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Retention Scholarship

In order to earn the $500 retention scholarship you must meet the following criteria:

1. Be an undergraduate or transfer student
2. Be attending WMU for the first time
3. Enroll for at least 12 credit hours in the following Fall semester
4. Complete 30 credits of academic course work:
   • Within one academic year (September through August)
   • (students who wish to begin their freshman year by taking Summer II courses before their first fall semester at Western can count those credits as well)
   • All credits must be earned at WMU
   • Earn a GPA of 3.0 or greater

Completion of 30 credits your first academic year

To earn 30 credits to qualify for the financial incentive, students may use the two summer sessions as well as the fall and spring semesters. For some students, this may mean taking an online course or two in the summer to make sure they fill the 30-credit requirement and stay on track toward graduation.

Dual enrollment credits

Please note that academic credits earned through advance placement or international baccalaureate course work are not counted towards fulfillment of the 30 credits of academic course work required to qualify for the retention scholarship. Dual enrollment credit, taken at Western Michigan University, however, does count toward the 30 credits.

A note about financial aid

Do note that for the purposes of the state and federal government, the Retention Scholarship is a form of financial aid and, as such, may affect your overall aid package from the University. This is most likely the case when a student's need based grants already exceed the entire cost of attendance at WMU.