5 places offering lifelong learning classes across Minnesota

Universities and colleges across Minnesota offer a wide variety of affordable and accessible options for older adults who want to continue learning and challenging themselves but don’t need a college degree.

These “lifelong learning” programs focus on non-credit courses on everything from economics and science to beginning birding and nutrition. Here is some basic information for five programs around the state.

Age: 55 and older

Founded: 1995

Cost: Annual membership is $35 (plus $5 per educational presentation) or an all-inclusive $140. Social activities and clubs are free.

Who teaches: Current and retired Mankato State professors and people in the community who are passionate about a certain topic.

Website: mnsu.edu/mankato-area-lifelong-learners

Phone: 507-389-2011

Email: lifelonglearners@mnsu.edu

Address: 129 Morris Hall, Mankato

Register: tinyurl.com/2wnzd8nv

Age: Target age 50-plus, but anyone can join.

Founded: 1995 (as the Elder Learning Institution)

Cost: Annual membership is $325 for access to an unlimited number of courses and special interest groups.

Who teaches: Retired professors, people with a passion about something within OLLI or the greater community and some university graduate students. Current professors speak at OLLI’s At-the-U Lecture Series.

Website: ccaps.umn.edu/olli

Contact phone: 612-624-7847

Contact email: olli@umn.edu

Address: 20 Ruttan Hall, 1994 Buford Av., St. Paul

Request program information: ccaps.umn.edu/about-ccaps/contact-us

Age: Targets 40 and up

Founded: 1973

Cost: Per-class costs range from $25 for one lecture to $120 to $150 for a six-week course. To audit courses, the university’s Go to College program costs $370 to $400 per class per semester.

Who teaches: Mainly professors at the University of St. Thomas or other universities.

Website: stthomas.edu/selim-center

Contact phone: 651-962-5188

Contact email: selimcenter@stthomas.edu

Address: 2115 Summit Av., St. Paul

Program list: stthomas.edu/selim-center/programs/index.html

Age: No age requirement

Founded: 2009

Cost: Each non-credit, 4-6 week course costs $40 to $45, sometimes less.

Who teaches: Current and retired professors, or an expert in the community, such as the director of a museum

Website: winona.edu/retiree-center/senior-university

Contact phone: 507-457-5565

Contact email: retiree@winona.edu

Address: WSU Alumni House, 227 W. 7th St., Winona

Register: tinyurl.com/yc4v9den

Age: 50 and older

Founded: 1989

Cost: A 12-month membership is $370 (up to 10 classes per term) or $140 per term (three terms, up to 10 classes per term). New members pay a one-time membership fee of $70 (up to 10 classes in one term).

Who teaches: Current and retired University of Minnesota faculty, other University for Seniors members, and community members.

Website: university-seniors.d.umn.edu

Contact phone: 218-726-7637

Contact email: usask@d.umn.edu

Address: 1208 Kirby Drive, Duluth

Register: tinyurl.com/49wpws7e

Note: This list doesn’t include the statewide Senior Citizen Education Program (SCEP), which provides free tuition for residents age 62-plus who want to take for-credit courses (plus typically a $20 per credit administrative fee) or audit classes (free), if space is available. Each state-funded college or university operates its own SCEP program, so you must contact each one directly.