Wharton County Junior College is offering a host of financial aid opportunities for students, including scholarships and tuition discounts. Pictured, from left to right, are Rachel Cavazos, Financial Aid specialist; Leslie Kolojaco, WCJC's director of Financial Aid; and Missy Gavranovic, Financial Aid specialist.
WHARTON, TEXAS – With a host of financial aid opportunities, scholarships and tuition discounts, there’s never been a better time to register for classes at Wharton County Junior College.
“We recognize that students and their families are experiencing economic curveballs due to the pandemic,” said WCJC’s Director of Financial Aid Leslie Kolojaco. “We’re working to get all available scholarship funds in students’ hands to help ensure access to college courses during the spring semester.”
Registration is already under way for the Spring 2021 semester – classes begin on Jan. 19, 2021 – and applications are being accepted for several scholarships, including the M.G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation Scholarship and a wide variety of other scholarships.
The Johnson Foundation scholarship is available to current and newly enrolled Allied Health and Pre-Allied Health program majors as well as students enrolled in Emergency Medical Services courses. The scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $1,000 for the spring semester. Applicants must reside in one of the following counties: Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, Colorado, Dewitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Matagorda, Refugio, Victoria, Waller and Wharton or inside the Needville Independent School District.
Applicants must also maintain at least six credit hours for the Spring 2021 semester. Deadline for the Johnson Foundation Scholarship is Jan. 15, 2021.
Students may also apply for an endowment scholarship. More than 70 endowment scholarships are available, each in varying amounts and each awarded based on donor specifications. Visit the Financial Aid page on the WCJC website for more information on these scholarships.
Federal Pell Grants and loans are available as well, based on individual need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applications can be found on the website.
A Financial Aid Special Condition Request is also available for WCJC students who have experienced a reduction in household income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this opportunity, qualified students could receive an increased Pell Grant award and possibly additional subsidized loan funds. To qualify, students must have a complete 2020-2021 financial aid file, have achieved Satisfactory Academic Progress and have experienced a reduction in total household income of 25 percent or more for at least eight weeks. Supporting documentation such as pay stubs, job separation letters or unemployment benefit statements will be required to determine aid.
WCJC is further offering a tuition installment plan that enables students to pay 20 percent of their tuition and fees up front, plus a $35 non-refundable enrollment fee, and then spread out the remainder of their tuition in equal monthly installments. By enrolling as early as possible, students will have a longer term in which to pay off their bill and so will face lower monthly payments. All registered WCJC students can apply for an installment plan.
Additional assistance is being provided for WCJC students who take more than 13 hours of academic transfer courses. Under this policy, tuition and fees will be waived for any courses above the 13 credit hours.
For example, an in-district student taking 19 credit hours will pay roughly $1,214 – the same amount paid by a student taking only 13 hours.
Applications and deadline information for the scholarships and financial aid opportunities are available on the WCJC website. Students can also email finaid@wcjc.edu for additional information.
WCJC is offering a Winter Mini-Term from Dec. 21 through Jan. 11, 2021, with registration now open through Dec. 18. The Spring 2021 semester begins on Jan. 19, 2021. Registration is open from now through Jan. 18, 2021. WCJC will be offering more face-to-face classes in the Spring in addition to the online courses now being offered for students who prefer to take courses in a remote fashion.
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