Press Release

Multiple Grants totaling $2500 each to be awarded across the South Region

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (NOV. 16, 2020) COVID-19 has impacted millions of Americans and put new financial burdens on their backs. A loss of income, health concerns, and shifts in family situations have left many concerned about their future. 

WGU wants to help and created the WGU Resiliency Grant, designed to help students facing financial hardship. This grant, worth up to $2,500, will help new students pay for their tuition, fees, and instructional materials. 

“We know that earning a degree can help people pursue high-demand careers that provide financial security for themselves and their families,” said Linda Battles, acting Regional Vice President, South Region. “This grant is part of WGU’s ongoing efforts to ensure more people have pathways to opportunity.”     

Multiple grants are available, and applications must be submitted by December 31.

• Students can receive $1,500 in their first semester and $500 in their second and third semesters for a total of $2,500.
• This grant will be awarded to students based on their financial need.
• Students can use this grant along with other tuition assistance options, but it can't be combined with other WGU scholarships.
• This grant is for new students entering WGU. They must apply for admission before applying for this grant.

WGU has awarded more than 100 grants across the south region to new students, including Jessica Belcher from Georgetown, Texas. Belcher, who enrolled in WGU’s M.S. Nursing Education received the grant in a virtual surprise celebration at the hospital where she works. “I was not expecting this at all,” she said. “I had been thinking about going back to school for 10 years but didn’t know which direction of nursing I wanted to pursue, so thank you Hugh Brown, CEO, St. David’s Georgetown Hospital, and WGU Texas for making me feel so special.”   

More information on WGU’s Resiliency Grant is available atwgu.edu/resiliency or by calling (866) 225.5948.

About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 122,000 students nationwide and has more than 200,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 23 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.