RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — WGU North Carolina, an affiliate of the national nonprofit online Western Governors University, is offering an incentive for busy adults making resolutions to earn a college degree in the new year: $50,000 in scholarships. Students who apply to WGU through March 31, 2019, are eligible to apply for the New Year, New You Scholarship, which will award up to $2,000 per student for 25 qualified students in North Carolina.
The decision to go back to school can be an excellent way to transition into a new career or upskill to earn a promotion. In fact, data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute showed that college graduates, on average, earned 56 percent more than high school grads in 2015. That was up from 51 percent in 1999 and is the largest such gap in EPI’s figures dating to 1973.
Each New Year, New You Scholarship will be awarded at the rate of $500 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms. Students enrolling in any of WGU’s bachelor’s and master’s degree programs are eligible to apply for the scholarship. This scholarship is open to new students who have been officially admitted to WGU. While many scholarships are available through the program, applications are competitive. Awards will be based on a candidate’s academic record, readiness for online study, and current competency, as well as other considerations.
Nonprofit and fully online, WGU offers more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU’s learning model, competency-based education, is ideal for busy adults, allowing them to study and learn on a schedule that fits their lives. Students work through course materials with consistent, one-on-one faculty support, advancing as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered the subject matter. Tuition ranges from $3,225 to $3,800 per six-month term depending on the degree program.
“As an accredited, nonprofit university offering competency-based education, we offer an affordable and viable option for students to proceed at their own pace toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree,” said WGU North Carolina Chancellor Catherine Truitt. “The New Year, New You scholarships will help new students join the nearly 3,000 adults in North Carolina who are currently enrolled in WGU and who are working toward their education and career goals.”
For more information on the New Year, New You Scholarship, and any additional WGU scholarships, visit http://www.wgu.edu/scholarships. For more information on WGU North Carolina, visit https://www.wgu.edu/north-carolina.html.
