Admissions Office
Western State College
600 North Adams Street
Gunnison, CO 81231

Contact Us
800-876-5309
Fax 970-943-2363

Costs & Scholarships 2008-2009

ESTIMATED average budget for the 2008-09 Academic Year for students living in Escalante Hall with a full-meal plan:

*Resident students must apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend to be eligible. Full-time rate is based on 12 credits a semester. Part-time rates are $120.00/hour for residents and $494.00/hour for non-residents plus appropriate fees.

**Click here for our 2008-2009 room and board cost sheets.

Last year 70% of our students received grants, loans, scholarships or work study awards. The average financial aid package including loans award is about $6625 per year. For more information, please visit Financial Aid or call them at 970-943-3085. There are many opportunities for financial aid at Western. We offer a wide range of scholarships, grants and loans to help you pay for college.

New Student Scholarship Opportunities

Western State College of Colorado offers a variety of scholarships for new students. Scholarships are awarded based on a student's merit, achievements, involvement and leadership. Some scholarships require the New Student Scholarship Application while others are awarded automatically based on GPA and test scores- please see scholarship descriptions below for specific guidelines. The deadline for scholarship applications is April 1, 2009. Selection is competitive and the number of scholarships available is limited. Some talent-based awards are available in extracurricular activities such as music, art or athletics.

Are you already a student at Western? You should fill out the Common Scholarship Application and turn it into the Financial Aid office.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NEW STUDENTS:

• Non-resident Freshmen
• Colorado Freshmen
• Non-resident Transfer Students
• Colorado Transfer Students
• All Students

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NON-RESIDENT FRESHMEN

**The non resident freshman scholarships listed below are additive- you can receive more than one. Please fill out the scholarship application and return by April 1, 2009.

• National Student Scholarship- $3,500 per year, renewable for 4 years:
  The National Scholarship is available to new freshman applicants who are residents of states other than Colorado . The National Student Scholarship is valued at $3,500 per year and is renewable for four years. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher and a minimum 20 ACT or 950 SAT. Consideration for the National Student Scholarship is automatic upon acceptance.
  
• Academic Leadership Program (ALP)- $1,500 per year, renewable for 4 years:
  The ALP Scholarship is a competitive award, and is valued at $1500 per year. The award is renewable for four years. Applicants must have a 3.2 cumulative GPA or higher and a minimum 21 ACT or 990 SAT. The student must have demonstrated leadership skills in at least three different types of activities in high school. Scholarship application required.
  [ Download Application ] [ Online Application ]

• Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
  The Western Undergraduate Exchange Program (WUE) is available to new students who are residents of the following states Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. To qualify for WUE status, a new student must be a resident of one of these states, and must apply for need based financial aid by completing the FAFSA form. WUE status is awarded based on the student's financial need. The WUE tuition rate is 150% of full in-state Colorado tuition, as calculated before subtracting the Colorado Opportunity Fund credit granted to Colorado residents.
• Eastman Achievement Award in Recreation- $500:
  This award seeks to recognize and encourage Outdoor Leadership & Resort Management majors who show diversity and outstanding achievement in the recreation field. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and a 21 ACT or 990 SAT. Students must also show a documented commitment to recreation as their major field of study at Western. Applications are sent to all accepted incoming OLRM majors who meet the requirements in the spring. Application form and typed essay addressing at least three of the following areas should be sent to Dr. Kevin Nelson, OLRM Dept., Western State College. Deadline is March 31, 2009. Amount of scholarship is $500. Must show outstanding achievement in at least three of the following five areas:
• Special Recreational Talents
• Unique Recreational Endeavors
• Obstacles Overcome
• Community Service
• Leadership

top

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COLORADO RESIDENT FRESHMEN

**The freshman scholarships listed below are additive- you can receive more than one. Please fill out the scholarship application and return by April 1, 2009.

• Academic Leadership Program (ALP)- $1,500 per year, renewable for 4 years:
  The ALP Scholarship is a competitive award, and is valued at $1,500 per year. This scholarship can be combined with the Trustees Scholarship. Applicants must have a 3.2 cumulative GPA or higher and a minimum 21 ACT or 990 SAT. The student must also have demonstrated leadership skills in at least three different types of activities in high school. Scholarship application required.
  [ Download Application ] [ Online Application ]
• Trustees Scholarship- $1,000 renewable for 4 years:
  The Trustees Scholarship is valued at $1,000 per year. This is a competitive, renewable scholarship for the highest achieving students. Applicants must have a 3.8 cumulative GPA or higher, 25 ACT or 1100 SAT score or higher. Scholarship application required.
  [ Download Application ] [ Online Application]
• Excellence Award- $1,000 per year, renewable for 4 years:
  The Excellence Award is valued at $1,000 per year and is renewable for four years. Students must have a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher and a minimum 22 ACT or 1000 SAT. Consideration for the Excellence Award is automatic upon acceptance.
• Western Award- $500, renewable for 4 years:
  The Western Award is valued at $500. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher and a minimum 20 ACT or 950 SAT. Consideration for the Western Award is automatic upon acceptance.

• Community Banks of Colorado- Full Tuition, Room and Board: The four-year Community Banks Leadership Program is designed to provide leadership training to individuals who will positively impact their communities.  The program will require intensive academic, programmatic, and community service participation.  In order to ensure that students are able to focus their attention on developing crucial leadership skills, the program will fund tuition, room and board for recipients who have applied for the Colorado College Opportunity Fund. Scholarship applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  If an applicant’s grade point average falls below a 3.0, they may submit a written appeal for continued scholarship consideration. Applicants must be from one of the cities in Colorado listed by the bank. For a list of cities and to receive an application, please contact the Program Director, Emily Potts, at (720) 529-3397, or send an email to scholarships@cobnks.com .
  
• Colorado Girls / Boys State Scholarship- $500:
  The Colorado Girls / Boys State Scholarship is a competitive scholarship for students who attend Colorado Girls or Boys State. The scholarship is valued at $500 for one year. Students must submit a letter of application for the Colorado Girls' State Scholarship along with their application for admission to Western State College of Colorado.
• The Kearney Scholarship ( Pueblo area students only)- $1,000:
  This scholarship was established to provide scholarship assistance to Western State College students who attended high school in Pueblo. To be eligible, a student must be an incoming freshman enrolling full-time to Western, be a graduate of Central or South High School in Pueblo, Colo., and have one parent who served honorably in the US Armed Forces. All things being equal, preference shall be given to former students of Colombian Elementary School in Pueblo. To apply, submit a letter of application detailing your eligibility and why you feel you are a worthy candidate. Send applications to Office of Admissions, Western State College of Colorado, Gunnison, CO 81231. The amount of the scholarship is $1,000.
• Eastman Achievement Award in Recreation- $500:
  This award seeks to recognize and encourage Outdoor Leadership & Resort Management majors who show diversity and outstanding achievement in the recreation field. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and a 21 ACT or 990 SAT. Students must also show a documented commitment to recreation as their major field of study at Western. Applications are sent to all accepted incoming OLRM majors who meet the requirements in the spring. Application form and typed essay addressing at least three of the following areas should be sent to Dr. Kevin Nelson, OLRM Dept., Western State College of Colorado, Gunnison, CO 81231. Deadline is March 31, 2009. Amount of scholarship is $500. Must show outstanding achievement in at least three of the following five areas:
  • Special Recreational Talents
  • Unique Recreational Endeavors
  • Obstacles Overcome
  • Community Service
  • Leadership

top

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ALL STUDENTS

• WSC Presidential Honors Scholarship- $2,500 per year, renewable:
  

The WSC Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western’s highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community.  Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western State College Honors Program. Eligible candidates should have a high school, transfer, or Western State College grade point average of, at minimum, 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.   Candidates must also demonstrate leadership qualities or experience and a commitment to intellectual inquiry and academic challenge.
Application Process
1. Send a cover letter citing your qualifications and accomplishments
2. Two letters of recommendation from teachers, guidance counselors, professors or academic advisors
3. Copy of your most recent educational transcript
4. Any other documentation that would be helpful in evaluation you as a candidate for this Scholarship.

Applications are due by April 20, 2009 and should be submitted to:

Western State College Honors Program
Dr. Heather Thiessen-Reily, Honors Director
The Presidential Honors Scholarship Program
Crawford 102
Western State College
Gunnison CO 81231
(970) 943-7128
hthiessen@western.edu

• Foundation Scholars Program- $4,000 per year, renewable:
  The Foundation Scholars Award is a competitive, renewable scholarship valued at $4,000 per year. It can be awarded to any Western student. Four awards are available each year: one for an incoming freshman, and one each for a continuing sophomore, junior, and senior. To apply for the Foundation Scholars Award, a student must have a cumulative 3.5 grade point average. High school applicants must also have a minimum score of 25 on the ACT or 1100 on the SAT. Deadline is April 1. Contact the Western State College Foundation directly to receive an application at 970-641-2237.
• Departmental Scholarships- $250-$500:
  Several academic departments at Western State College have awards available to students. These awards are valued from $250 to $500 per year. Please see the Academics page for department contact information.
• Athletic Scholarships- Varying amounts:
  Athletic awards are based on a student's athletic performance. The Department of Athletics sets values and requirements for Athletic Scholarships.
• Other Scholarships/Common Scholarship- Varying amounts:
  Many other scholarships available to all students are combined into the Common Scholarship Application. Requirements for each scholarship are listed in the Scholarship Description section. Scholarship application required. Deadline is April 1.
• Non-resident Transfer Students
• Colorado Transfer Students

top