Thanks to bills passed in Missouri’s House and Senate, eligible WGU Missouri students who already enjoy the university’s low-cost tuition are now able to apply for grant money at the state level – making college even more affordable for hundreds statewide. Effective immediately, low-income students attending the online, nonprofit university can apply for funds through Access Missouri, the state’s need-based grant program. WGU Missouri students have always been able to apply for financial aid through the federal student loan program, however, this is the first time students are also eligible to receive funds through Access Missouri since the university was established in 2013 by former Gov. Jay Nixon.
The original bills, Senate Bill 682 and House Bill 1267, introduced by Sen. Brian Munzlinger and Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, respectively in 2017, were amended in March 2018 to SB 807, sponsored by Senator Jay Wasson, and SB 603, co-sponsored by Sen. Robert & Rep. Bryan Spencer. The bills were officially signed into law this summer by Gov. Mike Parson, naming WGU Missouri as an approved virtual institution. Previously, students at all brick-and-mortar colleges in Missouri could apply for Access Missouri funds, but there was debate about whether online institutions like WGU Missouri, which has 750 students eligible for the funds this year, fit the criteria.
“We’ve been working with legislators over the past several years to have WGU Missouri added to the list of institutions whose students are eligible to receive funds through the Access Missouri program, and we are thrilled that our low-income students now have a chance to access these much-deserved funds,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Chancellor of WGU Missouri. “WGU Missouri was created to help meet the needs of working adults by providing them with an affordable, flexible, high-quality, higher education option, and the Access Missouri program will help thousands of students around the state to fulfill their educational goals for years to come.”
Financial eligibility for Access Missouri is determined by the Missouri Department of Higher Education using a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Award amounts for eligible students range from $1,500 to $2,050 each school year, depending on expected family contribution, which must be $12,000 or less to qualify. For a complete list of requirements, visit https://dhe.mo.gov/ppc/grants/accessmo.php.
WGU Missouri offers more than 50 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education and health professions, including nursing. Unlike a traditional college program, WGU caters to adults with previous work experience or who are currently working and looking to further their careers through education. WGU Missouri’s competency-based education model allows adult 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. For more information, visit Missouri.wgu.edu.
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 fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members provide one-on-one guidance, support, and instruction.
Established through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).
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Fore more information, contact:
Pamela Powell
(314) 436-9090