By Nick Rothacher
WGU Scholarship Program Manager
If you haven't figured it out already, the ethos and culture that permeates WGU is to help students improve their lives. The employees and leadership at WGU are committed to their careers because we get to join students on a better path—a better model—to a college degree. A recognized degree that gives a student the skills to move forward in his or her profession is invaluable. WGU also knows that students care about the cost of a degree and hasn't raised tuition for six years—even though annual increases are the norm at most U.S colleges.
As a non-profit organization, our mission is to make sure our students have the best learning materials, learn from the best faculty, and are provided the best service for a price that few others can match. And as part of this commitment, we work really hard to enroll only the best students and do everything in our power to ensure they finish their degree and reap the rewards.
One way we do this is by offering scholarship opportunities to new and current students to offset the cost of coming back to school. Over the past five years, WGU has awarded an average of 1,200 scholarships per year (that's more than three per day!). A typical scholarship is between $2,000 and $3,000, which means we award an average of $3 million per year, every year. Here are just two examples of the many WGU students that have applied and been awarded scholarships:
I feel that by receiving this scholarship I have a responsibility to make the most of it and I intend to do that, not only as a student, but as professional serving students with special needs. Thank you, WGU, for making my dream become a reality! – Jennifer Brown
Having the scholarship helped my motivation. ... I was unsure if I had done the right thing by going back to school as a "senior" citizen. Getting the scholarship was like a positive indication that it was the right time to do it. Thank you, WGU Indiana! – Stephanie Boots
New students should be sure to visit the scholarships page on the website. We currently have scholarships available for students in business, IT, and health professions. During the months of May and June, WGU will announce scholarship opportunities for new and current teachers. Before you can apply for a scholarship, you must first apply for admission. The awarding decision is based on the strength of your application, your interview with a scholarship counselor, your academic history, and your financial need.
Current WGU students will be pleased to know that a new merit-based scholarship will also be announced in the near future. If you are a current student who is facing extenuating financial circumstances, please talk to your mentor about funding opportunities.
