English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →New JerseyHomeschool
From homeschool to Thomas Edison State University: how it works
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
A New Jersey homeschooler can apply to Thomas Edison State University at 20, or from 16 by showing self-direction or completing a no-cost orientation course. TESU accepts a secondary home school diploma that meets state rules. Students aged 16 to 20 may take 9 credits in their first semester. Tuition is $449 a credit for New Jersey residents.
Who TESU admits
TESU's admission page says applicants must be 20 years of age or older, or at least 16 and able to demonstrate self-direction. Every applicant needs a high school diploma, a GED or a secondary home school diploma that meets the requirements of their state of residency. For a New Jersey homeschooler, that is usually the diploma and transcript the parent issues.
TESU also notes that an application does not by itself mean admission, so apply early and keep copies of everything you send.
Showing self-direction at 16 to 19
TESU lists several ways for younger applicants to show self-direction. Applicants who cannot meet any of them complete a no-cost online orientation course instead.
- 6 credits from an accredited institution with a C or higher
- 12 transferable credits through a TESU Professional Learning Review
- 6 AP credits
- A US Department of Labor recognised apprenticeship, or active-duty military service
The first semester
All students between 16 and 20 are limited to 9 credits in their first semester, about three courses. After that the limit lifts. Plan the first term around the courses that matter most, and keep the rest for later terms.
A teen who has already finished several college-level courses at home does not need to take them again at TESU if TESU counts them, so the 9-credit limit is less of a brake than it looks. Use the first term for courses that only TESU offers or that your teen has not covered yet.
| Item | TESU rule | What it means for a teen |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 20+, or 16+ with self-direction | Most homeschoolers apply at 16 to 18 |
| First semester | 9-credit limit to age 20 | About three courses |
| Diploma | Home school diploma meeting state rules | Parent-issued diploma and transcript |
| Tuition | $449 a credit, NJ resident | $1,347 a 3-credit course |
Bringing credit with you
TESU is built for students who bring credit from many places. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, so courses your teen takes at home with those recommendations can be reviewed when they enrol. TESU decides how each course counts toward the degree; we do not publish a course-by-course map, and nothing transfers automatically.
Ask TESU admissions in writing, before your teen starts, how it would treat each course you are planning.
A simple timeline
At 14 or 15, start one or two general education courses at home, such as composition or algebra, and count them on your homeschool transcript. At 16, decide whether to apply to TESU with self-direction or wait. When your teen applies, send official records of any outside credit along with the homeschool diploma and transcript. Keep each syllabus, because a college may ask for one.
Parents often ask whether to apply early or wait until 18. Applying at 16 lets a teen build a college record alongside high school, but the first term is capped and full-time tuition still applies per credit. Waiting keeps costs down while the teen works through courses at home. Either way, the homeschool diploma and transcript you issue are the documents TESU asks for.
Tuition at TESU is $449 a credit for New Jersey residents and $584 for out-of-state students, approved for the August 2026 term, with a flat rate of $3,595 a term for New Jersey residents taking 9 to 18 credits.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask TESU, or the college your teen plans to attend, in writing how it will treat each course before you enrol, and confirm the State High School Diploma route with the Department of Education.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Can a 16-year-old homeschooler enrol at TESU?
Yes, if they show self-direction, for example with 6 college credits passed with a C or better or 6 AP credits, or by completing TESU's no-cost online orientation course. They are then limited to 9 credits in the first semester.
Does TESU accept a parent-issued homeschool diploma?
TESU accepts a secondary home school diploma that meets the requirements of the applicant's state of residency. New Jersey does not issue homeschool diplomas, so parents usually issue their own with a transcript.
How much does TESU cost for a New Jersey student?
TESU lists $449 a credit for New Jersey residents, or a flat $3,595 a term for 9 to 18 credits, approved on 12 June 2026 for the August 2026 term. Out-of-state students pay $584 a credit.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Start English, maths and history at college level at home, then move any credit via a college transcript when your teen enrols.
Sources
- TESU: Admission Requirements (official)Applicants must be 20 or older, or at least 16 and show self-direction (for example 6 credits from an accredited institution with a C or higher, 12 credits through a TESU Professional Learning Review, or 6 AP credits), or complete a no-cost online orientation course; students 16 to 20 are limited to 9 credits in the first semester; a high school diploma, GED or secondary home school diploma meeting state requirements is needed. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- TESU: Undergraduate Tuition (official)$449 a credit for New Jersey residents and $584 for out-of-state residents, approved 12 June 2026 and effective from the August 2026 term; flat rate $3,595 a term for New Jersey residents taking 9 to 18 credits. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- NJ Department of Education: Frequently Asked Questions, Homeschooling (official)N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 covers children between 6 and 16 and allows equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school; the board may not review or approve the curriculum; parents need no teacher certification; no state or district standardized test is required; homeschoolers do not receive a state-endorsed diploma from the board; State High School Diploma by GED or 30 general education credits plus state test proficiency; State v. Massa (1967) academic equivalency. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.