Are There Free PhD Programs Online in Missouri?

Although fully free online PhD programs may not be available in every field of study, students seeking an affordable degree path can significantly reduce costs through various financial aid options. Federal and state aid, scholarships from higher education institutions, and other funding sources can cover a portion of tuition costs for eligible students. However, it is important to note that additional costs beyond tuition may apply.

We invite you to explore some of these nearly free PhD programs online. ''Nearly free'' simply refers to colleges where you can get generous financial aid to pay for advanced degrees. The best fully funded online PhD programs have the same dedicated faculty who teach PhD students on-campus. This article will show you ways to identify fully funded online PhD programs by getting lower tuition rates, which you can offset with financial support.

Can I Get a PhD Degree Online for Free in Missouri?

Missouri does not have any 100% free PhD programs online, but it is home to at least five tuition-free online colleges for various graduate-level programs. Those include University of Missouri - Columbia and St. Louis University. Once you eliminate the tuition costs, all you have to do is secure funding resources to set yourself up for a practically free doctorate degree online. If you do it right, you can graduate with an online doctoral degree, completely debt-free.

What Does PhD Funding Cover?

PhD funding covers tuition, student fees, textbooks, application fees, testing fees, and anything else your program charges you for a doctoral diploma. Although PhD stipends cover much of this, you still have to consider living expenses and other costs you may incur while attending graduate school, especially if you attend full-time. The most affordable online PhD programs are the ones that charge lower tuition and encourage you to find funding resources to cancel out as many other academic costs.

How Do I Receive PhD Funding?

Doctoral students should start as early as they can, identifying ways to get funding. The first step involves applying for financial aid by completing the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Missouri has several accredited online schools that accept FAFSA.

This lets you qualify for federal and state grants (like Pell Grants) and puts you in contact with the university for internal resources, such as scholarships, assistantships, tuition waivers, and low-interest student loans. You can also reduce expenses by qualifying for in-state tuition rates, leveraging military benefits, and pursuing paid research fellowships.

Fully Funded Online PhD Programs in Missouri

Check out these high-quality PhD programs for Missouri online learners. These institutions give you the chance to pursue terminal degrees in exciting fields such as healthcare, computer science, business administration, educational leadership, the humanities, social sciences, nursing practice, and more.

1. Missouri State University

If you take graduate courses online at Missouri State University (MSU), the tuition rates are much lower for both in-state and out-of-state students. This applies to three doctoral programs available in online learning formats in the fields of nursing and occupational therapy.

MSU strongly encourages graduate students to lower their costs further by applying for assistantships and other financial aid options.

Average in-state tuition: $379 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $379 per credit hour

Financial aid: MSU recommends completing the FAFSA as soon as possible to qualify for foundation scholarships and needs-based grants.

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

2. University of Central Missouri

The University of Central Missouri offers two online doctorates in either technology management or educational technology. Online learners can enjoy the same hands-on mentorship from expert faculty members as in-person doctoral students. There are several ways to reduce tuition costs, including $500 tuition waivers, merit-based scholarships (like the Reid Hemphill Award), or dozens of other Missouri-based scholarships.

Average in-state tuition: $425 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $425 per credit hour

Financial aid: The university also provides generous military discounts, scholarships for online international students, and other funding resources tied to academic specializations.

Accreditation: HLC

3. University of Missouri

The University of Missouri has online doctoral programs in 13 fields with an average tuition cost of $538.80 per credit hour. This includes a Doctor of Education (EdD) program, which requires 48 hours of coursework and an estimated total tuition cost of $26,966.40.

You can reduce that bill if you aim for one of the university's scholarship opportunities, such as the Graduate Scholars of Excellence (GSE) program or the Graduate Fellowship Fund.

Average in-state tuition: $538.80 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $1,350.60 per credit hour

Financial aid: The University also offers several department-specific scholarships, dissertation support awards, and graduate fellowships, which employ students as research assistants and teaching assistants.

Accreditation: HLC

4. University of Missouri - Kansas City

The University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC) has six concentrations for nurse practitioners. These programs allow nurses to build leadership skills and participate in public health research projects with the university's generous resources.

You can also offset program costs by applying for competitive scholarships through UMKC's website after completing the FAFSA for federal funding.

Average in-state tuition: $742.35 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $742.35 per credit hour

Financial aid: UMKC also has a website dedicated to funding sources, specifically mentioning assistantships, graduate studies awards, fellowships, and grants.

Accreditation: HLC

Other Fully Funded Online PhD Programs

If you can't find the right PhD program with sufficient financial aid in Missouri, we present another option worthy of consideration. This is one of many online colleges in the U.S. that focus on distance learning for degree seekers at every level of academia.

Liberty University

Liberty University offers perhaps the clearest path to a fully funded online PhD thanks to its abundant program options, low tuition, military discounts, and other funding resources. This nonprofit university, located in Virginia, serves doctoral students by keeping its costs lower than even some public universities.

It also offers coursework in convenient eight-week sessions, making it much easier for part-time students who still work full-time jobs to complete their doctorates.

Average in-state tuition: $610 per credit hour

Average out-of-state tuition: $300 per credit hour for military veterans

Financial aid: There are other discounts available to first responders, as well as a 15% tuition discount for small-business owners and their employees. Liberty also provides other forms of tuition assistance, including deferred tuition reimbursement through its corporate partnerships.

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Explore Online PhD Programs

Learn.org is home to a large library of information you can use to find remote learning options for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and even online doctoral programs. We can help you learn about every angle of academia, especially the best ways to pay for it while going to school 100% online.