Scholarship FAQs

The WWU Scholarship Portal is a centralized system that streamlines the scholarship application process. Students complete one application, and the system matches them with all scholarships they are eligible for. 

All current students—undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students—can apply for scholarships through the portal. 

The universal application opens annually around the beginning of spring quarter. 

The 2026-2027 Scholarship Application will be available March 13th - April 27th. 

Universities across the country have been centralizing their scholarship awarding processes for over a decade, as it is considered a best practice. By using a centralized system, WWU can review all sources of student aid, reduce the chances of scholarships going unawarded, and promote equity and efficiency in the selection process.  

The portal makes awarding scholarships more efficient, ensures fairness, and helps students find and access financial aid more easily. The goal is to provide more students with the support they need to succeed at WWU. 

The WWU Scholarship Portal offers hundreds of scholarships accessible from one application. Available each spring, this application consists of basic student demographic information, affiliations, special background questions, and essays. 

1. Log in to the WWU Scholarship Portal (single sign-on for WWU IDs).
2. Complete questions and essays. The more you answer, the more opportunities you will be considered for.
3. Submit your application before the deadline.
4. The system will match you with scholarships based on your qualifications and your answers to essay questions.
5. Some scholarships may require next steps — be sure to check your My Awards dashboard.

No! The system automatically matches you with multiple scholarships using a single application. Some scholarships may require additional information, which will be requested within the portal.

Contact the Scholarship Center’s support team.

There are hundreds of funds offered through the WWU Scholarship Portal. Scholarships are available for academic achievement, financial need, leadership, specific fields of study, and more. 

When you applied to Western, your application for admission also served as an application for admissions scholarships. As you continue at Western, you will become eligible for more scholarship opportunities. Be sure to visit the portal each spring to apply for new scholarship opportunities. 

Any current student can submit a WWU application. Please note that the longer students are at Western, they will become more eligible for scholarship opportunities. Scholarships can have requirements such as confirmed major/minor, minimum number of credits, and relative experience gained through time at WWU.  

The WWU Scholarship Application is tailored to each student and may ask for: essays, resume information, and letters of recommendation. Students may also be asked for examples of coursework, additional short essays, leadership experience, and more. Based on student data, as well as the information provided while the application is being completed, each student's application may vary in length. 

There are several components in the application that all students are required to complete. The majority of the essay prompts and questions are not required. However, completing all applicable prompts and questions will give students the highest opportunity to receive scholarships.

Students are encouraged to set aside a sufficient amount of time to complete all application components. We anticipate many students may spend upwards of 4 or more hours to submit a robust application. 

If a student is prompted to add a recommender, they will need to add their recommender’s name and email address in order to complete the form. Once a recommender is added to an application, they will receive an email with a link so they can access the online recommendation form. All LORs must be submitted by the recommender online – we cannot accept emails or hard copies in the mail.

As a courtesy to your recommenders, it is advised that you request permission to use them as recommenders and advise them of the deadline to submit their Letter of Recommendation through the online application process.

2026-2027 Deadline for students to enter name/email of recommenders: April 27th 
2026-2027 Deadline for recommenders to submit their recommendation form: May 4th 

Please note, not all scholarships require LORs and therefore, not all students will be asked to add contact information for a recommender. 

No, students will not be able to view the letters that were submitted on their behalf through the Portal. They will be able to view that a letter of recommendation has been submitted. 

Typically, scholarship awarding will be completed in late spring/early summer for the upcoming academic year. Students awarded scholarships will receive notification via their WWU email address. They may also login to the Portal and review their My Awards page to view any awarded scholarships. The My Awards tab also lists required tasks such as acceptance and donor Thank You letter.

Yes. While the awarding process will be managed centrally, departments and colleges are encouraged to continue cultivating and stewarding donor relationships, as well as supporting students in applying for scholarships that align with their academic and professional goals.

All endowment and gift agreements have been reviewed by scholarship administrators and the Assistant Attorney General’s office to ensure donor intent is honored. In many cases, these agreements already allow for flexibility in the selection process while maintaining the original purpose of the scholarship.

Scholarships will still be awarded to students in the designated fields of study as outlined in donor agreements. The key change is that the Scholarship Center office will oversee the selection process, ensuring consistency and adherence to best practices.

No. Departments are encouraged to continue fostering relationships with donors and external partners, such as internship providers. The change only affects the selection process for scholarship recipients.

Encourage students to complete the WWU Scholarship Application each year. You can also direct them to support resources like the WWU Scholarship Center and drop-in help sessions. 

Departments should update any scholarship-related content on their websites, emails, and advising materials to reflect the new WWU Scholarship Portal as the primary application system.

This change is being made for a number of reasons, including recruitment and retention and making the awards process more transparent and equitable for all students. With this new software, all students can more easily be considered for all awards for which they may be eligible.

No. Donors receive annual thank you letters from students, and they are also invited to Celebration of Scholarships events where they have an opportunity to meet their scholarship recipients. These stewardship activities will continue.