Many kinds of NPOs, or non-profit organizations, exist all around the world. Students often learn how to serve countries and communities that lack basic health care options and treatments, while other students learn how to provide food and shelter to refugees escaping war and destruction.

Certificate programs, which can be earned in about a year, consist of academic classes that are offered at different skill and ability levels. Undergraduate as well as graduate students, depending on their field of study, may obtain certificates.

Part-time learning allows one to obtain a degree or qualification even if one cannot attend school on a full-time basis. One can learn at one's own pace, gradually accumulating credits that count towards a final qualification.