Numerous scholarship and educational grant programs are open to students attending school in Washington state. Washington scholarships are available from a variety of sources, including the Washington state government, community-based foundations dedicated to helping students, professional organizations specific to the state, and Washington institutions of higher learning.
Government Scholarships
The Washington state government offers scholarship and grant support to students through the Washington Higher Education Board. The State Need Grant provides up to $7,717 per year to Washington's neediest students, and varies in amount depending on what type of institution a student is attending. The College Bound Scholarship provides $500 for books and also helps to pay for tuition. The Washington Scholars Program provides up to $7,168 per year to recipients. Washington Higher Education Board grants and scholarships are limited to applicants who are residents of the state.
Community Foundation Scholarships
Many community foundations in Washington state offer scholarships and educational grants to college students. For example, the Washington State Scholarship Foundation offers scholarships valued at $2,500 for students pursuing an associate's degree or technical degree, or $5,000 to four-year college students within the state. Other community foundations offering scholarships in Washington include the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, the Community Foundation of North Central Washington and the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound. Many community foundation scholarships require that an applicant be a resident of Washington, and sometimes require that an applicant be a resident of a specific geographic area within Washington state.
Discipline-Specific Scholarships
Some professional organizations within the state offer scholarships to students pursuing degrees in specific disciplines. For example, the Washington State Nursing Association offers scholarships valued at between $1,000 and $5,000 to undergraduate nursing students. The Washington State Science and Engineering Fair offers tuition assistance to science and engineering students through the Craig M. Lewis Scholarship. The Columbia River Section and the Eastern Washington Section of the Society of Women Engineers both offer scholarships of up to $1,000 to engineering students attending Washington institutions.
School-Specific Scholarships
Most colleges and universities within Washington offer numerous scholarship and grant packages to attending students. The University of Washington in Seattle, for instance, awards approximately 500 to 800 academic scholarships each year, in addition to approximately 50 UW Undergraduate Academic Excellence Awards for incoming freshmen and a variety of departmental scholarships. Washington State University in Pullman offers a variety of scholarships to both in-state and out-of-state students, as well as to international and transfer students. Be sure to explore available sources of funding from your college or university.
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