The University of Phoenix said Wednesday it has stopped accepting new students at several brick-and-mortar locations.
The move comes as the university — the nation’s largest for-profit institution and top destination for student veterans — looks to “adapt and restructure” for its mostly online student base, according to a statement from the school. The University of Phoenix has instituted a teach-out phase at various locations, allowing current students to finish their in-person programs while closing those locations to new students and directing them to online offerings instead.
A spokesman for the university said the total number of students at the 19 affected locations represents a small percentage of the school’s overall student population, which is more than 165,000, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. More than 85 percent of students are enrolled in online programs, the spokesman said.
“Students can expect — and students are receiving — the same quality faculty and same quality program,” he told Military Times, emphasizing that the teach-out phase does not mean immediate closure. Current students will also have the option to move their studies online if desired.
The University of Phoenix has educated the most GI Bill users of any school in the country since fiscal 2013, according to federal data. It has also consistently been among the top 20 destinations for active-duty service members using tuition assistance benefits — though its population of military students has dropped significantly in recent years.
The university spokesman said fewer than 20 TA students currently attend campuses impacted by this move.
A total of 45 of the 72 campuses and learning centers the university lists on its website are no longer accepting campus-based enrollments, according to their websites. This includes all locations in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
It’s unclear which of the 45 are a part of the latest batch of schools going into teach-out mode, as the university has previously made similar moves to phase out ground operations.
“The (University of Phoenix) remains deeply committed to academic excellence and career-relevant education,” according to the school’s statement. “This change will have no impact on our academic quality, the student experience or student outcomes, and is consistent with the University’s goal of optimizing resources to most effectively serve our students. As always, we will continue in our mission to change lives through higher education.”
