Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (Career & Technical)

The Career and Technical Scholarship from the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship pays up to $1,500 every quarter toward an eligible associate degree, certificate or apprenticeship at a Washington community or technical college, in high-demand fields such as health care, manufacturing, construction trades and information technology. It funds one credential through completion, and scholars also get coaching and career support. WSOS was created by the Legislature and is funded by the state with private matching gifts. Applicants must be Washington residents (undocumented students are accepted), have family income at or below 125 percent of the state median for their family size, earn a high school diploma or equivalent by June of the application year, plan to take at least three credits each fall, winter and spring term, and not intend to go straight on to a bachelor's degree. The FAFSA or WASFA is also required. For fall 2027 funding, the application opens March 17, 2027 and closes April 15, 2027 at 9 p.m.

Other deadlines near this one

• FBLA Distinguished Business Leader Scholarship (High School)
  Due April 15, 2027 · $500
• Frank O'Bannon Grant
  Due April 15, 2027 · Varies by need and institution type per the annual award schedule (roughly up to $10,000+/yr at privates); 2026-27 amounts held flat
• Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
  Due April 15, 2027 · $10,000 (top winners)

How hard is the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (Career & Technical) to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

• Fewer rivalsOpen only to Washington residents
• Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
• Fewer rivalsAn income ceiling applies
• Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
• Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (Career & Technical)?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

• ✓Must be a resident of Washington
• ✓Must attend a college in Washington (the award does not travel out of state)
• ✓Open to high school seniors
• ✓Household income of $180,000 or less
• ✓Planning to study Skilled Trades, Health & Medicine, or Computer Science

What the application takes

• Essay required.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is April 15, 2027 at 9 p.m. Pacific. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around April 15 each year. Applications open March 17, 2027. Seniors finishing in June apply in the March 17 to April 15 window; file the 2027-28 FAFSA or WASFA by the same date.

Winter-spring cycle for later starters

Opens late September, closes mid-October 2026

Fall 2027 application opens

March 17, 2027

Application and 2027-28 FAFSA/WASFA deadline

April 15, 2027 at 9 p.m. Pacific

Common questions about the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (Career & Technical)

More field of study

• Wes Vernon Broadcast Journalism Scholarship
  $5,000 a year, renewable up to 3 years ($20,000 total) · due March 1, 2027
• West Virginia STEM Scholarship
  Up to $3,000 per academic year · due March 1, 2027
• Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant
  $2,000 per academic year at a TCAT · due November 1, 2027
• YoungArts National Arts Competition
  $250-$10,000 · due October 6, 2027
• mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship
  Varies (typically $5,000-$10,000) · due October 31, 2026
• AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship
  $1,000 · due March 15, 2027

Lists this award appears on

• Washington Scholarships and State Grants
• Need-Based Scholarships and Grants
• Renewable Scholarships (Multi-Year Awards)
• STEM Scholarships
• Community College Scholarships and Transfer Aid
• Scholarships With April Deadlines