Apply today for WAVE scholarship
Top career and technical education students gain tuition, training dollars
Washington’s top career and technical education (CTE) students are encouraged to apply for the 2025 Washington Award for Vocational Excellence. This merit scholarship helps pay for college and training.
The application window is open until March 10, 2025. Learn more and apply here.
A number of factors determine awards, including available funding and where students go to school. At a minimum, students will receive about $3,900 per year, for two years, or $7,800 total. Past awards have been as high as $11,700 per year, for two years. See historical funding information here.
The scholarship helps students pay for tuition and other costs at Washington colleges, universities or private career schools.
Students will see a new application portal this year, thanks to the Washington Legislature. The new portal is expected to ease the application process for students, teachers and volunteers.
“The WAVE scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for Washington students,” Workforce Board Executive Director Eleni Papadakis says. “This scholarship builds a stronger workforce in communities across the state. Many thanks to the Washington Legislature for supporting this scholarship, including a new application portal.”
These students are eligible to apply:
- Graduating high school seniors who have finished or are completing the equivalent of two high school credits in a single CTE pathway
- Community and technical college students who have completed the equivalent of one year of professional-technical or apprenticeship coursework
Up to 147 students will be awarded WAVE scholarships this year – two high school students, and one community or technical college student from each of Washington’s 49 legislative districts.
These students are training in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, agriculture technology and other specialties in high demand by Washington employers.
Some previous awardees were featured in these news stories as they launched their careers studying nursing, early childhood education, aviation and other specialties.
WAVE is funded by the Washington Legislature, which created the scholarship in 1984 to encourage the state’s top career and technical education students to achieve their education and career goals.
The scholarship is administered by Washington’s Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, which works in partnership with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish state policies on how career and technical education is delivered across the state. The Washington Student Achievement Council oversees the distribution of WAVE scholarship funds.
Applications will be reviewed by a committee of business, government and labor volunteers later this spring.
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For application questions about the 2025 WAVE scholarship, check out our website for FAQs, application instructions and more. Questions? Please contact the Workforce Board at wave.award@wtb.wa.gov.
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