Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (Baccalaureate)

Application Opens: January 8, 2025 (but you can start on the essays before that)
Application Deadline: February 26, 2025 at 9:00 p.m. PST

The Baccalaureate Scholarship provides up to $22,500 in financial aid support and access to career-launching support services for students pursuing high-demand STEM and health care majors. This scholarship can be used to cover tuition, fees and other indirect costs of attendance such as housing, transportation, food and more. Funding can be used for any eligible STEM or health care degree at any eligible public or private college or university in Washington state.

WSOS requires two written responses, which you can start on before the application opens! Check the prompts and essay tips here.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants

RESIDENCY
- Be a Washington state resident as defined by state Legislature (RCW 28B.15.012).
- Earn a high school diploma or GED from a Washington state institution by June of the year of application.
FINANCIAL NEED
- File the upcoming academic year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) by the application deadline.
- Apply for Federal Education Tax Credits, if eligible.
- Have total family income (adjusted gross income plus all untaxed income) that does not exceed 125% of Washington state family median income based on family size, as described in this chart.
ACADEMIC RECORD
- A cumulative grade point average (GPA) as of application date of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale), demonstrated on either a current college or high school transcript; OR
- A passing GED score, demonstrated on an official score report.
ENROLLMENT PLAN
- Plan to pursue an eligible science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) or health care major as defined on the eligible majors list.
- Plan to enroll at an eligible Washington state institution for the fall term following selection as defined on the list of eligible college and universities.
- Plan to enroll at least half-time (six or more credits) every term. Scholars are not expected to enroll in nor does WSOS fund summer term.
PREVIOUS EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
- Do not yet have a bachelor’s degree.
- Applicant must currently be a:
  - High school senior or graduate (high school equivalency)
  - College freshman or college sophomore. If the applicant has completed any college terms or college credits post high-school, they must meet either the maximum term OR maximum credit requirement stated below:
    High school senior or graduate (high school equivalency)
    1. Maximum Terms Completed: The applicant must have completed no more than six quarters or four semesters of college at the end of the current academic year; OR
    2. Maximum Credits Earned: The applicant must have earned no more than 90 quarter or 60 semester credits at the end of the current academic year
  - If you are still unsure, we recommend on using this credit/term eligibility flowchart to determine if you are eligible to apply.