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Undergraduate On-Ground Scholarships and Grants

Centennial Merit Scholarship:  The Centennial Merit Scholarships are available for students enrolled in WCU's on-ground BSN, LVN-BSN, or BSDH programs and who meet all WCU program admissions requirements for full enrollment (not conditional enrollment).  Applicants must have exhausted all other financing options, and have an unfunded gap balance of tuition or fees owed to West Coast University for the academic year.  To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit academic transcripts to WCU for all prior education prior to the start date.  

Applicants will be evaluated based on a composite score of criteria including entrance test score, CGPA*, and unmet need.  For the purposes of this scholarship, unmet need will be determined by the unfunded gap balance of tuition and fees owed to West Coast University for the academic year, after application of federal and state grants and loans and verified attempts to obtain other external funding options.  Click here to visit the composite score matrix for your campus.  Applications are available in the financial aid office.  The Centennial Merit Scholarship may not be combined with any other WCU scholarships or grants, except the HANA Nursing Scholarship or the WCU Opportunity Grant.  

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 WCU Opportunity Grant:  Offered to qualified students who are enrolled in the on-ground BSN or LVN/LPN-BSN programs and who meet all WCU program admissions requirements for full enrollment (not conditional enrollment).  To qualify, applicants must have an unfunded tuition and fee balance owed to WCU after personal/external contributions of $200 per month in Dallas or Miami or $400 per month in California, and have exhausted all other options for gap financing, as confirmed by the campus Financial Aid Director.  

Amounts awarded may vary based on demonstrated financial need and enrollment status, but will not exceed a maximum of $2,000 per semester in Florida, $5,000 per semester in California, or $7,500 per semester in Texas.  Renewal of Opportunity Grants for subsequent years will require re-evaluation of the unfunded balance and newly-documented attempts for alternative financing.  Students must meet satisfactory academic progress as defined in the University catalog to maintain eligibility for this grant.  


BSN Pathway Scholarship:  WCU offers a scholarship to graduates of American Career College's Vocational Nursing program who have been admitted into the BSN or LVN-BSN programs at WCU. The deadline to apply is fourteen (14) days prior to the start of the academic year.  The maximum award amount is $3,000 per full-time semester for California campuses, $2,000 per full-time semester for the Dallas campus, or $1,500 per academic year in Miami, for a maximum of eight semesters.  Award amounts will be proportionately reduced for less than full time attendance.  This scholarship is available to on-ground Nursing students only.

The student must meet the following eligibility requirements:  (1) Student must have graduated from the American Career College Vocational Nursing program with a minimum CGPA of 3.0; and (2) Submit a scholarship application, with proof of ACC graduation at least two weeks prior to their first academic year at West Cost University.  For more information, students should contact the Financial Aid Director at the campus they are attending. The BSN Pathway Scholarship may not be combined with any other WCU scholarship or grants.


Norma Ford Memorial Scholarship:  The scholarship is awarded 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 prior to consideration by the scholarship committee.  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 awards will be applied to tuition and fees at West Coast University each semester for a maximum of four semesters.  Awards vary but will not exceed $5,000 per semester for California students, $3,750 per semester for Dallas students, and $2,500 for Miami students.  Funds are limited.  Not all who apply will receive a scholarship.  

 

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 Award”, 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.

West Coast University is a national leader in health care simulation education, and 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 awards $1,000 to one student recipient per term (5 total), per campus, and is applied against tuition charges for the following term. The scholarship covers 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 & Dallas Campuses Only:  The Nursing Excellence Grant is awarded to select West Coast University - Miami or Dallas 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 awards up to $750 per full-time semester in Miami and up to $1,125 per full-time semester in Dallas and is applied to tuition and required fees at WCU.  Award 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 awarded on a rolling basis and satisfaction of eligibility requirements does not guarantee that a grant will be awarded 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 awarded 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.  Award 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 awarded 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 ia 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 awarded 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: 

  1. Meet all requirements for admission to the RN-BSN or RN-MSN programs at West Coast University
  2. Graduate from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or professionally accredited nursing program with a Diploma, ADN, or BSN degree. 
  3. Employed as a CHOC associate for more than 2 years. 
  4. Have no disciplinary action within the past 12 months.  
In addition, applicants must meet the following requirements:


RN-BSN applicants:

  • Applicant must have an active unobstructed license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state they currently practice.
  • Provide official transcripts demonstrating an ADN or Diploma from a program licensed by the Board of Nursing. 
RN-MSN applicants:


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

  • Provide official transcripts demonstrating proof of graduation from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or professionally accredited nursing program with a Diploma, ADN, or BSN degree. 
  • Applicant must have an active unobstructed license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state they currently practice.
  • Have a minimum of one year of full time experience as a Registered Nurse.
  • Satisfactorily complete a Statistics course (MATH210 or equivalent) within the past 5 years and before NURS 540 Research Utilization.  ADN applicants will have opportunity to take Statistics at WCU. 
  • Submit three academic/professional letters of recommendation (one from a professional in the RN-MSN track of choice).  
  • Submit a resume or Curriculum Vitae.
  • Complete an essay.
  • Meet on of the following:  
    • Pass the HESI A2 at the 90% level
    • Achieved eligible totals on the GRE
    • Achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their postsecondary degree program. 


WCU Nicklaus Scholarship:  WCU offers RN-BSN and RN-MSN full tuition scholarships to Nicklaus Children's Hospital.  Two scholarships will be awarded each academic year - one to a RN-BSN studnet 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:  

  • Applicant must provide proof of an active unobstructed license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Florida. 
  • Provide official transcripts demonstrating an ADN or Diploma from a program licensed by the Board of Nursing.  

Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship (effective June 2018)

The Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship is available to students enrolling in WCU's on-ground degree programs in Dallas or Miami for either the Summer (June) or Fall I (August) start term.  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 was while dual-enrolled in high school.  

To receive an award, 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 the Fall I (August) start must submit high school transcripts including all classes taken through their high school graduation date.  

Award amounts will vary but will not exceed $5,000 per academic year in Miami and $6,500 per academic year in Dallas.  Awards will be pro-rated for less-than-full time enrollment.  There is no cash value for this scholarship.  Students who withdraw in the middle of a semester will have their award 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.