KNOB NOSTER — Western Governors University Missouri and Community College of the Air Force, a federally chartered academic institution that serves the United States Air and Space forces’ enlisted total, recently announced a new joint partnership.
Within the terms of the agreement, CCAF students who have completed their associate degree and enroll in any of WGU’s 60-plus undergraduate or graduate degree programs in business, IT, K-12 teacher education or health professions – including nursing – will now be able to transfer their credits to the fully online, nonprofit university.
CCAF students transferring to WGU will also be eligible for scholarships.
“We are delighted to partner with WGU to provide another pathway for military members to build on their associates degree from CCAF by pursuing their bachelor’s degree and beyond,” CCAF Dean Hank Dasinger said. “We are thankful to be joining forces to build this pathway for our military forces.”
The partnership, which strengthens WGU’s efforts of supporting those who serve across the full military lifecycle will provide the roughly 22,000 service members who earn their associate degrees each year from CCAF with a seamless transfer option to WGU.
The university’s competency-based education model will allow CCAF graduates to use their prior education, training and experience to move quickly through their courses, allowing them to graduate at an accelerated rate.
CCAF graduates enrolling at WGU will also be eligible to apply for scholarships offered through the university’s Community College Partnership Scholarship fund.
The scholarships are valued at up to $2,500 each and are applied to WGU’s flat-rate tuition of about $3,500 per six-month term.
Recipients of the scholarship will receive a $625 tuition credit each term, renewable for up to four terms based on academic performance.
“Both WGU and CCAF are deeply committed to providing students with access to high-quality, flexible, affordable education that will prepare them for continuing education opportunities and career advancement well after they graduate and this partnership will help further that mission,” WGU Missouri Chancellor Angie Besendorfer said. “We are proud to partner with the Community College of the Air Force and connect service members with in-demand degrees that will allow them to access and complete coursework on their schedules and from wherever they are stationed.”
WGU has been named as a Military Friendly® School for 11 consecutive years, with over 17,200 students currently affiliated with the military.
CCAF partners with 111 affiliated Air Force and Space Force schools worldwide to serve approximately 270,000 active, guard and reserve enlisted personnel.
CCAF is the world’s largest community college system, awarding over 22,000 associate degrees annually across 71 degree programs.
