Building a different future for higher education
College Unbound believes higher education should be designed around the realities of students’ lives—not the other way around.
For adults balancing work, family, and community responsibilities, traditional college often creates barriers rather than opportunity. CU has built a different model: one that recognizes the knowledge students already possess, centers relationships, and supports learners as whole people.
This is what higher education can look like when it is designed for real life.
A PROVEN MODEL, POISED FOR NATIONAL GROWTh
Since accreditation in 2020, College Unbound has grown from 100 to more than 600 students across seven states with a validated model that works for adults. By recognizing lived experience and offering tailored support, CU delivers transformational outcomes for working adults. Now, with proven results behind us, we are poised to scale this model nationally and extend opportunity to learners across the country.
CU at a glance
years old
Average age of student
of those enrolled are first-generation college students
CU’s retention rate for the Fall 2024-Spring 2025 period
Time that most students graduate
The college unbound
student experience
onboarding
Community ambassador guides prospective students through their journey into CU.
From first one-on-one meeting, students begin designing their projects.
Semester
REQUIRED COURSES:
- Unbound Journey
- Reframing Failure
- Intro to Organizational
- Leadership & Change
- Workplace & World Lab A
SEMESTER
REQUIRED COURSES:
- Learning for Experience
- Research Justice
- Writing for Change
SEMESTERS
ELECTIVE COURSES to meet requirements of the major:
- Big 10 portfolio submission
- LIP portfolio submission
SEMESTER
REQUIRED COURSES:
- Workplace & World Lab Z
- Capstone
CONTINUOUS SUPPORT
ACROSS THE FULL STUDENT JOURNEY
Workplace & World Lab
CU Core Project: a student- initiated, real-world initiative that serves as the central focus of a student’s bachelor’s degree. All coursework and learning at College Unbound directly support the development, research, and implementation of this practical project.
Wraparound Support: academic and technology support, basic needs, mental health, career advising, meals and child- watch.
Big 10 Transformational Leadership and Change competencies.
One-on-one meetings with faculty for every class.
120 credits required, 30 credits through CU requirements and 10 credits through required Big 10. Students can transfer up to 90 credits including up to 40 through LIP.
The college unbound
student experience
onboarding
Community ambassador guides prospective students through their journey into CU.
From first one-on-one meeting, students begin designing their projects.
REQUIRED COURSES:
Unbound Journey
Reframing Failure
Intro to Organizational Leadership & Change
Workplace & World Lab A
REQUIRED COURSES:
Learning for Experience
Research Justice
Writing for Change
ELECTIVE COURSES to meet requirements of the major:
Big 10 portfolio submission
LIP portfolio submission
REQUIRED COURSES:
Workplace & World Lab Z
Capstone
CONTINUOUS SUPPORT
ACROSS THE FULL STUDENT JOURNEY
Workplace & World Lab
CU Core Project: a student- initiated, real-world initiative that serves as the central focus of a student’s bachelor’s degree. All coursework and learning at College Unbound directly support the development, research, and implementation of this practical project.
Wraparound Support: academic and technology support, basic needs, mental health, career advising, meals and child- watch.
Big 10 Transformational Leadership and Change competencies.
One-on-one meetings with faculty for every class.
120 credits required, 30 credits through CU requirements and 10 credits through required Big 10. Students can transfer up to 90 credits including up to 40 through LIP.
THE COLLEGE UNBOUND DIFFERENCE
What sets College Unbound apart is a combination of six elements that, together, create a fundamentally different and more accommodating higher education experience.
Together these elements create a model that is uniquely effective and uniquely scalable.
Accelerated ba
Most students receive a life-changing degree within 2.5 years.
Cohort model
A student’s “personal learning network” comprised of lab faculty/advisor, alumni mentor, and peers
relationship-driven support
Every student is known, supported, and encouraged through meaningful one-on-one relationships from enrollment through graduation.
A focus on affordability
Low tuition, paired with financial education, limits student debt
learning in public
Credit earned through Learning In Public (LIP) portfolios show- casing prior knowledge and lived experience
wraparound support
Academic support, technology/ support, assistance in college readiness, providing childcare, etc.
Accelerated BA
Students complete CU at their own pace, some choosing to complete in four years, while others accelerate and graduate in as little as three semesters, just over one year.
- BA completion in an average of less than 2.5 years.
- LIP credits shorten time to completion by 2.3 semesters.
The goal is not simply to graduate faster; it is to graduate prepared with the confidence, perspective, and leadership skills to move through the world differently.
Earning my degree has opened doors, I once thought were out of reach. It strengthened my confidence, expanded my career opportunities, and showed my family what perseverance looks like. It didn’t just change my future; it changed how I see myself.
-Fanisha Terry, Washington (Class of 2026)
My previous experiences in traditional educational settings often felt isolating and, at times, impossible. At College Unbound, you’re seen, heard, and challenged to grow. There’s a real sense of community, and no one cheers you on harder than a CU cohort peer.
-Josselyn Velasquez, Rhode Island
Cohort Model
At College Unbound, students never navigate their journey alone. Every learner becomes part of a cohort, a close-knit group of peers who start together and stay together.
- Lab Faculty stay with small cohorts of 10 students throughout each semester, building relationships rooted in encouragement, accountability and shared experience.
- Students develop peer support networks, rallying around students when they hit obstacles and helping them stay enrolled.
- Instead of exams, students present progress on their projects in exhibitions at the end each term, real-world assessment in front
of faculty, peers, and personal mentors.
Relationship-driven support
At College Unbound, every interaction is designed to ensure students are known, supported, and encouraged.
- Faculty meet one-on-one with every student each term, creating dedicated space for mentorship,reflection, and support.
- Students develop a personalized learning plan and weave their project into each course, building each relationship with faculty
on their individual goals and interests. - This relationship driven approach extends across the entire CU community. Admissions counselors, advisors, faculty and student support staff work together to build trust, celebrate successes, and help students navigate challenges both inside and outside the classroom.
College Unbound saw me as a person before they saw me as a student. They met me where I was, believed in me even when I doubted myself, and gave me the support, encouragement, and community I needed to keep going.
-Ayanna Wells, South Carolina (Class of 2026)
A focus on affordability
For too many students, the cost of higher education isn’t just a challenge—it’s a stopping point. College Unbound was built to change that. With intentionally low, transparent tuition (and access to financial aid, scholarships, and employer support), students are able to pursue their degrees without taking on overwhelming debt.
- Tuition is set at $11,688 annually for full-time enrollment.
- CU develops partnerships with employers to provide tuition support.
- CU works with foundations to provide scholarships based on region and professional field.
- Financial aid officers work with students to identify funding sources and minimize debt.
of CU students have received Pell Grants
Learning in public
CU values and credits the learning from our students’ lived experiences. Their required second semester class, Learning for Experience, teaches the documentation process so that all students can complete LIP. Through Learning In Public (LIP) portfolios, students document and reflect on the knowledge they’ve gained.
- Students receive preauthorized credit for professional certifications such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Peer Recovery Specialist, Education Paraprofessional, CPR,
Early Childhood CDA. - Students can also submit portfolios documenting their learning from lived experiences including their work experiences, caregiving, experience with incarceration, and engagement with civic life.
The result is seismic; not only do students earn credit, they recognize the value of their lived experience.
can be earned through LIP, with 10 credits required through the Big 10 Transformational Leadership & Change competencies
of students earn LIP credits beyond the Big 10
credits on average earned through LIP
of graduates report a greater belief in their potential by reflecting on their accomplishments
Earning my degree has changed my life by making me more marketable for career advancement and helped me show the importance of education to my daughters and other youth I coach and mentor.
-Anton “Ricco” Booker, South Carolina (Class of 2026)
Wraparound support
For many students, the biggest barrier to finishing college isn’t ability; it is the challenge of meeting the many commitments to family, work
and community.
At CU, support extends beyond the classroom, recognizing that students don’t leave their lives at the door when they pursue a degree. The CU community understands what they’re balancing and is committed to helping them navigate it.
Available Supports Include:
- In-person, online and asynchronous courses to fit around tight schedules
- Childwatch and meals during in-person courses
- Academic and technology support
- Access to support for basic needs and mental health counseling
- CU Cares fund to provide emergency funding to keep students enrolled through crisis
Proof: A model that works
College Unbound’s model is not theoretical. It is proven.
of students who start CU thought that the BA was no longer an option
of alumni express greater confidence in their potential after completing their degree
Alumni experience on average a $12,400+ salary increase within the first two years and $25,000 within five years
continue to graduate programs & certifications post graduation
The influence is not just on the individual student. College Unbound graduates are applying what they learn in real time, influencing workplaces, neighborhoods, and systems.
of graduates report they are more likely to advocate for others
influence friends and family to return to college
have indicated that they’re more likely to be community engaged and volunteer on behalf of their community
are driving change in their organizations
Why now?
College Unbound is not just graduating students; it is catalyzing the impact of the change-makers in our communities.
THE MOMENT: FROM PROVEN MODEL TO NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Since accreditation in 2020, CU has grown from 100 students in Rhode Island to more than 600 in seven cities in five years.
Over the next five years, College Unbound is poised to expand into five regions across the country, building a national network that maintains deep local connections. This growth will allow the college to serve nearly 3,000 students, tripling its reach and dramatically expanding its impact.
We must achieve this growth while preserving the elements that differentiate CU from other colleges, and investing in the infrastructure, technology and people that will allow us to deepen our commitment to our students.
THE VISION: A NATIONAL NETWORK OF OPPORTUNITY
This next phase of growth is both ambitious and intentional.
College Unbound will:
- Establish regional anchor sites in key cities.
- Build strong partnerships with employers and community organizations.
- Expand cohort-based learning models across regions.
- Maintain the high-touch, relationship-driven approach that defines its success.
A centralized national office will ensure consistency, quality, and shared learning across all regions. This structure allows College Unbound to scale without losing what makes it powerful: its community and connection.
For the stressful and demanding field of Community Violence Intervention which is built on the work mostly of community members who were excluded in one way or another from education and opportunities, a tailored, cohort-based college experience is vital for them to regain their footing in the workplace and open stable career and promotion horizons.
-Teny Gross, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, Chief Executive Officer
THE invitation
We invite you to invest in the futures of individual students. Support a cohort. Ensure Learning in Public credit remains free and accessible to all students. Help expand the Prison Education Program to a new region.
Your investment creates ripple effects across families, workplaces, and communities, expanding economic opportunity, strengthening local leadership, and opening doors for future generations.
At its core, this work is about creating a different future for higher education: one that is more holistic, more flexible, and more responsive to the realities of people’s lives.
Because this is not simply about helping more people earn degrees. It is about building a system worthy of the lives they already lead and empowering graduates to use their knowledge, experiences, and leadership to make their communities, and ultimately the world, better places for all.