What's the cheapest way to take the prerequisites?
Cheapest way to cover the prerequisites
The worry underneath this question is usually cost stacking on top of cost — you're already weighing years of tuition, so nobody wants to overpay for the entry ticket too. The good news is you have real, accredited, low-cost choices. The three sciences may be taken concurrently with your TCM studies within the first two years of the program, though completing them before you start is highly recommended — so this doesn't have to delay you.
Five Branches requires three natural science courses — General Biology, Chemistry, and Physics — each a minimum of three semester credits, plus General Psychology, which falls under the general-education requirement rather than the natural sciences.
| Route | Accreditation | Cost pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| California community college (via cvc.edu) | Regionally accredited (ACCJC) — transfer-safe | Typically the lowest cost of any option | Search online sections statewide without applying to each campus separately; labs (e.g. Chemistry) are sometimes in-person even if lecture is online |
| University of New England Online | Regionally accredited (NECHE) | ~$475/credit + registration fee | Covers the three sciences and Psychology; ships at-home lab kits |
| Portage Learning / Doane University | Regionally accredited (via Geneva College / HLC) | Mid-range | Strong on Biology/Chemistry, but Physics and Psychology aren't confirmed offered |
| UC Extension (San Diego, Berkeley, UCLA) | Part of accredited UC system | Mid-to-higher | Some labs are in-person only |
| StraighterLine / Sophia Learning | Not regionally accredited (ACE-recommendation only) | Cheapest sticker price (~$99/month) | Real transfer risk — get written pre-approval from Five Branches Admissions before relying on these |
(Source: Five Branches' Educational Requirements page, revised 09/2026.)
For most people, a California community college — found statewide through cvc.edu — ends up both the cheapest and the safest transfer bet, since every CA community college is regionally accredited. Assist.org is also useful to double-check that a specific course is recognized as transferable.
Curious whether you're looking at this as a California resident, or comparing options from out of state?
Sources
- Five Branches University — Educational Requirements checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — published materials checked 2026-07
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