All Paths Lead
to a UD Degree
Your choice • Your Path • Your UD
Now, you have more options than ever before to dream about the future you want and go after it. Here at the University of Delaware, we offer three pathways to a bachelor’s degree tailored to the experience you seek to achieve your personal, academic and professional goals with us at UD.
Our three pathways highlight a variety of experiences available to all UD students. Whether you want to see the world or stay close to home, we have a path for you. Though the location may change, one thing remains the same – a world-class University of Delaware education.
The Traditional Pathway
A four-year residential experience.
For the majority of college-bound students, an on-campus, residential experience is what they envision. Pursue your bachelor’s degree at UD with access to over 150 different majors. You will kick off your first year living in on-campus housing, immersing yourself in the vibrant campus community in Newark, Delaware.
Centrally located between New York City and Washington, D.C., and in close proximity to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Wilmington, Delaware, UD is a quick drive or train ride away from internships, unique UD experiences and networking events with some of the world’s top employers and organizations.
The Flex Pathway
Choose where, when and how you start.
We know that not everyone is interested in a residential experience to earn their degree, so UD has created academic options with an extraordinary amount of flexibility to empower students to succeed. Join our associate to bachelor's pathway —and earn the degree you want, how you want. No matter your choice, you’ll enjoy full access to all the resources and services that UD offers.
Earn your associate degree and be equipped with the skills needed for job readiness. Then, if you choose to continue your academic journey, transition to the UD main campus to complete your bachelor’s degree in an additional two years.
Delaware residents may be eligible for special financial aid packages to make their experience more affordable. With the SEED scholarship, the State of Delaware covers tuition as Delawareans earn their associate degree. In many cases, the same scholarship can extend into the third year of study toward earning your bachelor’s degree!
Flex Pathway Features
- What: Start in one of our associate program pathways and transition to one of 20+ majors for your bachelor’s degree:
- Associate in Arts
- Early Childhood Education
- K-8 Teacher Education
- Where: Start at any University of Delaware site— Newark, Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown or Lewes—and finish at the main campus in Newark.
- When: Study at your own pace: Both full-time and part-time options are available.
- How: In-person, online and hybrid learning options are available.
Frequently Asked Questions
SEED (Student Excellence Equals Degree) Scholarships are funded by the state of Delaware and covers the cost of tuition for Delaware residents enrolled in the First State Pathways program. Eligibility requires enrollment into a program that awards an associate degree. Free tuition can be applied to up to 10 semesters, with no more than two semesters applied toward earning a bachelor's degree after the associate has been awarded.
Associate degrees are two-year programs that provide students with the first two years of their education before transitioning into a baccalaureate program (bachelor’s degree). The credit earned during your associate degree can be applied to your bachelor’s degree program.
- Biology
- Business
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Early Childhood Education
- Economics
- English
- Environmental Studies
- Exercise Science
- Finance
- Health Behavior
- History
- Human Services
- K-8 Teacher Education
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Wildlife Ecology
- Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Blue Economy
- Discover Business
- Not For Profit Administration
- Pre-Law
- Pre-Nursing
- Public Health
The Global Pathway
Start abroad as a World Scholar.
With UD’s Global Pathway, students start their UD experience by studying abroad for the first semester of their first year. While abroad, you will study with other Blue Hens at one of our partner institutions, recognized for academics, small class sizes and a dedication to learning outside the classroom.
When your first fall semester is complete, the global immersion continues! While back on main campus in Newark, you will live in an international living-learning community with peer mentors. Then, during your junior year, you will study abroad again, with access to 40 locations worldwide.
BECOME Part of the Flock
Engage with 300+ student led clubs, organizations, and campus activities.
Choose from over 40 countries to study abroad.
Cheer for one of the 20+ Division 1 Blue Hen teams.
Your State, Your School
Affordable Education for Delawareans.
As the First State’s flagship University, UD is dedicated to providing an affordable, top-quality education to every Delawarean. Don’t let concerns about affordability stand in the way of a great education. No matter what your financial situation, we make sure all Delaware residents have access to UD.
To qualify, admitted students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. No additional applications are necessary.
Flex Pathway
First State Pathway: Delawareans are eligible for a SEED Scholarship, funded by the state of Delaware. Students can use SEED as they begin their pathway, earning an associate degree on the way to a bachelor's degree.
SEED Scholarship funds up to 10 semesters of tuition, including up to two semesters when a student transitions to their bachelor’s degree coursework. That’s right; a Delawarean can earn a University of Delaware bachelor’s degree while only paying tuition for one year!
Traditional & Global Pathway
First State Promise: Need-based financial packages may be awarded to Delawareans entering UD’s Newark Campus as first-year students. Those with a family income of less than $35,000 receive a financial package that allows them to attend UD with little up-front cost. The package covers tuition, fees, UD on-campus housing and dining expenses.
Students with family incomes between $35,000 and $75,000 will receive a financial aid package that covers their full tuition and mandatory fees; those with family incomes above $75,000 may also be eligible for some aid in addition to any merit scholarships they may have earned.
| Family Income | What is covered by First State Promise? |
|---|---|
| Less than $35,000 | Free tuition, fees, standard housing and room expenses |
| Less than $75,000 | Free tuition and fees |
| More than $75,000 | Eligible for financial aid and merit scholarships |
| To qualify, students admitted to UD’s Newark Campus must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year and meet the income requirements. No additional applications are necessary. | |
Plus Up Your Pathway
Add an accelerated master's degree.
To meet employers' increasing demand for professionals with advanced degrees, all of our UD pathways offer opportunities for you to start working toward a master’s degree while still completing your bachelor’s degree.
With a variety of 4+1 and 3+2 options, we offer over 30 accelerated master’s degree programs, with more being added each year, so you can get ahead and enhance your career potential in less time! You’ll have a competitive advantage in the job market upon graduation.
- Accounting
- Africana Studies
- Animal and Food Science
- Applied Mathematics
- Art History for Museum Professionals
- Biopharmaceutical Sciences
- Business Analytics and Information Management
- Chemical Engineering
- Childhood Education in Languages Literature and Cultures
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Cybersecurity
- Data Science
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Energy and Environmental Policy
- Exceptional Children and Youth
- Fashion and Apparel Studies
- Finance
- Human Development and Family Sciences
- Linguistics and Cognitive Sciences
- Public Administration (MPA)
- Public Policy (MPP)
- Marine Studies
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Medical Sciences
- Neurosciences
- Robotics
- Secondary STEM Education
- Teaching English as a Second Language
- Urban Analytics and Policy