WGU Missouri Announces Scholarship for Students in Need of a 'Lifesaver'

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the thousands of Missourians with some college credit but no degree, finally finishing that bachelor's or master's degree can be transformative. But many students enroll in college only to find themselves in need of rescue—from rising tuition rates, excessive loan debt, unemployment, or college closures. WGU Missouri, a state-endorsed online university known for its quality and affordability, is offering those students a lifeline: the WGU Missouri Lifesaver Transfer Scholarship.    

Valued at up to $3,000 per student, this scholarship has been created for individuals who face challenges, such as unemployment, financial hardships, or the closure of their current college—challenges that transferring to WGU Missouri can help them overcome. The scholarship will be applied at the rate of $750 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms, toward WGU Missouri's tuition of about $3,000 per term. Applications are currently being accepted at missouri.wgu.edu/lifesaver. 

"Many WGU Missouri students and alumni have told us that finding WGU has been a 'lifesaver,'" said Nick Rothacher, WGU's Scholarship Program Manager. "This scholarship is aimed at helping students get the extra push they need to overcome obstacles and finish a degree."

To be eligible for the Lifesaver Transfer Scholarship, applicants must be able to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Unemployment
• Financial hardship
• Closure of current college or university

Interested students must submit an application for admission and be accepted to WGU Missouri, submit their previous transcripts, and complete an interview with a scholarship counselor.

WGU Missouri offers more than 50 bachelor's and master's degree programs in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education, and health professions, including nursing. The online university uses an innovative approach to learning called competency-based education, where students earn their degrees by demonstrating mastery of subject matter. Designed to meet the needs of adult learners, competency-based education allows 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. WGU Missouri faculty members work one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. While WGU's degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their progress to their degrees, saving both time and money. For more information about WGU Missouri, visit missouri.wgu.edu.

While multiple scholarships will be awarded, the Lifesaver Transfer Scholarship is a competitive program. Scholarships will be awarded based on the student's academic record, readiness for online study, and current competency, as well as other considerations. The application deadline is November 30, 2014. For more information about the Lifesaver Transfer Scholarship, visit missouri.wgu.edu/lifesaver.  

About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri employs full-time faculty who serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.

Established by the state through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University (WGU), WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. Through WGU, all WGU Missouri programs are accredited, and the university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 per year for most programs.

More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.

Follow WGU Missouri:
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Contact for media inquiries:
Kelly MacNeil
314-677-2303  
[email protected]

Contact for enrollment information:
855-948-8493
missouri.wgu.edu

SOURCE WGU Missouri