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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. 

The WCU Opportunity Grant:  Offered to qualified students attending WCU's Florida campuses who are enrolled in the on-ground undergraduate programs  with a minimum summative TEAS score of at least 119.  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 previously attended five or more post secondary educational institutions prior to WCU, bu have not yet earned a bachelor's degree, are not eligible for this grant.  Fund availability varies by campus and start term.   

Amounts offered may vary based on demonstrated financial need, number of previous higher education institutions attended, and enrollment status, 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 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 offer amount is $3,000 per full-time semester for California campuses, $2,000 per full-time semester for the Texas campus, or $1,500 per academic year in Miami, for a maximum of eight semesters.  Offer 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 Coast 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.

BSN Pathway 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.  

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.  

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 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 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, $3,750 per semester for Texas students, and $2,500 for Miami 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.  

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: 

  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 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:  

  • 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

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.