Wayland Baptist University takes $135 off every undergraduate credit hour, $145 off every in-person graduate credit hour and $162 off every online graduate credit hour for non-federal law enforcement officers anywhere in the country, and the page says it covers your spouse and children too. The page doesn’t name firefighters or EMS, so this one is aimed at law enforcement officers and Texas dispatchers.
Wayland’s page says it offers online classes that fit your schedule, and it calls the scholarship one you earn every day by putting on your uniform. The amounts come off a per-credit-hour tuition rate once you’re enrolled, and the page labels them with an academic year, so confirm they’re still current.
How To Get The Wayland Baptist University First Responder Discount
- Meet admission requirements and be fully accepted to Wayland. The page says that comes before the scholarship can be awarded.
- Submit the FAFSA. The page lists it as a requirement.
- Show proof of employment before your first session, and again at the start of each new academic year, which the page says begins in the fall. A recent paystub or a signed and dated letter from HR showing active status works.
- Ask admissions how to start. The page carries an inquiry form, but it doesn’t describe a separate scholarship application.
Who Qualifies, In The University’s Words
The page says non-federal law enforcement officers nationwide, regardless of state, qualify. Active dispatchers in Texas also qualify, and the page names programs for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshal. The page’s title says “Corrections,” and Wayland’s scholarship summary page refers to law enforcement and correction officers. Corrections work outside the Texas Department of Criminal Justice isn’t spelled out, so ask. U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshal are federal agencies, yet the page lists them next to its “non-federal” line, so ask whether federal officers get the per-credit savings.
Firefighters and EMS aren’t named anywhere on either page, and no volunteer or retiree status is mentioned. The scholarship goes to active officers, and family members qualify as long as you’re actively employed.
What The Discount Covers And What It Leaves Out
It applies to any Wayland degree, associate to doctorate, so you aren’t limited to a field related to your job. The page says it may be applied to tuition, fees, books, dorm costs and meal plans, if applicable, and that no rebate check will be issued.
Employees and spouses can enroll full-time or part-time. Children attending the Plainview residential campus qualify for $1,000 per 16-week term, but only when enrolled full-time. Children at one of the external campuses get amounts that match the employee and spouse rates. Several family members can use it at the same time. The page doesn’t say whether it stacks with other aid or discounts, so ask the financial aid office.
Credit For The Work You’ve Already Done
The page lists college credit for experience: 12 hours for four years of work, plus 11 to 34 hours for completing a POST or similar academy, depending on state requirements. Texas dispatchers get 6 hours for a Basic Certification and 8 hours for Intermediate or higher. The page says this credit applies only to the Bachelor of Applied Science degree.
Q&A
Q: How much does it save?
A: $135 per undergraduate credit hour, $145 per graduate in-person credit hour and $162 per graduate online credit hour, as the page prints them.
Q: Does it cover my firefighter or paramedic job?
A: The page doesn’t name either one.
Q: Can my spouse and kids use it?
A: Yes, as long as you’re actively employed. Children on the Plainview campus get $1,000 per 16-week term if they’re full-time.
Q: What proof do I show?
A: A recent paystub or a signed and dated HR letter showing active status, at the start and each fall.
Q: Is there another online school I should compare?
A: Our Liberty University page covers one.
More Information:
Wayland’s amounts carry an academic-year label, so read the page again before you enroll. For more ways to stretch the household budget, browse our money discounts. You can also see it alongside other options in How First Responders Can Save Thousands on College Tuition: The Best Schools Offering Tuition Discounts.
