WGU-AAE Scholarship Program
WGU, with the support of the Association of American Educators (AAE), is pleased
to announce that WGU will award two quarterly scholarships designed to help currently
working K-12 teachers attend college—on their schedule.
WGU-AAE Educational Leadership Scholarship
A WGU-AAE Educational Leadership Scholarship is valued up to $5,000. The scholarship
will be credited to your account at the rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable for up to five terms.
Who Should Apply
- Teachers with a bachelor’s degree and valid certification.
- Individuals interested in one of the following master’s degree:
See General Eligibility Requirements below.
WGU-AAE Classroom Excellence Scholarship
A WGU-AAE Educational Leadership Scholarship is valued up to $5,000. The scholarship
will be credited to your account at the rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable
for up to five terms.
Tuition for a six-month term is $2,890, less the $1,000 per term scholarship.
Who Should Apply
- Teachers with a bachelor’s degree and valid certification.
- Individuals interested in one of the following master’s degree:
See General Eligibility Requirements below.
Application Deadline: July 15th, 2009
General Eligibility Requirements
- Teachers with a bachelor’s degree and valid certification
- Must be an actively working teacher
- Submit official transcripts of all prior college work
- Interview with a WGU Scholarship Counselor prior to the award decision
- Submit a 500-1000 word written essay on the following topic:
“If you could change one thing about your local education system, what would it be? How would you change it? Why would you change it?”
More about the Scholarship
One of each scholarship will be awarded quarterly. These are competitive programs
and the scholarships will be awarded based upon academic record, readiness for online
study, current competency, plus other considerations.
Although WGU’s competency-based approach makes it possible for students to accelerate
the time it takes for them to complete their degree program, the scholarship awards
are based on a reasonable experience (based on the eligible programs listed above)
of five six-month terms for completion. Actual time to completion will depend upon
the incoming student’s prior experience, academic background, and time commitment
to study.
Note: The scholarship will terminate at five terms if the student has not completed the degree program by then; If the student finishes in less than five terms, the scholarship will terminate and remaining funds will go toward scholarships for other students.
Scholarship Policies
Before monies are distributed, the scholarship recipients must read the WGU Student
Handbook and agree to and understand the academic progress, tuition, and refund
policies. The student will also be required to sign a WGU Scholarship Agreement
before monies will be awarded. The student must also meet the university’s Satisfactory Academic
Progress requirements to maintain scholarship eligibility.
Financial Aid is also Available
You may choose to pay for the remaining portion of your degree through federal financial aid (subject to your eligibility). Pell Grants are needs-based grants—meaning you do not have to pay them back—that are available only to students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree.
Federal Family Education Subsidized Loans, which are also needs-based, include subsidization of the interest while you are enrolled. Federal Family Education Unsubsidized Loans are NOT based upon financial need and are available to most WGU students.
Click here to learn more about financial aid.
If you would like to discuss the scholarship program or WGU’s degrees before submitting
an application for this scholarship, feel free to speak
to an Enrollment Counselor toll-free at 1-866-225-5948.
Answers to your questions
Click a question, see the answer below.
- When will I find out if I’m selected?
- Do I get the scholarship all at once?
- Can I also apply for financial aid?
When will I find out if I’m selected?
WGU evaluates scholarship applications on a continual basis because we start new
students in their programs every month. Often we are able to make an award decision
within two to four weeks of receiving your application. In most cases, you will also
need to have applied for admission and been accepted to the university. An
Enrollment Counselor can help explain the process.
Do I get the scholarship all at once?
No. Scholarship awards are divided into a set amount per term. This amount is credited
against your tuition due for each term. The details are explained in the description
for each scholarship.
Can I also apply for financial aid?
Yes. You probably should apply for federal financial aid, too. Scholarship awards
will only cover a portion of your school expenses, and financial aid can help pay
for the rest. You can apply for financial aid while you are waiting for a decision
about your scholarship application. It will not hurt your chances to win a scholarship.
Click here to learn more about or apply
for financial aid.
