KENT – Back-to-school season is in full swing across Washington. However, while young people statewide are returning to the classroom, thousands of working adults lack the education they need to be completely successful in their careers.

WGU Washington is doing its part to narrow the statewide skills gap and help more people achieve the goal of a college degree. The legislatively-endorsed, online university is offering the Back-to-School Scholarship to help professional women and men get quality, career-focused educations. WGU Washington will award up to 50 scholarships – worth up to $2,000 each – to eligible students in any of the university’s bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

The scholarship will be applied at the rate of $500 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms. Applications are currently being accepted via the scholarship page of the WGU Washington website. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2019.

WGU Washington uses an innovative approach to degree attainment called competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. Students earn their degrees by demonstrating mastery of the subject matter they need to know to be successful — real-world competencies developed with employer input. Designed to meet the needs of adult learners, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their programs, saving both time and money.