Western Governors University (WGU) is a renowned online university celebrated for its excellent WGU military support and commitment to higher education. If you’re an active-duty service member, a veteran, or part of their family, then you qualify to enroll at Western Governors University (WGU). It’s the premier military-friendly university for online education. In fact, WGU has maintained the Military Friendly Designation for twelve years in a row. WGU’s mission is clear: Provide a higher education that truly benefits its students.
This non-profit university has four colleges with many undergrad and master’s degrees available. Students can enroll in the College of Business, Teachers College, College of Information Technology, or College of Health Professions. WGU has plenty of degrees that can match your goals. In addition, each school has nationally recognized accreditation. This ensures that the learning experience meets the highest level of standards.
WGU is cost-effective, with tuition 48% less than the national average. The VA approves WGU programs, making them eligible for military benefits like the GI Bill. You’ll get personalized support from a program mentor and enrollment counselor. You can study and take exams anytime, anywhere. WGU’s competency-based format allows you to fast-track your degree. Let’s explore WGU further!
WGU Military Support: The Pros
Western Governor's University has a variety of services to support active-duty military and veteran students. Let’s look at them…
Enrollment Counselor
WGU wants all of its students to succeed. One way of doing this is by training knowledgeable staff who are easily accessible to students. For example, service members and veterans who are considering WGU will first interact with an enrollment counselor. They are universities’ helpful application guides. Once a service member contacts WGU, an enrollment counselor will navigate them through the application process.
Enrollment counselors perform numerous tasks to support military personnel. First, they are available via phone or email to answer any questions about WGU. This includes program descriptions and application deadlines. They serve as a bridge to the Admissions and Transcripts departments to determine eligibility. Also, these professionals organize student’s data and set a class start date for new students. Despite being an online university, enrollment counselors humanize the learning experience with excellent WGU military support services.
WGU Financial Services
Thanks to a plethora of financial aid resources, WGU students can earn a quality education without much (if any) debt. Besides an already affordable tuition and military benefits from services like the GI Bill, WGU offers even more ways for their students to save money. There are numerous institution and school-specific scholarships available. Additionally, completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will determine if you are eligible for free federal aid. WGU students may be eligible for the Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study Program, or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG). Subsidized and unsubsidized loans are also available via the Federal Direct Loan Program.
Student Support for Military Personnel
Although WGU offers a fully online education, students won’t feel like they are alone. The university boasts a diverse faculty consisting of educators, program mentors, and student evaluators. Each role plays a vital part in a student’s experience and success.
Program mentors work with each student to design an individualized program. They answer questions, offer guidance, and make sure WGU students are achieving their goals. Every instructor is an expert in their respective field. Not only are they available to help, but they engage with their classes to provide academic support. You can expect many opportunities for one-on-one interactions. Evaluators give valuable feedback on student’s work. They determine the level of competency a student has in an unbiased fashion.
WGU offers access to many professional development resources. For example, students can join professional groups such as the Night Owl Network and the WGU chapter of the National Society of Leadership Success (NSLS). There is exclusive access to career events, job boards, and employer partners. As mentioned earlier, students are eligible for financial support to help reduce the cost of attendance. There are also free webinars to help service members transition back to civilian life. The Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITALVITAL) Program is a military veteran benefit that helps with reintegration, mentorship, and peer support.
Transferring Credits
Newly enrolled or prospective students who already have some higher education under their belt may be able to apply previous credits towards their WGU degree. This can save them time and money towards their educational goals. Speaking with an enrollment counselor will help determine whether those credits are eligible for a transfer. A key document here is an official transcript of all previous academic work. The transferable amount will vary based on the previous institution’s curriculum and the WGU program for the student. A course-by-course transfer evaluation will determine which credits qualify. Please note that not every credit may be eligible for a transfer. In certain cases, an academic transcript may have enough credits to meet all of WGU’s lower-division course requirements.
Competency-Based Education Model
WGU offers a unique learning format that emphasizes skill-based education. Rather than trudging through an entire semester in a subject that you know a lot about, it’s possible at WGU to take competency assessments to finish early. By doing this, students can accelerate through easier courses and gain relevant knowledge. This also gets students closer to earning a degree. This approach means that students prove they grasp the material and can apply it to real-world situations. There is a greater sense of accomplishment. Being rewarded for one’s academic strengths is motivation to continue.
The competency-based model applies to all programs at WGU. Each assessment will vary depending on the course being taken. It may be in the form of a project, a multiple-choice exam, or a reflection essay. This model benefits military students for multiple reasons. First, it helps them get to the meat of their studies faster. It saves them time and money. It also allows them to learn new skills that can translate to their existing duties at a faster pace than traditional learning models. It’s also ideal for service members because much of their military training most likely involved competency-based learning.
Enrollment
WGU offers a flexible enrollment policy with part-time options available for all programs to accommodate students with varying schedules, including active service members with specific tuition assistance. However, part-time students cannot use federal financial aid, and those receiving military GI Bill benefits are ineligible for part-time coursework. Some programs, like nursing clinicals and practice teaching, require full-time attendance.
Part-time students at WGU can take between six to eleven competency units (CUs) for undergraduates or four to seven for master’s degrees over a six-month period, adhering to this specified unit range. They are not eligible for competency-based accelerated classes. Despite WGU’s flat-rate tuition, the part-time option for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees is available at a reduced cost.
Enrollment counselors are available to guide students through the process of creating a study plan that works for them. They can help determine one’s part-time eligibility.
Where WGU Falls Short With Military Support
Despite how comprehensive WGU Military Support is, it’s not perfect. This military-friendly online school has a few areas where support is limited. We touched on one point earlier: Part-time students and benefits. Part-time students can’t receive federal financial aid or GI Bill payments.
There are resources available to students that aren’t easily discoverable on WGU’s website. For example, the Military and Veterans Benefits page houses GI Bill details but not anywhere else. The same goes for the VITAL peer support program. This program, established by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is one of the military veteran benefits available that helps veterans adjust to civilian life and offers peer support for those with mental health issues. Important links to third-party organizations are available in the Military Resources section of the WGU Alumni page. They offer services ranging from spouse support to tools for newly discharged service members. Without a deep search of WGU’s website, these tools would be easy to miss.
Program mentors and enrollment counselors are accessible to students, however, there isn’t direct access to other kinds of counseling. For example, there aren’t psychological services available for students who need support with personal issues. Finally, WGU doesn’t offer direct tutoring services, school clubs, or exam preparation services.
Western Governor’s Scholarships for Military Students
Students can receive one WGU-funded scholarship for their degree and are encouraged to explore external scholarships and additional financial aid resources. WGU collaborates with Scholarship Universe to help students find other funding opportunities.
- Military Appreciation Scholarship: Open to active-duty service members, veterans, and spouses, this scholarship provides $625 per term and can be renewed up to four times, totaling a maximum of $2,500. All programs are eligible.
- Military Spouse Scholarship: Designed for military spouses, this scholarship offers $1,000 per term, renewable up to four times, for a potential total reward of $4,000. All programs are eligible.
- Honoring Our Heroes Scholarship: In partnership with the Travis Manion Foundation, this scholarship grants up to $4,000 ($1,000 per term, renewable up to four times) to select students, including service members, veterans, and their families. All programs are eligible.
- Active Duty Scholarship: Available to all active-duty personnel, this scholarship supplements other financial aid to make tuition more affordable, offering a maximum of $2,500 ($625 per term, renewable up to four times). All programs except pre-licensure nursing qualify.
- Gold Star Family Scholarship: For Gold Star family members, this scholarship awards up to $10,000 ($2,500 per term, renewable up to four times). It’s open to students in all WGU programs and exists thanks to help from the Woody Williams Foundation.
Additional Scholarships: WGU offers a variety of other scholarships, including the Sage Scholarship (up to $2,500), Online Access Scholarship (varying amounts), and the I Have A Dream Scholarship (up to $4,000). Each WGU school, like the Teacher’s College, also provides its own scholarships, such as the Education Support Professionals Scholarship, which awards up to $5,000 for teaching license programs. These scholarships consider factors like academic record, financial need, current competency, and online readiness.
VA Approved Online Degree Programs at WGU
AU-ABC: Air University – Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative
WGU partners with the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) to provide Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees to enlisted Department of the Air Force (DAF) members. Service members of the Air and Space Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve are encouraged to apply. CCAF is a federally chartered institution that is part of Air University (AU). Its collaboration with WGU is part of AU’s Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC).
Candidates who enroll have access to a fully virtual campus, flexible class schedules, tuition assistance, and a wide variety of degree pathways at their fingertips. In addition, students can track their degree progress and receive career support via the Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC). Each program ensures its students can integrate their military training and education into each course. Recipients of an AAS will only need 60 competency units to complete a bachelor’s degree at WGU. As a matter of fact, CCAF graduates with an IT or business AAS degree may be eligible to automatically piggyback into a bachelor’s degree at WGU.
US Naval Community College
WGU and US Naval Community College (USNCC) join forces to offer an accessible cybersecurity associate degree to enlisted Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and Coast Guard reserve members. This partnership grants them an Associate Degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance (ASCSIA).
The 61-credit program is self-paced and WGU’s competency-based learning design allows students to move quickly toward their desired degree. The curriculum features opportunities for six different Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) certifications. WGU accepts and will apply credits from USNCC courses to go towards the AS. Graduates will have the groundwork paved for multiple bachelor’s degree pathways in cybersecurity and information assurance. In addition, students will gain many essential skills like associating threats, identifying security controls, and a greater understanding of cyber defense methods.
Students enrolled in WGU can be certain that financial assistance is available no matter which program they pursue. In other words, services like GI Bill and Military Tuition Assistance are accepted for all of WGU’s programs. Rather, eligibility is based on service status and whether a student is full-time or part-time.
Is WGU the Best Online College for Military Support?
For twelve straight years, WGU has received the Military Friendly designation. This is for good reason. It’s an accredited university that’s competitive, flexible, and affordable. Moreover, WGU military support makes it accessible for service members. Even more, all of the programs are available in an online learning format. Not all programs are fully virtual, as certain aspects like student teaching have some in-person elements. WGU wants tuition to be affordable, so there are plenty of scholarships available. Not to mention, students can seek the GI Bill and Military Tuition Assistance (MTA). There is an extensive alumni community and access to groups such as the VITAL Peer Support Program.
WGU military support has room for improvement in several areas, however. Firstly, some scholarships require renewal every term, adding to the workload of already busy students. Additionally, essential information about topics such as the GI Bill and resources for transitioning to civilian life is challenging to locate on their website. Furthermore, student services like psychological counseling, tutoring, and exam preparation are currently unavailable at WGU.
Whether you’re aiming for a professional certificate, a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s, WGU has plenty of options. With its flat-rate tuition and competency-based learning, WGU provides fairness to its students. The affordability and number of high-quality degree options make WGU an excellent choice.
Take Advantage of WGU Military Support
Western Governors University invites you to pursue a degree that will change your life. Whether you’re an active duty service member, a reservist, or an immediate family member, the doors are open for you to apply. The selection of online certificates, bachelor’s degrees, and master’s degrees is enormous. Not only does WGU want you to succeed, they want to do so without going into school debt. You will gain 21st-century skills that prepare you for a rewarding career. Start your educational journey today!