Originally from Mexico, Emmanuel dreamed of getting a university education in the United States. But reality quickly hit.“First I had to learn English and realized that there were very few opportunities for me to really study in a formal education in the United States,” he said.That’s because he is undocumented. Emmanuel, who chose to use only his first name for this interview, said he couldn't afford school.”When I realized that I didn’t have the chance to qualify for any aid, scholarships or financial aid here in the United States, I simply shut myself out of everything here,” he said.Then Emmanuel read about University of the People, an online, tuition-free university that sounded too good to be true.With no other options, he signed up and became quickly convinced that this university would give him the tools for a future in computer science.The school uses teaching materials that can be found free and online, and its teachers work on a voluntary basis.“We built a model to show universities, to show governments that the issue of higher education can be solved," said Shai Reshef, president of the University of the People."Higher education can be accessible, can be affordable, can be high-quality and shouldn’t leave anyone behind.”The University of the People currently offers degrees only in computer science and business administration.
