ABOUT
Accreditation and Licensure
NewU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit university, licensed to operate and issue Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees by the Washington DC Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) and a Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) member institution in the Candidate phase.
NewU University is a Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) www.msche.org member institution in the Candidate phase. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on March 17, 2025 was to grant candidate for accreditation status. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States.
More on HELC: HELC strives to be a national leader in licensing, compliance monitoring, and enforcement and outreach that ensures students are protected and approved postsecondary institutions provide quality education and training programs.
Source: HELC website 3/18/2025
Licensure in our nation’s capital by the DC HELC is mandatory for all universities, and serves as a transparent and rigorous quality control and oversight mechanism. For a list of FAQs or to contact HELC with questions, comments, or grievances, visit the HELC website here. A complete list of HELC-approved institutions is available here.
NewU is licensed by the Washington DC Higher Education Licensure Commission to offer affordable and career-ready majors on campus in our nation’s capital and confer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
Military and Veteran Education Benefits
VA Education Benefits: NewU University is approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accept VA education benefits, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and other VA-supported programs.
Use Your VA Benefits at NewU University
If you’re a veteran, active-duty service member, or eligible spouse or dependent, you can now use your VA education benefits to cover tuition and fees at NewU. Our VA facility code is 3-1-0003-09, and our approval is effective August 26, 2024.
VA-approved students can:
- Enroll in any major listed in our academic catalog
- Receive tuition and fee coverage, housing allowances, and stipends (depending on eligibility)
- Work directly with our School Certifying Official to get support throughout the certification process
Attribution Notice: GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at Education and Training Home (va.gov)
Partners and Supporters
Mission and Vision
Our Mission is to empower students to become successful, resilient, socially engaged, and ethical citizens of the world for life. Our Vision is that by 2030 leading universities will adopt our operating and academic innovations and model to reform and improve Higher Education in service to society.
We are a team of educators and entrepreneurs with a vision
- We built a university from scratch to prove that our innovative, affordable, career-ready model works. We graduated our first cohort in June 2025.
- We have the team, tools, and expertise to expand nationwide.
- In the next 5-7 years, we aim to open 100+ micro campuses, serving a couple of hundred students with each campus.
We are the first private nonprofit undergraduate university to call washington dc home in over 100 years
- NewU created a game-changing, affordable micro campus model which cuts costs without sacrificing quality
- We introduced true affordability bringing college within reach for everyone
- Proven relevant with students, and 5 years ahead of other new colleges