Western Governors University Honors Veterans and Military Personnel with New Scholarship

Military-friendly online university offers scholarships of up to $2,000 for veterans, active-duty military personnel, and military spouses

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In honor of Veterans Day and the men and women who have served and continue to make sacrifices to protect our country, Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, has launched the Military Service Scholarship. The scholarship provides up to $2,000 for military personnel, retired military, veterans, and military spouses looking to earn a bachelor's or master's degree through any of WGU's more than 50 online degree programs.

Ideal for those stationed at military bases around the world, WGU offers students the opportunity to earn an accredited degree by completing coursework on their own time and schedule from anywhere with an Internet connection. The online university offers degrees in four high-demand fields: information technology, K–12 teacher education, business, and health professions, including nursing.

Selected as one of the Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities for six consecutive years by Military Advanced Education Magazine, WGU offers quality, flexibility, and affordability. WGU uses competency-based education, which measures student learning rather than time spent in class. Instead of completing courses that have set schedules of about four months, students move through courses at their own pace, advancing as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the subject matter. Faculty mentors provide continual coaching, guidance, support, and individualized instruction as needed. Competency-based learning allows students to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. As a result, many students are able to accelerate and earn their degrees faster, saving both time and money.

WGU's tuition is affordable, about $3,000 per six-month term for most programs, with no increase since 2008. It is charged at a flat rate, regardless of the number of courses completed. New terms begin on the first day of every month. WGU will waive the $65 application fee for veterans, military service members, and military spouses.

Recipients of the Military Service Scholarship will receive $500 toward each of up to four terms' tuition. This scholarship is available to new students who have been officially accepted to any of WGU's bachelor's or master's degree programs. To be eligible, applicants must have at least three years of military or military community service in the past 10 years. Similarly, spouses of active-duty military personnel with a minimum of three years of service are eligible to apply. A minimum of 40 passing college transfer credits, submission of all prior college work, and an interview with a WGU Scholarship Counselor are also required. The deadline to apply is November 30, 2013.

For more information about the Military Service Scholarship, as well as other scholarship opportunities for military personnel, veterans, and military spouses, visit www.wgu.edu/militaryscholar.  

About Western Governors University
Recognized by President Obama as an innovative university that "awards credits based on learning, not seat time," Western Governors University is the only university in the U.S. offering accredited, competency-based bachelor's and master's degree programs at scale. Named one of  Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for 2013, WGU has been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered," The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, CNN's "Schools of Thought," and in The New York Times.

WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. WGU's Teachers College is the first exclusively online provider of teacher education to receive accreditation for its teacher licensure programs from NCATE, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The WGU bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and its B.S. in Health Informatics is accredited by CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education).

On June 11, 2010, WGU Indiana was created by Governor Mitch Daniels as Indiana's eighth state university. WGU Washington was established by the Washington State Legislature on April 22, 2011.  On August 3, 2011, the state of Texas created WGU Texas. On February 15, 2013, Governor Jay Nixon announced the establishment of WGU Missouri, and on July 9, 2013, Governor Bill Haslam announced the establishment of WGU Tennessee. These state-endorsed universities offer degree programs that are accredited through Western Governors University.

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).

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Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – VP of Public Relations
801-428-5463
[email protected]           

Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948
www.wgu.edu

SOURCE Western Governors University