Cleary University takes 50% off tuition for first responders and emergency personnel, and 25% off for their spouses and dependents. Classes can be 100% online, with six start times a year, and the scholarship can be combined with other Cleary scholarships as long as the total doesn’t pass 50%.
Cleary’s main campus is in Howell, Michigan, with an education center in Detroit, but you don’t have to be nearby. The degrees are business degrees, with accelerated paths to a bachelor’s or master’s, and the six-week sessions suit nights, rotating days and overtime. Depending on how many credits you transfer, you could finish a degree in 1 year.
How To Get The Cleary University First Responder Discount
- Open Cleary’s scholarship page with the button below and select Apply Now.
- Apply to Cleary University. Cleary doesn’t describe a separate form for the discount.
- Ask admissions what proof of your job they want, since Cleary doesn’t say.
- Ask about transfer credit at the same time. Up to 90 credits can be transferred or awarded for prior classes, professional certifications and work experience.
- Pick a start date from the six each year, and choose online classes or the hybrid option.
Admissions is at 800.686.1883. Cleary also holds online information sessions over Zoom about its first responder program, and you can attend one before you apply. Ask for a written estimate and check that the 50% is on it before you enroll.
Who Qualifies
The 50% is for first responders, emergency personnel, civic and municipal employees, clinical health care professionals, educators and others who qualify. Cleary doesn’t list job titles, so tell admissions what you do and ask them to confirm in writing that it counts. A spouse or dependent of someone who qualifies gets 25% off. Cleary’s accelerated paths are open to first responders, support staff and their families.
Format And Credits
Classes are 100% online if you want them that way. The other option is hybrid: six-week classes that meet one night a week in your region, delivered through what Cleary calls HY-FLEX. Cleary also offers a prior learning and work life assessment, which recognizes learning beyond the classroom and can save time and money.
Cleary lists sample costs. An advanced bachelor’s track in business, with a cybersecurity, project management or organizational leadership focus, is 33 credits over 12 months, with an out of pocket cost as little as $11,500 for Michigan residents and $12,000 for out of state residents. The master’s and MBA tracks run 12 to 16 months, with an out of pocket cost as little as $13,000 a year for Michigan residents and $13,500 a year for out of state. Cleary doesn’t say what those figures include or whether they already count the 50%, so ask for a written estimate that shows your own numbers.
What To Ask Before You Apply
Cleary doesn’t list program exclusions or an end date for the 50%, and it doesn’t say what documents you’ll need. Ask admissions about all three, and about how the scholarship works with any employer tuition benefit you already have.
Q&A
Q: What does the spouse discount cover?
A: 25% off tuition for the spouse and dependents of someone who qualifies.
Q: Is any of it in person?
A: Classes can be 100% online. The hybrid option meets one night a week in your region.
Q: Can I combine it with another Cleary scholarship?
A: Yes, but the total can’t go past 50%.
Q: Do I need to prove I’m a first responder?
A: Cleary doesn’t say what proof it requires. Ask admissions what they accept.
Q: Can my prior training count toward the degree?
A: Up to 90 credits can come from prior classes, professional certifications and work experience.
Q: Want to compare another school?
A: Our Liberty University page covers another one.
More Information:
Cleary can change its terms, so check its scholarship page before you apply. For more ways to save, browse our money discounts. You can also see it alongside other options in How First Responders Can Save Thousands on College Tuition: The Best Schools Offering Tuition Discounts.