First-Year Scholarships
As one of TIME and Statista's Best Colleges for Future Leaders, WMU is dedicated to making a top-ranked education affordable and accessible for every aspiring first-year student.
Students will be considered based on scholarship availability at the time of application. Dec. 15 is the Early Action application deadline to be considered for WMU’s merit scholarships. After Dec. 15, applicants will be considered for admissions merit scholarships based on the materials in their application file (at the time of application) and as scholarship funds are available. WMU does not require the submission of ACT or SAT test scores for first-year students applying for 2025 enrollment. Scholarships are not guaranteed and are based on academic credentials provided at the time of application.
Explore our scholarships designed to help you take the next step toward your future. If you’re looking for other types of funding outside of scholarships, our financial aid homepage can help you access additional sources.
Admissions scholarships
Medallion Scholarship Program
Value: The Medallion Scholarship is WMU’s most prestigious merit-based scholarship offered to incoming first-year students and valued at approximately $92,110 over the course of four years. This includes:
- Up to $16,000 per year (for four years) for tuition and fees.
- An on-campus housing scholarship of up to $6,279 per year (for four years).
- A one-time engagement scholarship of up to $3,000 to help fund either study abroad or research.
Consideration criteria: Medallion scholars stand out among their peers. Students are selected through a competitive, holistic review of the admissions application file. No additional scholarship application is required. Up to 60 semifinalists will be selected to participate in an interview to select up to 20 Medallion Scholars.
Deadline: Complete your admission application file† by the Early Action deadline of Dec. 15. Semifinalists will be notified in February.
Notes: Please refer to the Medallion Scholarship webpage for further details regarding the use of scholarship funds.
Bronco Success Award
Students who apply for admission† (or submit required application materials) after our Dec. 15 Early Action Deadline through our June 1 Rolling Admission Deadline will automatically be considered for the Bronco Success Award.
Value: The award amount varies based on GPA at the time of admission.
Deadline: Complete admission application file by June 1 Rolling Application Deadline.
Foundation Scholarship
Value: $64,000 ($16,000/year for four years)
Consideration criteria: 3.70 GPA at the time of admission and verified, significant financial need
Deadline: Complete your admission application file† and scholarship application due in Scholarship Universe by the extended deadline of Feb. 28 (formerly Feb. 15). The application will open on Dec. 1. Recipients will be notified in March.
WMU has the resources of a bigger school, but it is small enough to make each individual feel special. While other colleges mostly relied on their reputation to recruit me, the admissions team at WMU made a huge effort to make me feel welcome on campus. No other school came close to the personal attention WMU gave me.
Empowering Futures scholarships
Bronco Promise
Value: Full tuition for up to five years
Consideration criteria: Admitted, full-time, first-year students who are Michigan residents. Household adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less and household net assets under $50,000. No GPA minimum.
Deadline: Complete admissions application file† by June 1. Complete FAFSA by July 1.
Bronco Connect Scholarship
Value: Up to $6,000
Consideration criteria: Admitted, first-year, undergraduate students who are Michigan residents with demonstrated financial need
Deadline: Scholarship application due in ScholarshipUniverse and FAFSA completed by March 31.
Other scholarship opportunities
MLK GOLD
Value: $32,000 ($8,000/year for four years)
Consideration criteria: 3.00+ GPA at the time of admission and at least two of the following criteria:
- Participation in a pre-college/bridge or migrant education program
- Eligibility for participation in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program
- First-generation college student.
Students are selected through a competitive, holistic review of the admissions application file. No additional scholarship application is required. This scholarship is highly selective, and up to 30 MLK GOLD Scholars will be selected and notified in March.
Deadline: Completed admissions application file† by Feb. 15.
Paper Technology Foundation scholarships
Value: Scholarships range annually and can be stacked with other WMU merit-based scholarships.
Consideration criteria: PTF scholarships are awarded to first-year students based on their GPA at the time they are admitted to WMU.
Deadline: Completed admissions application file† by annual WMU application deadline of June 1. Students must list paper engineering as their intended academic major on their application in order to be considered for PTF scholarships. No additional application materials are needed.
Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship
Value: One-time, nonrenewable award worth $500.
Consideration criteria: Award is given to students whose parent, step-parent or legal guardian is a WMU graduate.
Deadline: No additional application steps required; this information is collected in the application for admission.
Seita Scholarship
Value: Partial-tuition scholarship
Consideration criteria: Students who have lived some or all of their teenage years in foster care. See additional criteria.
Deadline: Scholarship application due by May 15.
Early Action scholarship opportunities
Students who submit a complete application for admission† prior to the Dec. 15 Early Action Deadline will automatically receive one of our merit scholarships. The award amount varies based on GPA at the time of admission.
Notes on scholarship awards
Students awarded more than one Office of Admissions scholarship will be awarded the scholarship of highest value. Awards are subject to change.
†A complete admission application file includes: application (Common App including WMU supplement), official high school transcripts and $40 application fee or fee waiver. Students who wish for an ACT/SAT score to be considered in review must self-report their score on the admission application. Students interested in aviation flight science and direct admission to the Bronson School of Nursing must complete their admission application by the Early Action deadline. Learn more on the Competitive Admission Programs webpage.
Historic scholarship offerings: fall 2023 | fall 2022 | fall 2021 | fall 2020
