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About WGU Washington

WGU Washington was established in 2011 as a partnership between Western Governors University and the state of Washington with a unique mission to help Washington residents obtain a quality education. When WGU was established in 1997, the founding governors realized that technology, the internet, and a new model of competency-based education could transform higher education by creating new opportunities for working adults.
Western Governors University is available to learners across the country, and coursework is offered online so students do not have to go to a campus location. Students in Washington can recieve unique scholarship, financial aid, and other opportunities at WGU as a result of the partnership between WGU and the state of Washington.

Employers Value WGU Washington

 

WGU Washington offers a flexible, affordable, valuable education that measures graduates on the competencies that matter to employers. That's why employers regularly report that our alumni meet or exceed expectations.

THE WGU IMPACT

Online Education
Built for Life

We're an online university dedicated to making higher education accessible for as many people as possible. Everything we do at Western Governors University is aimed at increasing accessibility and opportunity for each student, regardless of their background, motivations, or life situation. That focus helps produce success for our over 250,000 graduates. Our curriculum focused on today's workforce needs is why WGU grads have a 98% employer satisfaction rate, and why our students see an average salary increase of over $18,000 just two years after graduating.* 

*2021 Harris Poll

Affordable Education

Personalized Learning

Expanded Access

Workforce Skills

Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?

What Our Alumni Are Saying

People love their WGU experience. See why it means so much to them and what makes us different.

"My MSN in Leadership and Management from WGU was the first step on an amazing adventure. I started the program knowing I wanted to do more in the nursing field but not certain which direction to go. Since graduating from WGU I have pursued further education, become a pediatric primary care nurse practitioner, am leading the creation of a pediatric urgent care service at the clinic where I work. WGU and the adventures that have followed have created an amazing career that I absolutely adore!"

— Genevive Baxter
M.S. Nursing Leadership and Management, WGU Washington

"After 25 years in the industry and mostly self-taught I found myself out on the job market again and struggling to find a job. Anyone that wanted that much experience was expecting a BS degree and certifications, but I had none of those. With my new BSIT as well as the many certificates I got as part of the program I'm confident that employers will take me more seriously when I apply for management positions.."

— Eric Jones
B.S. Information Technology, WGU Washington

"WGU allowed me to be able to be around when my husband and daughter were available, work at my job, and work on my classes on my own schedule. I live in a small rural community where we must drive an hour in any direction to get to a store other than Walmart or any college community or university. Without the flexibility of WGU, I would not have been able to accomplish what I did." 

— Lorinda Besherse
M.A. English Language Learning, WGU Washington

"I wanted to better myself, and my family. I never finished my Bachelors degree when I was young, and really wanted to reach that goal. I just hope people know how capable they are in receiving a degree from WGU. I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to pursue mine."

— Deanna Dansie
B.A. Elementary Education, WGU Washington

"To progress further in my career, I needed to complete an undergraduate degree. While deploying overseas, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Business Management and was promoted to Operations Manager. The Operations Manager oversees the entire program that serves the United States Army in conducting flight operations in multiple theaters."

— Ralph Richmond
B.S. Business Management and M.S. Management and Leadership
WGU Washington

Tonya Drake, Regional Vice President, Northwest Region

A leader in higher learning, Dr. Tonya Drake has dedicated her career to expanding access and success to high-quality and relevant higher education. She serves as Chancellor and Regional Vice President for the Northwest at Western Governors University (WGU).  

Her work is guided by the belief that higher learning transforms lives and she is passionate about creating pathways to opportunity. Drake earned the Certificate of Leader Development for National Security and Strategy from the National Security Seminar at the U.S. Army War College. She served as keynote speaker at the Global Leadership Summit in South Africa on the topic of “Deconstructing Race” and she was named among Seattle Business magazine’s “Daring Women.”

She has extensive experience in leadership positions at Edmonds Community College, Shoreline Community College, Maricopa Community College District, Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona State University, and the University of Washington. Drake serves on the board of directors for the Association of Washington Business. She has served on the executive committee for the United Way of Snohomish County and is an active member of  women’s executive leadership group, Chief.

Drake holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree from Arizona State University, a bachelor’s degree in Business from University of Washington, and an associate degree from Lower Columbia College.

Ismar Vallecillos, M.Ed., Northwest Regional Director, Western Governors University

In the rapidly changing higher education landscape, no one is more confident that higher ed can and should help all students go further than Ismar Vallecillos, Northwest Regional director for the largest online higher education institution in the United States, Western Governors University (WGU). With more than 110,000 enrolled students nationwide, WGU offers a unique, accredited, competency-based education model, which measures skills rather than time in the classroom. This allows students to achieve an undergraduate degree for less than $20,000 in a shorter period of time.

Vallecillos brings an inspiring and motivating perspective to education in Colorado and the Northwest, with particular emphasis on his belief that education is the great equalizer. His experience as an educator from elementary through college level, combined with his personal background as the son of immigrants and an adult education student, equip him with wide-ranging expertise that encompasses access, affordability, innovative learning environments and equity in education, particularly the Latinx experience.

Vallecillos has a passion for supporting low-income, rural, first-generation, technical-degree-holding and some-collegebut-no-degree students. As an immigrant from El Salvador, Vallecillos grew up working for his father’s landscaping business before earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees while raising a family of his own. He believes in the power of education to improve lives and strengthen communities.

WGU Washington Board Members

Dr. Andre Alfred, Partner Group Program Vice President, Azure Security at Microsoft

Marty Brown, Retired Executive Director, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC)

Al Davis, Principal, Revitalization Partners

Dr. Michael Dunn, Superintendent of NorthEast Washington Educational Service District 101

Dr. Justin Guillory, President, Northwest Indian College

Dr. Jean Hernandez, President Emeritus, Edmonds Community College

Heather Lewis, Managing Partner, Red Maple Strategies

Steven Maheshwary, Strategic Partnerships Lead - Underserved Populations, Amazon

Steve Mullin, President, Washington Roundtable

Bill Poppy, Retired Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Virginia Mason Medical Center

Mike Schindler, CEO Operation Military Family Cares and Co-Founder at Integrated Telehealth Solutions WA

Partner With WGU

If you are a company or community college that is looking to do something more for your employees or students, a partnership with WGU could be the perfect fit. Learn more about creating a partnership with WGU for tuition reimbursement, a scholarship, or other opportunity.

Featured Partners

WGU partners with hundreds of companies to help increase learning opportunities for every individual. Some of our partners include:

Connect with WGU Washington

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jake Riddell

Frequently Asked Questions at WGU

The $65 application fee is waived for Per Scholas alumni and employees. Use the waiver code "PERSCHOLAS".

 All Per Scholas alumni and employees will receive a 5% discount on tuition by communicating with your Enrollment Counselor that you are a Per Scholas alumni.


Per Scholas and WGU are actively working to secure scholarships for Per Scholas alumni. See general WGU scholarships here. Per Scholas employees should inquire about tuition benefits packages within their company’s Human Resources department.

If you carry debt from any previous college or defaulted student loans, this does not necessarily preclude you from enrolling at WGU. Speak to an Enrollment Counselor at WGU about financial considerations as you move forward with your application.

There is a one-time program fee and resource fee that students pay upon enrollment at WGU. There are no additional book or lab fees associated with the courses. Students will need to have stable internet access in order to do the coursework. Please refer to the applicable WGU program page for more information.

Per Scholas has partnered with Western Governors University (WGU) to offer graduates an opportunity to continue their education and apply Per Scholas coursework and certifications to one of seven bachelor of science degree programs in WGU's College of Information Technology. WGU is committed to helping Per Scholas alumni reach their goals with this partnership, providing a pathway for those that want to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

  • To support graduates as they navigate their careers. Their goals may involve degree completion or degree attainment and this aligns to our mission to ensure equity of advancement along an IT career pathway.
  • To deepen engagement with employers who are looking to upskill talent and support their employees’ advancement in their careers.
  • To provide opportunities for Per Scholas’ employee advancement—Per Scholas staff are also eligible for the program benefits.

  • WGU is the nation's leading competency-based nonprofit online university. It is fully accredited and reputable as an online university. Its programs are designed to maximize flexibility and accommodate student needs. Being nongeographic affords all Per Scholas alumni an opportunity to enroll.
  • Like Per Scholas, WGU is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion as part of its mission.
  • WGU follows a competency-based model in which students progress by demonstrating mastery rather than seat time, a further benefit for working professionals.
  • Tuition is comparatively less than similar universities. WGU charges tuition at a flat rate per six-month term rather than per course or per credit, allowing students to complete as much learning as possible during any term.

Per Scholas alumni are able to transfer up to 54 credits towards their degree. Updated information on transferable course credits is available on the WGU's partner website, linked below. At a high level:

  • Network Support transfers 15 credits
  • CompTIA A+ 8 credits

Per Scholas alumni will have their application fee waived and receive a 5% discount on tuition.

For the most up-to-date transfer information, please visit Partners.

The partnership began in September 2020, with the first alumni enrolling shortly thereafter. WGU has rolling admissions at the start of every month.

All Per Scholas alumni and interested staff are eligible for admission. Per Scholas courses and/or certifications will transfer as credits to WGU. There is no additional documentation required for admission. There is no need to produce a high school transcript.

Learn more about credit transfer to WGU.

Most Per Scholas alumni will be interested in earning a degree from WGU's College of IT. The program eligibility requirements have already been met by Per Scholas alumni through the industry-recognized certifications earned through Per Scholas coursework. The only exception to this is the B.S. in Computer Science. However, depending on your individual situation, you may have to meet other admission requirements applicable to your program.

There is a math eligibility requirement for admission to the B.S. in Computer Science. Students must demonstrate math readiness through successful and verifiable completion of a precalculus, calculus, or higher-than-calculus math course from an accredited post-secondary academic institution or WGU-approved third-party provider. There are several ways for Per Scholas alumni to meet this eligibility requirement:

  • Students may enroll in WGU Academy to complete precalculus and satisfy your admission requirement by offering specialized calculus tutors to give you the best chance at being successful. The WGU Academy approach also includes PACA (Program for Academic and Career Advancement). PACA will also help you build your self-confidence, increase your resiliency, and put you on track for success at WGU. Plus, you’ll gain college credit and be guaranteed admission to WGU when you successfully complete WGU Academy! 
  • Students also have the option of enrolling in StraighterLine to complete a precalculus course. This is a self-paced course that students must pay for and complete. There is no tuition discount.
  • Students may produce proof of completion of precalculus by submitting a transcript from another institution, such as a high school AP course or a completed course (grade C or above) from another college for WGU’s evaluation.

Note again: the math readiness requirement applies ONLY to the B.S. in Computer Science.


Prospective students need to submit proof of industry certification from CompTIA, Cisco, Google, etc. Per Scholas alumni can request a transcript by contacting the site from which they obtained certification.

Per Scholas alumni may transfer up to 54 credits from Per Scholas to any of WGU’s College of IT programs upon meeting the admission requirements for that program. Credit transfer requirements for other colleges may vary. Per Scholas alumni will need to work with those colleges for program admission and credit transfer.

If admitted, these are additional steps in the WGU admission process: 

  • Prospective students meet with an Enrollment Counselor to discuss the student's plans and determine whether WGU is the best program for the student's academic and career goals. This is a 20- to 30-minute meeting.
  • Prior to being enrolled, students need to make a tuition payment installment or have a payment plan in place. 
  • Students must complete an orientation session. This provides basic WGU information and ori

Per Scholas enrollees who did not graduate but did earn industry-recognized credentials can transfer these towards a degree from the College of IT.

Per Scholas enrollees who did not graduate but did earn industry-recognized credentials can transfer these towards a degree from the College of IT.

WGU has a generous transfer policy. Our transcripts department can accept official copies of transcripts from your previous educational institutions for a course-by-course evaluation that compares the context of your courses to those in our programs, to tell you what is comparable and transferable.

Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.

It depends on the program you are interested in pursuing. Some programs will have additional requirements however, the general admissions process is as follows: 

  1. Complete the enrollment application
  2. Contact Enrollment at 866-225-5948 to go over the program and admissions process specific to your desired degree program
  3. Submit official transcripts
  4. If desired, complete FAFSA form for financial aid

The enrollment process can take approximately 4-6 weeks. Start dates are the first of each month once enrollment has been completed.

Every school sets its own guidelines however, accreditation plays a big part in recognition and acceptance. WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation. WGU graduates go on to continue their education at many colleges and universities. When WGU alumni self-report acceptance into graduate or doctorate programs, we add the university to a list so you can see where WGU graduates are continuing to pursue higher education.

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