Baccalaureate Scholars

• Scholar Portal 
• Yearly requirements to keep your scholarship 
• How long do I receive WSOS funding? 
• How much funding do I receive? 
• Summer funding
• When do I receive funding? 
• Contact us
• FAQs
• Annual Renewal and Graduation Process 
• Award Increase Request 
• Eligible majors and colleges/universities

Baccalaureate Scholarship 101 

The Baccalaureate Scholarship (BaS) provides up to $22,500 in scholarship funding to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in high-demand STEM and health care majors in Washington state. This scholarship can stack on top of other financial aid to cover tuition, fees, and other costs, such as living expenses, food, and more.  

WSOS is more than a scholarship! You could receive access to connections, advice, networks, mentorship, and career development resources to help you succeed in college and find a job.    

WSOS is a community of support that will be there at EVERY step on your pathway to a career in a high-demand field. Take advantage of opportunities to build your network and connect with other Scholars and professionals.  

You can find details about your scholarship below. Use the quick links on the right for frequently used documents and processes. 

Support you receive beyond your scholarship funding 

WSOS provides connections, advice, networks, mentorship, and career development resources to help you succeed in college and beyond.  

Mentorship programs 

The Scholar Lead Mentorship Program is our peer-mentoring program. First and second year Scholars are paired with a third- to fifth-year Scholar who helps with the transition to higher education. Scholar Leads host community events, build community, and connect you to resources. Your Lead will answer your questions and help you succeed! 

The Skills that Shine (StS) Mentorship Program is our industry mentorship program. Scholars are paired with an industry professional who becomes a mentor. Your mentor can connect you to job and internship opportunities, expand your network, help with a resume, cover letter, and more.   

Leadership programs 

Scholar Lead Mentorship Program: As a third, fourth or fifth-year Scholar, you can support your fellow Scholars as a Scholar Lead! In this role, you’d serve as a peer mentor to fellow Scholars around the state throughout the school year under the supervision and support of a WSOS advisor. You’ll engage with Scholars to help them navigate the college environment and foster a sense of community. 

Career Development 

Opportunity Scholars are invited to participate in one-of-a-kind events and career–readiness training with WSOS partners, including: 

• Learning how to access jobs at top employers in Washington state in your field of study; 
• Accessing available internships and jobs across the state of Washington; and 
• Participating in WSOS-exclusive trainings and engaging in career readiness resources. 

These resources are invaluable.  Make sure to read all emails you receive from WSOS! They often include key opportunities for career development. 

Reach out to placement@waopportunityscholarship.org with any questions or concerns about WSOS programming.

Join the WSOS-exclusive Opportunity Scholar and Alumni LinkedIn group. By joining the group, you can grow your professional network, hear first about internship and job opportunities, and learn more about professional development opportunities in your field of study. 

What do I need to do every year to keep receiving my scholarship? 

All Opportunity Scholars are required complete the Renewal and Graduation process every year. This means: 

• Submitting the Renewal or Graduation form in the Scholar Portal by April 3 if you attend a semester-based school or May 14 if you attend a quarter-based school
• Completing your FAFSA or WASFA and having it processed by June 1

Baccalaureate Scholars are also required to submit and be approved for an Award Increase Request by their deadline. Each Scholar has a unique Award Increase Deadline which can be found in the Scholar Portal under “Scholarship Info”. You may submit the Award Increase Request before the deadline if you meet the requirements. Read more about the Award Increase Request requirements.  

How long do I receive WSOS funding? 

You can receive WSOS funding for a total of 15 quarters or 10 semesters, but it can depend on a few different factors.

• If you’ve already completed some college semesters, read the section below about finding your application grade.
• If you’ve already received funding from the Washington College Grant (WCG), read the section below about WGC.

Note: Once you become a Scholar, make sure to add the @waopportunityscholarship.org domain to your list of safe senders, so you receive our emails! These emails will remind you of important deadlines. If you miss important scholarship deadlines (such as renewing your scholarship or submitting an award increase), exceed the maximum number of years of funding, or have received the maximum funding of $22,500, you will be withdrawn from the scholarship.   

How to calculate how long you’ll receive funding using application grade

WSOS calculates what we consider to be your grade level, “Application Grade,” when you apply for the scholarship.

• This is based on the number of terms you have received state financial aid, the number of credits you have earned post-high school, or the number of terms of college you have completed post-high school (including Running Start credits).  
• As outlined in the chart below, your “application grade” determines how long you can receive $2,500 of WSOS funding before you must be accepted into your major and submit an Award Increase Request. If your request is approved, you’ll receive more funding. If not, you will be withdrawn from the scholarship. Learn more.
• You can learn more about your funding in your Scholar Portal.

Maximum Years of Funding Available: 15 quarters/10 semesters 

Washington College Grant Funding

When you apply for WSOS, WSOS verifies your FAFSA/WASFA completion, income eligibility, and any Washington College Grant (WCG) terms you have used.

• WCG terms are the number of quarters or semesters that an applicant has received WCG funding.
• All Scholars can receive a maximum of 10 semesters or 15 quarters of funding from WSOS, including any previous WCG funding terms they’ve received. Once you accept the scholarship, we will confirm how long you’ve received WCG funding (if you’ve received any) and subtract that from the total 15 quarters or 10 semesters of WSOS funding you can receive.
  • For example, if you received WCG funding for all three quarters of your first year of college, then you have used three WCG terms. Those three terms are then subtracted from the total WSOS funding terms you can receive – 15 WSOS total funding terms minus three WCG funding terms means you could receive WSOS funding for up to 12 terms.
• You will be notified when you approach your final academic year of funding.

How much funding do I receive? 

Amount per academic year 

You will receive up to $2,500 each year (you may receive more if you apply for summer term funding) until you submit an Award Increase Request. Learn more about Award Increase Requests.   

Note: Opportunity Scholars will receive the funding described above up to their Cost of Attendance (COA) after other financial aid has been applied. Depending on the amount of other aid you are receiving, it is possible that you may not receive the full scholarship amount. We encourage you to contact your Financial Aid office to better understand COA and how WSOS funds stack on top of other aid.

Once you receive 15 quarter or ten-semester terms of funding or have received the maximum funding of $22,500, you will be withdrawn from WSOS. 

*The academic year includes the fall, winter, and spring terms. Your funding amount per year may change if you use summer funding. 

Full-time vs part-time 

When we send your scholarship funding to the financial aid office at your school, they will let us know how many credits you’re enrolled in. The award amount you will receive will be prorated if you are enrolled for less than full-time:  

• If you’re enrolled three-quarter time (between nine and 11 credits in a term), you’ll receive 75% of the award listed in the table above.   
• If you’re enrolled half-time (between six and eight credits in a term), you’ll receive 50% of the award listed in the table above.   
• If you’re enrolled quarter-time (between three and five quarter credits in a term), you’ll receive 25% of the award.   
• If you’re enrolled in fewer than three credits, you will not receive any portion of your funds. You will automatically be placed on deferment (this means your scholarship will be paused) unless you’ve used all your available deferment terms. You get up to one academic year of deferment (3 quarters or two semesters).  If you have used the maximum of terms of deferment, you’ll be withdrawn. Your enrollment status is confirmed ten days after the start of the term.  

How do I know if my funds were sent to my school?   

Log in to the Scholar Portal and review the disbursements section on the homepage. “Target Date” is when your disbursement is scheduled, and “Actual Disbursement Date” is when your scholarship was sent to your school.   

It can take up to a month for a school to apply your scholarship to your account. Please be patient if you see the disbursement date but don’t see the funds in your college financial aid account as it may be due to processing time.  

Contact your college’s financial aid office if you have concerns about your award.   

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What if I decide to attend a different school than what’s in my Scholar Portal? 

• If you have not been approved for an Award Increase Request: You must submit a College of Enrollment Update Form in your Scholar Portal.  
  • In your Scholar Portal, go to Submit Request > Submit College of Enrollment Update. 

• If you have already been approved for an Award Increase Request at your previous school: You need to submit a new Award Increase Request to show that you are still pursuing an eligible major at your new school and that your credits from your previous school have transferred over to your new school. 
  • In your Scholar Portal, go to Submit Request > Request Award Increase. 

What if I decide to change my major/program? 

• If you have not been approved for an Award Increase Request: Update your major/program when you submit an Award Increase Request or the Annual Renewal form, whichever comes first. 
• If you have already been approved for an Award Increase Request for your original major: Submit a new Award Increase Request to show that you are still pursuing an eligible major. 
  • In your Scholar Portal, go to Submit Request > Request Award Increase. 

Why don’t I see my scholarship in my financial aid award letter? 

Your scholarship may not show up in your financial aid award letter from your school before the start of the academic year because WSOS sends fall term funds later in the summer. 

Can I use my scholarship to pay for remedial, transitional (ABE, ESL, high school completion), and continuing education classes? 

• WSOS funds remedial courses since they are college credit classes, and the cost is equivalent to the total cost of a college credit class.  
• We do not fund transitional or continuing education classes, as they are typically free or low in cost. 

Why did I receive less than my full award amount? 

Please contact your school’s financial aid office to confirm why you didn’t receive your full award amount.

WSOS sends your full award amount to your school each term. When you don’t receive the total WSOS amount, it could mean one of the following:

• WSOS can be used to cover up to your Cost of Attendance (COA). COA = tuition, fees, books, supplies, and living expenses for one academic year. When you don’t receive the total WSOS amount, it could mean your COA is met for that term or academic year by other sources of your financial aid package.
• When you do the FAFSA this year, you will receive a Student Aid Index (SAI) number. If your SAI is higher than your COA, you are not eligible for WSOS funding.
• If you receive other forms of financial aid, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Washington College Grant, or other scholarships, it may impact how much WSOS funding you receive.
• If you’re enrolled part-time for the term, your school will prorate (adjust) your award amount based on the number of credits you are enrolled in:
  • 12+ credits: Full award amount
  • 9-11 credits: 75% of full award amount
  • 6-8 credits: 50% of full award amount
  • 3-5 credits: 25% of full award amount
  • <3 credits: Not eligible for WSOS funding