WGU Missouri to Award $4,000 Scholarships in Honor of its 4th Anniversary

Since its inception in 2013, WGU Missouri has impacted the lives of countless Missourians with its unique education model. As it celebrates its 4th anniversary this month, the fully online, nonprofit university is awarding the WGU Missouri 4th Anniversary Celebration Scholarship, its largest to date. In addition, the university is recognizing its many accomplishments, which are highlighted by the more than 3,700 students it has served, including 1,219 graduates and 2,400 currently enrolled students. The university has also awarded over 400 scholarships, totaling nearly $750,000, over the past four years.

In honor of these accomplishments and to further advance its mission of providing Missourians with access to high-quality, affordable education, the university will award several scholarships, worth up to $4,000 each, to new students who want to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees. WGU Missouri offers more than 50 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education, and health professions, including nursing. To be considered, prospective students must be Missouri residents, be admitted to WGU Missouri, and submit a scholarship application by June 16th, 2017.

“The dramatic increase in the number of Missourians attending and graduating from WGU Missouri is evidence that we are fulfilling a need for working adults,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, chancellor. “WGU Missouri's mission is to improve the lives of our students and their families. As we assist individuals in achieving their educational goals, we are helping to create stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger state.”

WGU Missouri was established in February 2013 by Gov. Jay Nixon, in partnership with Western Governors University (WGU), as the state's only fully online, competency-based university. During that same year, WGU was recognized by the White House as a higher education innovator that offers "breakthroughs on cost, quality, or both." WGU Missouri’s education model allows adult students to take advantage of prior learning and experience to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn.

The WGU Missouri 4th Anniversary Celebration Scholarship is a competitive program. Scholarships will be awarded based on the student’s academic record, previous college experience, readiness for online study, current competency, as well as other considerations. The application deadline is June 16th, 2017. The scholarship will be applied at the rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms, toward WGU’s already-low tuition of about $3,000 per term for most programs. For more information about this scholarship visit missouri.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/scholarships/4th_anniversary.