Brief Tara García Mathewson Udacity founder Sebastian Thrun left Stanford to create the online education company, first intending to offer university-level coursework to anyone around the globe who could connect to the Internet. Udacity has since shifted to career-focused courses. Its nanodegrees offer tech credentials through courses designed by industry leaders who have committed to recognizing them in hiring decisions. Innovators in the higher education sphere like Thrun have provided fairly significant competition for traditional colleges and universities. Udacity offers courses online through a flexible timeline, charging students a flat monthly fee. Now, like many traditional institutions, Udacity will offer steeply discounted tuition to attract additional students. Follow Tara García Mathewson on Twitter
For - profit MOOC ( Mobile Open Online Course ) provider Udacity is making the pilot program of its discounted nanodegree offering permanent . The company announced on its website that it would continue to pay half of the cost of tuition for students who complete their nanodegree programs in one year .