Below is the contact info for Colleges & Universities that offer correspondence courses and certificate programs to inmates and others. But FIRST here are some tips to getting started -- based on my experience: #1. GED --- ASSUME your loved one MUST get their GED before taking any correspondence courses -- GED prep classes are one thing that most prisons actually do offer. Your loved one should get their GED before anything else. #2. THERE MAY BE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PRISON --- CHECK IT OUT --- DO NOT ASSUME there is no higher education program at the prison. There are not many, but there are some. Have your loved one contact his case worker, or Education Director, (if one exists at his facility) -- to see what is available. Note: There are usually qualifications an inmate must meet to get access to classes beyond a GED. For Example: They must be a young or youthful offender, under 25 -- or they must have a minimum amount of years left to serve. Qualifications are different in different states, so check with your dept of corrections in your state. NOTE -- some prisons within the same state have educational programs in one prison that are not available in another. If there are Educational opportunites at one prison in your state -- but not at the one your loved one is at -- he or she may qualify for a transfer. (usually can only do this after a certain amount of time is already served). Have your loved one ask about opportunities for education at other prisons that they may not have been placed at - but could transfer to. If the prison/state offers nothing for your loved one -- (most likely), then you can consider enrolling in correspondence course, as we are --- #3. COST -- This can be the most prohibitive issue with inmates getting an education on the inside. Most Educational programs within the system are free if the inmate is eligible to participate. However, correspondence courses cost money. In limited cases your loved one may still qualify for a pell grant, or federal student loan, (regardless of credit history). But with current laws -- most FELONS are barred from access to Educational loans and grants, which makes no sense at all in terms of rehabilitation. You can ask the Financial Advisor at the University of your choice to determine if your loved one is eligible for any student loans or grants. They may tell him to apply and see what happpens -- it is important that your loved one is honest about their charges and incarceration if they choose to apply for loans or grants. Last thing on cost --- some of these courses are expensive -- If is a priority then find a way. We can only afford for my son to do one class a year -- but in the end that will be 13 more classes than he had before he went in. We are swinging the cost -- because several family members are chipping in. ***I would love to start prison scholarship program -- it is MUCH needed!!!*** #4. QUESTIONS TO ASK THE COLLEGE or UNIVERSITY-- - Does the tuition cost include books and postage? - Does the inmate have to have access to a computer? (some do, some don't). - Does the inmate have to have a counselor or teacher on site to administer tests in order to get credit? ****** BEFORE YOU PAY ANY MONEY TO THE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE --- MAKE SURE THE PRISON SIGNS OFF AND ALLOWS THE INMATE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM THAT HE OR SHE IS SIGNING UP FOR!!!******** #5. LAST --- ENCOURAGE YOUR LOVED ONE TO DO THIS!!! Have a course catalog mailed from the college -- it may spark their interest. Especially if you have a son or daughter who is incarcerated. Avoid pressuring and bugging them -- but my advise is --- plant the seed and be willing to help them get the ball rolling from the outside if need be. (took my son 2 and half years to want to do it) Only you and your loved one will help put themselves in a position to make something of their lives when they get out --- the sytem won't. BELOW IS THE LIST I OBTAINED of accredited and legitimate Universities and Colleges that offer correspondence courses and or certificates: ADAMS State College Alamosa CO www.exstudies.adams.edu 1-800-548-6679 many courses plus paralegal cert program offered Brigham Young Prov Utah www.elearn.byu.edu 1-800-914-8931 City University Bellevue WA www.cityu.edu 1-800-426-5596 Colorado Consortium for Independent Study Denver, CO www.colorado.edu/ccis 1-303-866-2723 can send catalog from 10 diff universties Colorado State University Fort Collins CO www.learn.colostate.edu 1-877-491-4336 Columbia College Columbia MO www.ccis.edu 1-573-875-7352 Excelsior College Albany NY www.excelsior.edu 1-888-647-2388 Extensive courses Governor's State University University Park IL www.govst.edu 1-800-GSU-8GSU BA degrees via correspondence and video courses available Indiana State University www.indistate.edu/distance 1-888-237-8080 Indiana University Bloomington IN http://scs.Indiana.edu 1-800-334-1011 Lousianana State University Baton Rouge LA www.is.lsu.edu 1-800-234-5046 correspondence and certificate programs Metropolitan State College Denver, CO www.mscd.edu/~options 1-303-450-5111 Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS www.msstate.edu/dept/ced 1-662-325-2652 Ohio University Athens, OH www.ohio.edu/independent 1-800-444-2910 Comprehensive Program designed for incarcerated individuals Oklahoma State University Stillwater OK www.okstate.edu/outreach/ics 1-405-744-6390 Penn State University State College PA www.worldcampus.psu.edu 1-800-252-3592 Requires Inmate computer access Texas State University San Marcos Texas www.studyanywhere.txstate.edu 1-800-511-8656 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX www.dce.ttu.edu 1-800-692-6877 Also offers K - 12 correspondence courses University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL www.distanceeducation.ua.edu 1-800-452-5971 University of Arizona Tucson AZ www.ceao.arizona.edu/corresp 1-800-772-7480 Also offers k-12 correspondence courses University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR www.uacted.uark.edu 1-800-638-1217 University Of Illinois CHampaign IL www.outreach.uluc.edu 1-800-252-1360 University Of Missouri Columbia MO www.cdis.missouri.edu 1-800-609-3727 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC www.fridaycenter.unc.edu 1-800-862-5669 University of North Colorado Greely CO www.unco.edu/center/es/mail 1-800-232-1749 University of North Iowa Cedar Falls IA www.uni.edu.contined/gis 1-800-772-1746 University of South Carolina Columbia SC www.sc.edu/deis/ss 1-800-922-2577 University of Tennessee Knoxville TN www.anywhere.tennessee.edu 1-800-670-8657 High school courses available also University of Wisconsin Madison WI www.learn.wisconsin.edu/il 1-877-895-3276 Utah STate University Logan UT www.extension.usc.edu/conted 1-800-233-2137 Hope this is helpful -- If anyone knows of private scholarship programs that inmates may qualify for -- please let me know.