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TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID

Using Your Employer's Tuition Benefit at WGU

Utilize Your Employer's Tuition Reimbursement Program at WGU

WGU's highly respected, career-relevant, surprisingly affordable degree programs are popular among students using an employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement program—and they're a favorite among employers, too.

Tuition assistance or reimbursement may be used toward any WGU degree program (or a Teachers College post-baccalaureate or endorsement-preparation program). WGU is not the right school for students looking to take individual courses only.

Put your benefits to use.

Ready to learn more about using your tuition reimbursement at WGU?

The Choice of Working Students and their Employers

As a nonprofit, accredited university with affordable tuition, WGU gives students—and employers—a greater return on their education investment. See why:

  1. It's a remarkably small investment to begin with. WGU's undergraduate tuition costing less than $8,010 per year for most programs, many companies' tuition reimbursement benefits cover most or all the costs. And the return for employees is wonderful! WGU grads, on average, report making $30,300 more per year four years after graduation than they made when they enrolled.
  2. WGU programs are industry relevant, with every course organized around a set of skills and knowledge that employers are looking for in their workforce. In fact, we develop our competencies with employer input, so our students can be sure they are learning exactly what the industry demands.
  3. WGU utilizes competency-based education which means that you complete courses and earn your degree by proving what you know, not by logging time in class or waiting for the semester to end. If you know a subject well because of work experience, or if you are a fast learner and a hard worker, you can finish courses—and graduate—well ahead of schedule.

In other words, the skills you're learning at WGU can be applied at work the next day, and the things you're doing on the job will inform your studies. It's the perfect design for working adult students—and working adults are the perfect fit at WGU.

Questions to Ask Your Manager or HR Representative

Start by looking at your employee handbook, Intranet, or benefits website. You may be able to find information about tuition assistance or corporate tuition reimbursement there.

Reach out to your manager to see if they have information about corporate reimbursement.

Connect with an HR representative to find out what they know about corporate reimbursement options at your company.

Download a sample letter to your manager requesting information about tuition assistance.

Questions to Ask Your Manager or HR Representative

Start by asking if your organization offers this option for employees before diving in to any other questions. While many organizations do offer tuition assistance, some do not have these programs in place. If a formal program isn’t in place in your organization, don’t give up hope! You still may be able to negotiate tuition assistance with your manager if your degree will directly support your growth at the company.

If your company does cover tuition assistance, understanding the dollar amount is perfect. Most organizations can contribute $5,250 tax-free toward employee education costs each year, though some may offer more or less.

It’s important to know if your company will cover certain levels of education. Some will only allow you to earn a degree, while others will cover a certificate program as well.

Some employers have relationships or partnerships with certain schools and may only allow you to attend there, while others will have the ability to give you reimbursement for any school.

Get as many details as you can about what you have to do to be approved for tuition assistance, how funds are distributed to you, and what to expect through the process.

Many organizations will require you to pursue additional education in your current line of work. It’s important to understand if a desired degree program fits the company’s requirements.

Find out if you have worked at your current job long enough to be eligible for this benefit, some employers will require individuals to be employed for a year or more before they can take advantage.

It’s critical to understand if there are any caveats or reasons why you would have to pay back your tuition assistance in the future. Some companies will state that you must continue to work at the organization for a year or more post-graduation to make sure you don’t earn a degree and immediately change jobs.

WGU grads add major value in the workplace—and their bosses notice.

Prepared for Success on the Job

*From a 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.

100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*

97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*

98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*

Common Questions About Financial Aid

It depends upon the scholarship. In general, we award scholarships based on the following factors:

  • Meeting the basic eligibility requirements
  • Answers you give on the scholarship application
  • An interview with a scholarship counselor

Some scholarships are also based upon evaluations of prior college transcripts and other tests. We encourage you to apply.

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.

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.

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.

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