DeVry University in the United States has announced an expansion of its Bridge to Brilliance Initiative to help transform higher education access to 16 countries in the Caribbean.

This programme will provide scholarships to support qualifying DeVry students, expand access, and provide a more affordable, high-quality education, the private for-profit university in Illinois states in a news release.

“Education has the power to transform lives,” Agnam Memeti, DeVry University’s chief enrolment and student support officer is quoted in a release on Wednesday.

“Innovation at DeVry isn’t just about technology, it’s also about breaking down barriers to education. As educators we recognise that access to quality online education is a critical step to help prepare learners for thriving careers in a global economy. We are thrilled to expand our academic offerings in the Caribbean,” added Memeti.

The expansion encompasses potential students from Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

According to the university, the Bridge to Brilliance programme features flexible online learning options, allowing students to tailor their educational journey to their personal circumstances.

It also emphasises career readiness, providing pathways in high-demand fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), health care and business, DeVry added.

According to Memeti, with access and affordability a top priority at DeVry, programmes like the International Student Scholarship and the American Pathway for International Scholars Scholarship may help reduce costs for qualifying students.

International undergraduate and graduate students living abroad and studying online may be eligible to receive a scholarship for 50 per cent off the tuition rate under the International Student Scholarship programme, the university said.

An undergraduate student could receive savings of US$257 per credit hour, while a graduate student could receive savings of US$388 per credit hour, DeVry added.

“Flexibility, especially for our online learners, is key,” said Memeti.

“DeVry’s culture of ‘CARE’ is embedded in everything we do to provide tailored support services as well as a student-focused experience to all learners no matter what stage of their journey they are in,” added Memeti.

According to Open Doors 2024 report on International Educational Exchange, during the 2023/24 academic year, more than one million international students from some 210 places studied at US higher education institutions — a nearly seven per cent increase from the previous academic year.

As of the January 2025 academic session, DeVry’s international student body comprises hundreds of students from more than 55 countries, including India, Jordan, Mongolia, and Nigeria.

The release pointed out that DeVry University strives to close society’s opportunity gap and address emerging talent needs by preparing learners to thrive in careers shaped by continuous technological change.

Founded in 1931, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programmes on-site and online in business, health care, and technology.

DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org). The university’s Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation.

DeVry says it offers flexible scheduling options and 100 per cent online options to help students maintain a positive work-life-school balance.