition into StraighterLine.

Each StraighterLine course follows a structured syllabus designed to help you master the essential concepts needed to succeed. While course content and topics may vary, every course typically includes a combination of reading assignments, lesson presentations, interactive review activities, homework, and other learning tools. These elements work together to ensure you fully grasp the key concepts and are prepared to successfully complete the course.

StraighterLine courses are entirely self-paced, giving you the flexibility to complete them on your own time. Many students finish their courses in under a month, and some even complete them in just a few days. There’s no pressure to meet any timelines or deadlines — our courses are designed to fit into your schedule, so you can study when it works best for you.

Yes! You can take as many courses as you want at the same time with StraighterLine. Our flexible, self-paced format lets you manage your courseload in a way that fits your schedule. Whether you want to focus on one course at a time or tackle multiple courses simultaneously, the choice is entirely yours.

StraighterLine takes pride in offering fast turnaround times for graded assignments. Most assignments are graded and returned within 3-5 business days from the date of submission.

No, there are no additional costs for textbooks. Every StraighterLine course includes free eTextbooks to support your learning. Research shows that textbook use is closely linked to student success and course completion. By providing free, high quality textbooks, StraighterLine ensures you have the tools you need to study effectively and achieve your academic goals with ease.

StraighterLine eTextbooks make it simple to stay connected, organized, and on top of your course material:

• Read anytime, anywhere with online and offline access

• Stay organized by highlighting key passages and adding personal notes

• Access seamlessly across all your devices

• Find what you need fast with a built-in search function

• Speed up studying using copy-and-paste features to create study guides, note cards, and citations

• Save time with instant MLA/APA formatting for quotes

StraighterLine offers a unique, cost-effective way to earn college credit. Since our courses are entirely self-paced and online, we eliminate the high overhead costs that make traditional colleges and universities, including community colleges, so expensive.

It’s important to note that StraighterLine isn’t a degree-granting institution and isn’t meant to replace a college or university. Instead, we complement your education by offering affordable courses that can be transferred to your school so that the credits count towards your degree. This means you’ll save money and can study on your own schedule.

Here’s something to consider:

• At a four-year public university, the average cost of a course is around $1,200 for in-state students

• At a community college, that cost drops to about $450

• With StraighterLine, courses average just $79 each, plus a low monthly membership fee

Those savings are hard to beat. Something else to think about is that at a community college or four-year university, the costs don’t stop with tuition. You’ll likely face additional fees for textbooks, course materials, and even things like printing. With StraighterLine, everything you need is included in your online experience, so you can focus on your studies without worrying about surprise expenses after you enroll.

Some students have even cut their education costs by up to 50% by taking courses with StraighterLine. While community college is a more affordable option than a traditional four-year institution, StraighterLine stands out as the most budget-friendly choice.

Colleges and universities also partner with us to make credit transfer easy for students who want to knock out some of their courses with us. Credits earn through us transfer directly to our 180+ partner schools, and have been accepted by over 3,000 schools — including Harvard.

StraighterLine was the first to reimagine how students earn college credit, offering a smarter, more affordable way to work towards a degree. While others followed our lead, we’ve kept innovating to give students the best possible experience. Here’s how:

• Unmatched support: StraighterLine membership includes academic advising, on-demand tutoring, eTextbooks, course materials, exam proctoring, and more — everything you need to succeed

• Seamless credit transfer: 180+ colleges and universities partner with us to guarantee credit transfer to students. Overall, StraighterLine credits have been accepted at over 3,000 schools — twice as many as any other online college course platform

• Total flexibility: With no timelines, deadlines, or limits on how many courses or exams you can take at once

• Human connection: Questions? Concerns? You’ll always have access to real people who are ready to help you navigate your StraighterLine experience

After enrolling in a class, you’ll receive an email with a link to your purchase order number, and the course card will show up in your student dashboard. Congrats — you’re ready to dive in!

Before you start your coursework, check out the course introduction. You’ll find helpful resources like videos walking you through the course and introducing your instructor, as well as additional tips to set you up for success. Be sure to review the Grading Policies and Procedures attachment and complete the Academic Honesty Quiz.

Once that’s done, it’s time to jump into your course and start making progress!

StraighterLine isn’t a degree-granting institution, but it’s a powerful tool to help you save money and add flexibility to your academic journey. Think of us as a supplement to your degree — a way to complete general education and prerequisite course you need at a fraction of the cost of traditional college.

We’re here to help you make the most of your education. Our academic advisors can work with you to map out the StraighterLine courses that align with your degree plan and ensure the credits transfer to your school. With StraighterLine, you can tackle your required courses on your schedule, all while keeping more money in your pocket and staying on track to earn your degree.

StraighterLine courses are developed by professors and academics from some of the leading institutions in the country, ensuring high-quality, academically rigorous content. The course framework is designed by evaluating syllabi from traditional colleges, consulting with StraighterLine partner institutions, and integrating feedback from credentialed faculty with experience teaching similar subjects at the post-secondary level. This thorough, meticulous process ensures that our courses are equivalent to those offered at top-ranked colleges and universities.

Course materials are carefully selected from reputable providers like McGraw Hill and Rosetta Stone, as well as widely respected Open Education Resources, to align with the course framework. Assessment materials, including test banks and writing prompts, are developed or chosen to match the course content and learning outcomes, ensuring a comprehensive and effective learning experience.

Each StraighterLine course undergoes a rigorous review process led by faculty experts from accredited colleges and universities, with the American Council on Education (ACE) providing oversight. Additionally, our partner institutions assess the course curriculum, learning outcomes, and assessments to verify that they meet the high-quality standards expected by their schools. This multi-level review confirms that every course meets both academic and institutional quality requirements.

StraighterLine uses a letter and number grading system for each course. Graded assignments vary by course and typically include exams, quizzes, essays, and sometimes ungraded assignments to reinforce learning.

To ensure accurate and fair grading, StraighterLine employs highly qualified evaluators with both teaching and/or industry experience. All faculty, including subject matter experts and evaluators, are required to have at least a master’s degree in their field, with a terminal degree preferred. We also prioritize faculty with collegiate teaching experience and a background in working with adult learners to provide the best educational experience.

StraighterLine is committed to upholding academic integrity through valid and reliable assessments designed to evaluate students’ mastery of course material. To maintain fairness and honesty, we require proctoring for assessments, use plagiarism detection software, enforce a clear honor code, and educate students on making integrity-driven choices.

We partner with trusted platforms like Turnitin for plagiarism detection and Meazure Learning (previously known as ProctorU) for proctoring exams, ensuring that both written and quantitative assessments reflect students’ own skills and abilities. If a breach of academic integrity is identified, students are required to address the issue through revision or repetition in accordance with academic policy.

Transfer credit refers to the process of applying courses you’ve completed at one institution or provider — like StraighterLine — towards your degree at another school. Each college or university has its own policies for evaluating and accepting transfer credits.

That’s why it’s important to check with your school to confirm how they will accept your credits, whether you earned them through StraighterLine or another provider. For StraighterLine, credits are guaranteed to transfer to our 180+ partner colleges and have been accepted by 3,000+ other schools nationwide (including Harvard). Our team is here to help guide you through the process!

Transferring your StraighterLine credits is simple:

1. Confirm with your school: If you’re attending one of our 180+ partner colleges, your credits are guaranteed to be accepted for transfer. StraighterLine credits have also been accepted at over 3,000 non-partner colleges and universities, so there’s a great chance your school accepts credits from us. Still, it’s best to confirm their transfer credit policies before taking any course outside of the institution.

2. Request a transcript: Once you’ve passed your course with a grade of 70% or higher, log in to your StraighterLine account and request an official transcript. Just let us know where to send your transcript and we’ll handle getting it sent to your school — at no extra cost.

3. Apply your credits: Your school will review your transcript and apply the credits towards your degree program.

You can follow these simple steps to request a transcript for your eligible course(s):

• Log in to your account

• Go to the Transcripts page in your Dashboard

• Click the button to create a new transcript request

• Follow the instructions in the form and click "Submit"

Please note, transcript requests may take up to 7 business days for processing. Electronic Transcripts, which are sent via email, are transmitted upon approval. This processing time doesn’t include transit time if a physical transcript is being sent via USPS.

The American Council on Education, also known as ACE, evaluates courses from non-traditional education providers — like StraighterLine — and recommends them for college credit. This recommendation ensures that the courses you take with an outside college course platform meet rigorous academic standards recognized by many colleges and universities.

As a StraighterLine user, ACE Credit will be a key part of how our courses transfer to your school. Thousands of colleges accept credits from ACE-recommended courses, including 180+ schools who partner with us to guarantee credit transfer to their institution.

When we say StraighterLine partners with colleges and universities, it means we’ve established direct agreements with over 180 accredited institutions to ensure your StraighterLine credits are accepted for transfer toward your degree. These partnerships help simplify your academic journey by guaranteeing that the courses you take with us will count towards your degree at these institutions.

Yes! In addition to our 180+ partner schools, StraighterLine credits have been accepted at over 3,000 other colleges across the country, giving you the ultimate flexibility in choosing where to continue your hard work. We make earning college credit more accessible, affordable, and transferable, so you can move forward with confidence.

Please reach out to our Enrollment Services team prior to purchasing your course to let them know of any special circumstances that may impact your learning experience. It’s important for them to understand your unique situation so they can provide the best solution. We’re dedicated to making the necessary accommodations for students who demonstrate the need.

Here’s how you can connect with an Enrollment Specialist to discuss your request for accommodation:

• Call 877-787-8375: Available Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET

• Submit a Request: Fill out an Enrollment Services form, which you can find here 

StraighterLine’s retake policy is designed to give you flexibility and opportunities to succeed. Here’s what to expect:

• First exam: You have unlimited attempts to get the score you want

• Subsequent exams (before the final): You can take each exam up to 3 times, giving you 2 extra chances to improve your grade

• Written assignments: You’ll have 2 attempts to refine your work and achieve the grade you’re aiming for

• Final exam: You get 1 attempt, and with all of your hard work leading up to it, we’re confident you’ll be ready!

Most StraighterLine final exams are proctored, but there are a few exceptions. If your course requires a proctored final, you can easily schedule one through our partner Meazure Learning (previously known as ProctorU). Just head to your Student Dashboard, click on your course card, and then select “Schedule Proctoring.”

Proctoring is available 24/7 and included in your membership, but be sure to schedule at least 72 hours before your exam. Need to book sooner? Expedited scheduling is available for an additional fee.

The free preview offers a first look at what’s inside the StraighterLine platform. You can explore content from some of our most popular courses, meet faculty through engaging videos, find out what other students love most about StraighterLine, and navigate a virtual demo to see what your student dashboard will look like. You’ll also have the option to schedule a call with an Enrollment Advisor if you need more info, or start enrolling in your courses if you’re ready to jump in.

Our Student Support team is here to help if you run into any tech issues. Just log in to your StraighterLine account, head to the Help Center and submit a Support Request. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible with a solution.

If you’re having trouble purchasing a course or renewing your membership, this can typically be fixed by reloading the website — using an incognito/private window or a different browser often helps. If the issue continues, please contact Student Support for assistance by calling 877-787-8375 or emailing [email protected].