Summer 2024 > Financial Policies and Information > Financial Aid Programs > Institutional Scholarships and Grants > Undergraduate On-Ground Scholarships and Grants

Undergraduate On-Ground Scholarships and Grants

Centennial Merit Scholarship:

Applicants must be students enrolled in WCU’s on ground BSN, LVN/LPN, or BSDH programs (“Eligible Programs”) and who have met all the WCU program admissions requirements for full enrollment in one of the Eligible Programs. Students who have been conditionally enrolled are not eligible to apply.

Applicants must have a documented unfunded gap balance for the tuition and fees owed to West Coast University for the academic year in which they are applying. The gap in funding must be confirmed by the WCU Financial Aid Department.

Applicants must have achieved a minimum score on their first attempted entrance exam. The minimum initial entrance exam scores by exam type for scholarship application eligibility are as follows:

• ACT – 23
• SAT – 1080
• HESI – 83
• TEASV – 65.09

Scholarship Awards:

Award amounts will not exceed the direct education costs remaining after federal grants, federal loans, private loans, external agency benefits, and student payments have been calculated.

Awards may vary in amount from one student to another and/or from one year to another. The amount of the award is determined in the sole discretion of WCU based on evaluation and consideration of the applicant’s first attempted entrance test scores, the projected perseverance of the student, the gap in the applicant’s funding.

Awards may be made to students who have met all of the criteria, referred to as Qualified Recipients. Awards are granted to the Qualified Recipients in order of the date and timestamp of their application in the system and based on the availability of scholarship funding. Once the total available amount of scholarship funds has been awarded for a cohort’s start date, no additional awards will be made for that start date.

Awards will be proportionately reduced for less than full time enrollment.  Students will be notified of any award that has been granted in their Financial Aid Award Letter.

Awards are applied to a student’s account at the beginning of each payment period covered by the award.

Renewal:

Renewal of scholarships for subsequent years will require the student to re-apply and WCU will conduct a re-evaluation of the student’s ongoing eligibility. To qualify for ongoing eligibility for a subsequent award, the student must:

• Apply on time
• Have a documented unfunded gap balance for the tuition and fees owed to West Coast University for the academic year in which they are applying. The gap in funding must be confirmed by the WCU Financial Aid Department.
• Have maintained at least a 3.0 CGPA at West Coast University since the prior award was made.

Terms and Conditions:

The scholarship award is not transferable to another program. Scholarship funding is limited. Application for a scholarship does not guarantee the award of a scholarship, even if all application criteria have been met.

Scholarship awards are made in the sole discretion of WCU using the criteria outlined above as the threshold criteria for eligibility. Scholarship awards are not subject to appeal.

There is no cash value to this scholarship award. The award may not result in a credit balance to the student.

If a student withdraws, the scholarship will be pro-rated based on the tuition and fee charges earned for the semester. Students who withdraw will forfeit future awards and ongoing eligibility for the scholarship.

The terms and conditions and eligibility criteria for the Centennial Merit Scholarship are subject to change, and the program may be discontinued at any time.

The Centennial Merit Scholarship may not be combined with any other WCU scholarships or grants. 

WCU Texas Opportunity Grant:  The Opportunity Grant (“OP Grant”) is a limited time grant. Students who canceled their enrollment in an on-ground undergraduate nursing program at the WCU Texas campus from the January 2024 start, and who have re-enrolled to begin in the same nursing program as part of the April 2024 start, may be eligible to apply for this Opportunity Grant. 

The OP Grant provides a maximum of $20,000 as an original grant award to an Eligible Applicant, disbursed in partial payments towards the students gap funding needs over the total enrollment period in the program. Fifteen (15) OP Grants are available. Eligible Applicants meet the following application criteria:

• Were enrolled in a nursing program with a start date of January 2024, but who did not start, at WCU Texas due to cancellation of enrollment, and;
• Are already re-enrolled (applied and have been accepted or are pending acceptance based on final transcript evaluation) in a nursing program at WCU Texas for a start date in April 2024, and;
• Achieved minimum scores on their original entrance exams from their January 2024 enrollment as follows: 83 for HESI or 69 for TEASV, and;
• Submit a completed application on or before the original grant deadline of February 23, 2024.

Grant Awards

The basis for the selection of OP Grant award recipients is based on the Eligible Applicants’ Perseverance Scores. The Perseverance Score is generated using data analytics to combine various predetermined factors that are consistently applied to each student. The OP Grant will be offered to Eligible Applicants who demonstrate the highest Perseverance Scores within the pool of Eligible Applicants that submit completed applications timely. Students will be notified of any award that has been granted in their Financial Aid Offer Notification. Awards are applied to a student’s account at the beginning of each payment period covered by the award.

Students must meet the ongoing eligibility requirements for the OP Grant to continue receiving the award funds over the term of their enrollment.

Ongoing Eligibility Requirements

Renewal of the OP Grant is available for up to two additional academic years. Students who receive an original award are required to re-apply to continue obtaining the OP Grant funding remaining from their original award. WCU will conduct a re-evaluation of the student’s ongoing eligibility based on meeting the following requirements:

• Submit a completed OP Grant renewal application by the first day of the new academic year.;
• Have a documented unfunded gap balance for the tuition and fees owed to West Coast University for the academic year in which the student is re-applying, confirmed by Financial Aid;
• Have maintained at least a 3.0 CGPA at West Coast University since the prior award was made; and;
• Remain continuously enrolled at WCU Texas.

OP Grant Terms and Conditions:

• To be eligible for and receive an award, an Eligible Applicant must have exhausted all funding options, including agency sponsored, federal or state aid, or private loans, that the Eligible Applicant qualifies for, which could be used to cover the cost of the program.
• The total amount of OP Grant funding is limited for the OP Grant Program, with a per student limit of $20,000 awarded over the total enrollment in the program.
• The amount of the OP Grant may vary from one Eligible Applicant to another.
• Applying for an OP Grant does not guarantee an award, even if all the application criteria have been met.
• Students who receive an OP Grant are still required to make in school payments of no less than $350.00 per month.
• Once the total available amount of grant funds has been awarded, no additional awards will be made for the April 2024 start date even if the student is eligible.
• The OP Grant is a limited grant that cannot be applied for after the original grant deadline and must be applied to gap funding beginning with the April 2024 start.
• The OP Grant award is not transferable to another program of study.
• Grant awards are made at the sole discretion of WCU, using the stated award criteria.
• Grant awards are not subject to appeal.
• There is no cash value to this grant award. The award may not result in a credit balance to the student.
• If a student is withdrawn for any reason, the OP Grant will be pro-rated based on the tuition and fee charges earned for the semester the withdrawal takes effect.
• Students withdrawn from the program, for any reason, will forfeit future awards and ongoing eligibility for the OP Grant.
• Students who accept an OP Grant are not eligible to enroll in Tuition Options payment plans. If a student is awarded the OP Grant, they must choose between accepting it or using Tuition Options.

WCU BSN Florida Success Grant

The Success Grant is a limited time grant. Students who canceled their enrollment in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the WCU Florida campus from the January 2024 start, and who have re-enrolled to begin in the same BSN program as part of the April 2024 start, may be eligible to apply for this Success Grant. The Success Grant provides a maximum of $15,000 as an original grant award to an Eligible Applicant, disbursed in partial payments towards the student’s gap funding needs over the total enrollment period in the program.  

Eligible Applicants meet the following application criteria:

• Were enrolled in a nursing program with a start date of January 2024, but who did not start, at WCU Florida due to cancellation of enrollment, and;
• Are already re-enrolled (applied and have been accepted or are pending acceptance based on final transcript evaluation) in the BSN program at WCU Florida for a start date in April 2024, and;
• Achieved one of the following minimum scores on their original entrance exams from their January 2024 enrollment as follows: 83 for HESI or 69 for TEASV, and; 
• Submit a completed application on or before the original grant deadline of March 1, 2024.  

Grant Awards

The basis for the selection of Success Grant award recipients is based on the Eligible Applicants’ Perseverance Scores. The Perseverance Score is generated using data analytics to combine various predetermined factors that are consistently applied to each student. The Success Grant will be offered to Eligible Applicants who demonstrate the highest Perseverance Scores within the pool of Eligible Applicants that submit completed applications timely. Students will be notified of any award that has been granted in their Financial Aid Offer Notification. Awards are applied to a student’s account at the beginning of each payment period covered by the award.  

Students must meet the ongoing eligibility requirements for the Success Grant to continue receiving the award funds over the term of their enrollment.

Ongoing Eligibility Requirements

Renewal of the Success Grant is available for up to two additional academic years, for a potential total of three academic years. Students who receive an original award are required to re-apply to continue obtaining the Success Grant funding remaining from their original award. WCU will conduct a re-evaluation of the student’s ongoing eligibility based on meeting the following requirements:

• Submit a completed Success Grant renewal application by the first day of each new academic year;
• Have a documented unfunded gap balance for the tuition and fees owed to West Coast; University for the academic year in which the student is re-applying, confirmed by Financial Aid;
• Have maintained at least a 3.0 CGPA at West Coast University since the prior award was made; and;
• Remain continuously enrolled at WCU Florida.

OP Grant Terms and Conditions:

• To be eligible for and receive an award, an Eligible Applicant must have exhausted all funding options, including agency sponsored, federal or state aid, or private loans, that the Eligible Applicant qualifies for, which could be used to cover the cost of the program.
• The total amount of Success Grant funding is limited for the Success Grant Program, with a per student limit of $15,000 awarded over the total enrollment in the program.
• The amount of the Success Grant award may vary from one Eligible Applicant to another.
• Applying for a Success Grant does not guarantee an award, even if all the application criteria have been met.
• Students who receive a Success Grant are still required to make in school payments of no less than $250.00 per month.
• Once the total available amount of Success Grant funds has been awarded, no additional awards will be made for the April 2024 start date even if the student is eligible.
• The Success Grant is a limited grant that cannot be applied for after the original grant deadline and must be applied to gap funding beginning with the April 2024 start.
• The Success Grant award is not transferable to another program of study.
• Grant awards are made at the sole discretion of WCU, using the stated award criteria.
• Grant awards are not subject to appeal.
• There is no cash value to this grant award. The award may not result in a credit balance to the student.
• If a student is withdrawn for any reason, the Success Grant will be pro-rated based on the tuition and fee charges earned for the semester the withdrawal takes effect.
• Students withdrawn from the program, for any reason, will forfeit future awards and ongoing eligibility for the Success Grant.
• Students who accept a Success Grant are not eligible to enroll in Tuition Options payment plans. If a student is awarded the Success Grant, they must choose between accepting it or using Tuition Options.

The WCU Florida Opportunity Grant:  Offered to qualified students attending or requesting re-entry at WCU's Florida campuses who are enrolled in the on-ground undergraduate programs with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. To qualify, applicants must have an unfunded tuition and fee balance owed to WCU after personal/external contributions of $200 per month, and have exhausted all other options for gap financing, as confirmed by the campus Financial Aid Director. Applicants who have attended five or more post-secondary educational institutions prior to WCU, but have not yet earned a bachelor's degree, are not eligible for this grant. Fund availability is limited.   

Award amounts will vary based on demonstrated financial need, the applicants unfunded balance for a given academic year, and number of previous higher education institutions attended, but will not exceed a maximum of $3,000 per semester. Renewal of Opportunity Grants for subsequent years will require re-evaluation of the unfunded balance, newly documented attempts for alternative financing and whether the student has maintained at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.  

WCU Pathway Scholarship: WCU offers a scholarship to graduates from eligible American Career College programs that enrolls in advanced degrees in their field of study at WCU. The deadline to apply and provide all documents no later than the start of the academic year.  

The award amounts for the WCU Pathway scholarship vary by program and campus the student attends. Award amounts will be proportionately reduced for less than full time attendance. T In addition, there is no cash value to this scholarship, if a student withdraws from the program prior to completion of eight semesters, future disbursements will be forfeited. Finally, this scholarship may not be combined with any other WCU grants or scholarships.

 

Eligible Alumni Program	WCU Program	Semester/Trimester Max Awards
		CA	TX	FL
Vocational Nursing	Bachelor of Science, Nursing or LVN/LPN to BSN	$3,000	$2,000	$1,500
Dental Assisting	Bachelor of Science, Dental Hygiene	$3,000
Pharmacy Assistant	Doctor of Pharmacy	$4,950
Occupational Therapy Assistant	Occupational Therapy, Master of Science	$2,700	$2,850

The student must submit an application to apply and meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Graduated from an eligible program with a minimum CGPA of 3.0.
2. Provide proof of ACC graduation.

For more information, students should contact the Financial Aid Director at the campus they are attending. The WCU Pathway Scholarship may not be combined with any other WCU scholarship or grants.

WCU Pathway Scholarship will be renewed for subsequent years for students who have earned a minimum CGPA of 3.0 at WCU through the end of the previous academic year.

Bright Futures Matching Scholarship:  WCU has established the Bright Futures Matching Scholarship in support of students who qualify to receive a Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) or Florida Merit Scholars (FMS) awards from the Florida Office of Student Assistance.  This matching scholarship would be offered to students enrolled in West Coast University's Miami campus, upon confirmation of Bright Futures eligibility by the campus Financial Aid Office.  The matching scholarship would be offered each academic year that the student receives the FAS or FMS from the state.  Offer amounts vary, but will not $6,500 per academic year ($3,250 per semester) for full-time FAS awardees or $4,500 per academic year ($2,250 per semester) for full-time FMS awardees.  

California Norma Ford Memorial Scholarship:  The scholarship is offered to select BSN, LVN-BSN, LPN-BSN, or BSDH students based on academic and need-based qualifications as they enter their 3rd or 4th academic year at West Coast University. Applications are available in the campus Financial Aid Office and must be approved by the Financial Aid Director. To apply, the students must have a minimum 3.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average at West Coast University and have exhausted all other options for gap financing, as confirmed by the campus Financial Aid Director. This scholarship is only available to on-ground students.  

Scholarship funds will be applied to tuition and fees at West Coast University each semester for a maximum of four semesters. Offer amounts vary but will not exceed $5,000 per semester for California students. Funds are limited. Not all who apply will receive a scholarship.  

Norma Ford Memorial Scholarships will be renewed for subsequent years for students who have earned a minimum CGPA of 3.0 at WCU through the end of the previous academic year.

Texas/Florida Norma Ford Memorial Scholarship: The scholarship is available to undergrad students attending a ground program at the Richardson, Texas and Miami, Florida locations. This scholarship is available to students after the completion of their first semester and is based on academic standing and financial need. Applications are available in the campus Financial Aid Office and must be approved by the Financial Aid Director. To be considered for the grant, students must have a minimum 3.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average at West Coast University and have financial need as demonstrated by the fact they have exhausted all other options for gap financing or are unable to make agreed upon payments due to unforeseen financial hardship. The Financial Aid Department is responsible for evaluating the need-based components of this grant.  

Scholarship funds will be applied to tuition and fees at West Coast University. Offer amounts vary but will not exceed $10,000 per academic year nor will they exceed the student’s gap after all aid and other payments have been considered. Funds are limited and not all who apply will receive a scholarship.  

Norma Ford Memorial Scholarships will be renewed for subsequent years provided students meet all eligibility criteria noted above including the 3.0 GPA and financial need due to exhausting all other payment options to fund their gap or the inability to maintain their agreed upon payment plan.

Greg Jarvis Simulation Scholarship (Available for all campuses):  In 2011, West Coast University honored alumnus Greg Jarvis with the presentation of its first-ever “Distinguished Alumnus Award”. Following the presentation of this prestigious award, WCU announced the “Greg Jarvis Scholarship”, to be given to students who had outstanding achievements in simulation education. Mr. Jarvis was a Detroit, Michigan native who served in the Air Force, and was awarded a Masters Degree in Management Science from West Coast University.  In early 1986, Mr. Jarvis was chosen by NASA to join the crew of the Challenger space shuttle.  The nation watched in horror as the spacecraft exploded shortly after launch, killing all members aboard.   Subsequently, Mr. Jarvis was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

This scholarship appropriately honors Greg Jarvis’ memory, for his professional life, his contributions to technological advancements, and the use of simulation technology in preparation for manned space flight.

The WCU Greg Jarvis Simulation Scholarship offers $1,000 to one student recipient per term (5 total), per campus, and is applied against tuition charges for the following term. The scholarship is applied toward tuition and fees only.  Applicants must complete and submit the application with all required documents prior to the end of NURS 481L in week 9 of the term.  For more information concerning eligibility requirements and required documentation, please see the Financial Aid department. 

Nursing Excellence Grant - On-Ground Miami & Texas Campuses Only:  The Nursing Excellence Grant is offered to select West Coast University - Miami or Texas nursing students who are employed by a clinical partner of WCU and who have demonstrated professional excellence in their healthcare careers.  A current list of clinical partners is available from the campus Admissions Office.  This scholarship is only available to on-ground students.

The grant offers up to $750 per full-time semester in Miami and up to $1,125 per full-time semester in Texas and is applied to tuition and required fees at WCU.  Offer amounts will be proportionately reduced for less-than-full-time enrollment.  Verification of employment and clinical affiliation status will be at the sole discretion of WCU.  Grants are offered on a rolling basis and satisfaction of eligibility requirements does not guarantee that a grant will be offered upon enrollment at WCU. The grant may not be combined with any other WCU grants or scholarships.  For additional information, please see the Financial Aid department. 

HANA Nursing Scholarship - Miami Campus Only:  The HANA Nursing Scholarship is available to selected members of the Haitian American Nurses Association who enroll in the BSN or LVN-BSN program at West Coast University.  Two scholarships will be offered each academic year to new students who have met all admission requirements and achieved a minimum composite score of 80 on the TEAS V exam.  Offer amounts will be up to $2,500 per academic year ($1,250 per semester) for a maximum of 8 semesters.  Scholarships are renewable each year for students who maintain at least a 3.0 CGPA.  Interested students must apply directly to the Haitian American Nurses Association.  More details are available in the Admissions Office.  

International Education Grant:  Offered to a qualified student enrolled in an international exchange program with a current WCU partner, and who will take coursework in a program at West Coast University as a non-degree seeking student.  To qualify, a student must meet all admissions requirements of the exchange program and be nominated by his/her home institution.  Additional eligibility requirements may be required.  

Amounts offered may vary based on demonstrated financial costs.  This grant may not be combined with any other WCU grant or scholarship.  Please contact the WCU international department for additional information.  

WCU CHOC Scholarship/WCU Center for Education and Research Scholarship:  Annually, WCU offers RN-BSN and RN-MSN full tuition scholarships to CHOC Children's Hospital.  This is a five year scholarship commitment between WCU and CHOC to assist CHOC in their continued pursuit of nursing excellence.  Recipients of the WCU Center for Education and Research scholarships are selected by CHOC committee members with WCU recommendations if requested.  Scholarships are offered during Nurse Week celebration events at CHOC.  Interested applicants must submit an application directly to CHOC's Clinical Education Department via the PAWS intranet.  In order to qualify, CHOC associates must meet the following criteria: 

 

 

RN-BSN applicants:

 

 

Note:  Nurses with an ADN or BSN may apply for the RN-MSN scholarship.

 

WCU Nicklaus Scholarship:  WCU offers RN-BSN and RN-MSN full tuition scholarships to Nicklaus Children's Hospital.  Two scholarships will be offered each academic year - one to a RN-BSN student and one to a RN-MSN student.  Recipients are selected by Nicklaus Children's Hospital with WCU recommendations if requested.  Interested applicants must submit an online application at http://westcoastuniversity.edu/forms/nps/bsn.html.  In order to qualify for the scholarships, Nicklaus Children's Hospital associates must meet the following criteria:  

 

Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship

The Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship is available to students enrolling in WCU's on-ground degree programs in Texas or Miami.  Students must be accepted on a regular (not conditional) basis, and must have graduated from high school within twelve months prior to beginning their program at West Coast University, and the only college credit that was earned prior to enrollment at WCU was while dual-enrolled in high school.  

To receive an offer, applicants must have achieved a minimum high school GPA of 3.0.  For purposes of calculating the high school GPA, applicants for the Summer (June) start may submit transcripts that include all classes taken through the first semester of the applicant's senior year of high school.  Applicants for all other starts must submit high school transcripts including all classes attempted through their high school graduation date.  

Offer amounts will vary but will not exceed $5,000 per academic year in Miami and $6,500 per academic year in Texas.  Offers will be pro-rated for less-than-full time enrollment.  Students who withdraw in the middle of a semester will have their offer reduced proportionately to the percent of tuition earned.  Applications are available in the financial aid office.  The Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship may not be combined with any other WCU grants or scholarships.  

WCU Access Grant (Miami only):  Offered to qualified students attending WCU's Miami campus who have successfully completed at least 24 credits at West Coast University (exclusive of transfer credits) in the prior academic year, have an unfunded tuition and fee balance owed to WCU after personal/external contributions of $2,000 for the academic year, and have exhausted all other options for gap financing, as confirmed by the campus Financial Aid Director.  

Fund availability varies by campus and start term.  Award amounts may vary, but award amounts per full-time semester will not exceed $4,500, for a maximum of six semesters, and are applied towards WCU tuition and required fee charges.  

This grant may not be combined with any other WCU scholarship or grant, except for the Centennial Merit Scholarship.  There is no cash value for this grant.  If you withdraw in the middle of the semester, the grant award will be pro-rated based on tuition and fee charges earned for the semester.  Students who withdraw during an academic year will forfeit future disbursements.  

Renewal of grants for subsequent years requires re-evaluation of the unmet need and newly-documented attempts for alternative funding, as well as successful completion of at least 24 credits (exclusive of transfer credits) in the preceding academic year.