Amidst a backdrop of concerns over past litigation and ongoing student refund payments in the United States, DeVry University has unveiled a new educational initiative aimed at Caribbean students, expanding access to higher education for students across 16 English-speaking countries through significant tuition reductions and flexible learning options.
The “Caribbean Bridge to Brilliance” programme offers qualifying students from 16 English-speaking Caribbean countries up to 50 percent tuition reduction for over 50 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, with options to study online, on campus in the United States, or through a hybrid approach.
John Evans, a DeVry representative, said the initiative aims to address “financial barriers, limited access to specialized programmes, and a desire for global exposure” among Caribbean students.
The expansion encompasses learners from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos Islands.
The university offers programmes across various fields, with particular emphasis on STEM, healthcare, business administration, technical management, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Agnam Memeti, DeVry’s chief enrolment and student support officer, highlighted the comprehensive support system available to online students, including 24/7 tutoring, technical support, and mental health resources through their partnership with Student Link.
“Each student is assigned a dedicated advisor that stays with them along their journey, and our advisors are accountable to students’ success,” Memeti said.
The programme emerged from DeVry’s existing partnership in the Bahamas. “As we saw the success that we are seeing in the impact we’re having on the lives of students in the Bahamas… we realized that there was a significant population beyond just the Bahamas that we could help service via online education,” Chief Project Officer Micah Arnold explained.
For students interested in on-campus study in the United States, the university team said it will provide visa interview support and preparation, amid questions about current US immigration challenges.
The university offers additional financial aid opportunities beyond the 50 percent tuition reduction on a case-by-case basis, according to officials.
Career services, including job board access and employment preparation, would be available to all students and continue after graduation.
The for-profit university has had a history of litigation against it in the United States, including a $100 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in 2016 over allegations of deceptive advertising about graduate employment rates and income claims.
As recently as May 2024, the FTC was still processing refund payments to students affected by these practices.
When questioned about these past issues, Arnold stated that the institution has since separated from its previous ownership group.
“DeVry University since that time has separated off into its own private university. It’s no longer part of the ownership group that was responsible with those settlements at the time,” Arnold said.
Regarding regional accreditation, Arnold confirmed that while DeVry has approval from the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of the Bahamas (NAECOB) and US accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission, they are still in the process of engaging with education ministries throughout the Caribbean.
